A 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupé Aerodinamico is RM Sotheby’s leading entry for the 2016 Paris classic car auction during Rétromobile week. Other highlights of the sale include a 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder by Wendler, 1957 BMW 507 Roadster Series II and a 2004 Ferrari Enzo. RM Sotheby’s is expecting eleven cars to achieve a million dollar result at the first major classic car auction in Europe in 2016.
See also: 2016 RM Sotheby’s Paris Classic Car Auction Results
RM Sotheby’s Paris Classic Car Sale 2016
RM Sotheby’s will stage its third annual Paris classic car auction on 3 February 2016 at Place Vauban immediately after the Festival Automobile International.
The Paris classic car auctions during the Rétromobile week are traditionally the first major automobile sales in Europe each year. This year the Paris auction follows only just over a week after the classic car auction year kicked of in Scottsdale, Arizona.
In 2015, RM generated €19.3 million in Paris but was overshadowed by Artcurial selling the Baillon Collection of barn-find cars.
Million-Dollar-Plus Cars at RM Sotheby’s Paris 2016
Of the around 60 automobiles that will be on offer at the 2016 RM Sotheby’s Paris classic car sale, the following are expected to sell for more than a million dollar:
| Year | Car | Estimate (€) |
| 1962 | Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupé Aerodinamico | 3,000,000 – 3,300,000 |
| 1955 | Porsche 550 Spyder by Wendler | 2,200,000 – 2,600,000 |
| 1957 | BMW 507 Roadster Series II | 1,900,000 – 2,200,000 |
| 2004 | Ferrari Enzo | 1,500,000 – 2,000,000 |
| 1997 | Ferrari F50 | 1,300,000 – 1,500,000 |
| 1963 | Aston Martin DB5 | 1,100,000 – 1,300,000 |
| 1955 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,000,000 – 1,400,000 |
| 1989 | Ferrari F40 | 1,000,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 1965 | Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato | 950,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 1951 | Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Villa d’Este Coupé by Touring | 750,000 – 900,000 |
| 1971 | Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta by Scaglietti | 700,000 – 900,000 |
1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupé Aerodinamico
A 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupé Aerodinamico by Pininfarina, chassis 3931 SA, (est. €3,000,000 – 3,300,000) is expected to achieve the highest result at the 2016 RM Sotheby’s Paris classic car auction. This 400 Superamerica was the first of only 18 second-series long-wheelbase examples built.
The 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupé Aerodinamico was the original launch model shown at the Earls Court Motor Show in London and at the Chicago Motor Show. It also spent some time on display in the Matsuda Ferrari Museum of Art in the late 1990s. It was restored in 2008 to its original livery of Grigio Argento over Nero.
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder by Wendler
The 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder by Wendler, chassis 550-0068, (est. €2,200,000 – 2,600,000) was one of 75 Porsche 550s produced for privateer racers, who could drive the cars on the road as well as track. This car was shown at the 1955 Frankfurt car show before being shipped to the USA.
The car was successfully raced in period in the USA with a victory on its race debut at Waterbro. It also finished 14th overall, and third in class, at the 1956 Sebring 12 Hours race. The car is fully restored in its original color scheme. The Porsche has a FIVA license and is eligible for many historic races including the Mille Miglia, Goodwood Revival and Le Mans Classic.
1957 BMW 507 Roadster Series II
The 1957 BMW 507 Roadster Series II (est. €1,900,000 – 2,200,000) is a late production version of only 252 cars built. A contemporary of the ever-popular Mercedes Benz 300 SL, the BMW 507 is much scarcer as original production was only a tenth of that of the Mercedes Benz Coupes and Roadsters.
The car has spent almost its entire life in Switzerland with only four previous owners, including over four decades with a BMW workshop owner. The car was meticulously maintained and although re-sprayed once, the interior is original.
2004 Ferrari Enzo
The 2004 Ferrari Enzo (est. €1,500,000 – 2,000,000) has covered only 2,500 km since new but changed color from red to black following an accident. Although repaired and overhauled by the Ferrari Technical Assistant Service, it will be interesting to see if buyers will overlook the accident and pay the fairly high estimate price. Enzos have been selling at mostly around $1.5 million at recent auctions with the notable exception of the $3.3 million paid for an almost new Enzo at RM Sotheby’s New York 2015 sale and the $6 million paid at Monterey 2015 for the final Enzo produced and gifted to Pope John Paul II.
1997 Ferrari F50
The 1997 Ferrari F50 (est. €1,300,000 – 1,500,000) on offer at the 2016 RM Sotheby’s Paris sale was the 266th of 349 F50s built. The car is in its original red over black and Ferrari Classiche certified. It has covered 30,000 km since new and had only two owners in Italy and France. (Gooding will also offer an Enzo, F50 and F40 at Scottsdale 2016.)
1963 Aston Martin DB5
The 1963 Aston Martin DB5 (est. €1,100,000 – 1,300,000) on sale at the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2016 classic car auction was the first left-hand-drive DB5 saloon produced and was originally delivered to German racing driver Peter Lindner. Nicolas Cage was another later celebrity owner. The original engine was replaced in 1969 and in 2003 upgraded to 4.2-liter specification.
1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing
The 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing (est. €1,000,000 – 1,400,000) on offer in Paris has a well-documented history of enthusiastic owners. It is a matching numbers example with a FIVA passport. Not only is it eligible for many historic races, it actually did participate in the 1993 and 1999 Mille Miglia Storica.
A 1950s Mercedes Benz 300 SL is almost compulsory at classic car auctions. A week before Paris, at least seven will be on offer at Scottsdale, Arizona but neither Bonhams nor Artcurial will have one in Paris.
1989 Ferrari F40
Like the Mercedes Benz 300 SL, the Ferrari F40s were produced in relatively large numbers and every classic car auction seems to offer at least one. (Bonhams will also offer an F40 in Paris 2016). The 1989 Ferrari F40 (est. €1,000,000 – 1,200,000) on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2016 sale comes with a royal connection: it was original owned by Stefan Casiraghi, husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco. She had him sell the car after only a few months, as she was apparently scared of the performance that her speedboat-racing husband loved. The F40 covered only 4,000 km since new, of which only 600 km were added in the past eight years. (Bonhams will also offer an F40 at Paris 2016 with more available at Scottsdale, Arizona.)
1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato
The 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato (est. €950,000 – 1,200,000) was built to race against such notable competitors as the Ferrari 250 GTO and Porsche 904. Notably, two TZs finished ahead of two GTOs at the 1964 Targa Florio but behind two Porsche 904s.
The 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato was raced in period by amongst others Karl Foitek, Peter Schetty and Uli Mauer. Its most noticeable finish was 5th in class at the 1968 Nürnburgring 1,000 km race.
1951 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Villa d’Este Coupé by Touring
The 1951 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Villa d’Este Coupé by Touring (est. €750,000 – 900,000) on offer at the 2016 RM Sotheby’s Paris sale was one of only 36 examples built with coachwork by Touring and amongst the last handmade Alfa Romeos. Little is known about the first five decades after the car left the factory but it resurfaced in the 1990s and received a full restoration in 2008.
1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta by Scaglietti
The 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta by Scaglietti (est. €700,000 – 900,000) at RM Sotheby’s 2016 Paris auction is an early Plexiglas-headlight example built to European specification but with instrumentation in miles. It is a matching numbers example and during restoration returned to the original Giallo Fly yellow with Nero strip color. Many Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta aimed for a million dollar at recent auctions, several will be available at Scottsdale 2016 and Artcurial have a couple in Paris, but very few have thus far exceeded this mark.
Although RM Sotheby’s has a fine collection of cars on offer in Paris in 2016, RM Sotheby’s (and Bonhams) are likely to again by overshadowed by the Ferraris that Artcurial have on offer.
See Also: 2016 RM Sotheby’s Paris Classic Car Auction Results