Two Ferrari 250 GT cars and the most-expensive Porsche ever lead the results of the highest prices paid at the 2015 Gooding Pebble Beach auction. A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider sold for $16,830,000 while a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWM Berlinetta Speciale sold for $16,500,000 – the two best results ever at a Gooding and Company auction. The 1983 Le Mans winning car – the 1982 Porsche 956 – achieved $10,120,000 to become the most-expensive Porsche ever sold at public auction. Gooding sold 26 cars for over a million dollars at Pebble Beach 2015.
Gooding & Co Pebble Beach Auction Results 2015
Gooding & Company set new records at the 2015 Pebble Beach auction with the two highest single lot results in the company’s history and the highest ever grossing total. On two days of auctions, Gooding achieved a sell-through rate of 89% to earn $128 million from 115 lots sold (out of 129 offered) with 26 cars selling for over a million dollar each. In 2014, Gooding earned $106 million at Pebble Beach with 30 cars exceeding a million dollars.
Top Results at Gooding’s Pebble Beach Sale 2015
The following 26 cars sold for more than a million dollar each at the 2015 Gooding Pebble Beach classic car auction on Monterey Peninsula in California, USA:
| Year | Car | Price ($) |
| 1961 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider | 16,830,000 |
| 1962 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale | 16,500,000 |
| 1982 | Porsche 956 | 10,120,000 |
| 1960 | Porsche RS60 | 5,400,000 |
| 1957 | Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series II Coupe | 5,087,500 |
| 1967 | Ferrari 275 GTB/4 | 3,877,500 |
| 1934 | Packard Twelve 1108 Sport Sedan | 3,630,000 |
| 1965 | Ferrari 500 Superfast | 3,025,000 |
| 1966 | Ferrari 206 S Dino Spider | 2,310,000 |
| 1998 | Ferrari 333 SP | 2,090,000 |
| 1965 | Ferrari 275 GTS | 1,925,000 |
| 2015 | McLaren P1 | 1,925,000 |
| 1961 | Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet | 1,842,500 |
| 1988 | Porsche 959 Komfort | 1,732,500 |
| 1955 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,650,000 |
| 1934 | Rolls Royce Phantom II Continental Sedanca Drophead Coupe | 1,650,000 |
| 1939 | Lagonda V-12 Rapide | 1,650,000 |
| 1967 | Porsche 906 E | 1,650,000 |
| 1955 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,595,000 |
| 1965 | Aston Martin DB5 Convertible | 1,540,000 |
| 1992 | Ferrari F40 | 1,375,000 |
| 1975 | Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR | 1,292,500 |
| 1927 | Bentley 6 1/2 Litre Le Mans Sports | 1,210,000 |
| 1960 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster | 1,210,000 |
| 1959 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster | 1,100,000 |
| 1956 | Maserati A6G/2000 Coupe | 1,045,000 |
Price includes buyer’s premium.
Three Ten-Million Dollar Cars at Gooding Pebble Beach 2015
Before August 2015, fewer than 20 cars ever had sold for more than $10 million at public auctions. At Pebble Beach 2015, Gooding added three more including the first Porsche ever to sell for eight figures at auction.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider
The 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider with coachwork by Scaglietti went into auction with the highest publishes pre-auction estimate ($16-18 million) of any car offered during the 2015 Monterey classic car week. The result of $16,830,000 was the second highest of the week – only bettered by the 1964 Ferrari 250 LM sold by RM Sotheby’s in The Pinnacle Portfolio for $17.6 million – and the highest single-lot result ever at a Gooding & Company auction.
The car, in excellent condition, is one of only 37 out of 56 California Spiders with covered headlights. The car was never fully restored or shown at top events making it a particularly attractive deal for buyers interested in exhibiting at major shows.
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale
As the name indicates, the 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale is a very special Ferrari indeed. The car was designed by a young Giugiaro as the personal car of coachbuilder Nuccio Bertone, who was keen to drum up some business with Ferrari. The design was inspired by Ferrari’s shark-nose racing cars from the period but to Bertone’s disappointment, Enzo Ferrari stuck to Scaglietti and Pininfarina.
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWM Berlinetta Speciale with Bertone body was offered for the first time ever at public auction at Pebble Beach 2015 and the price of $16,500,000 was the third-highest result of the week.
1982 Porsche 956
Gooding & Co set a new marque record when the 1982 Porsche 956 sold for $10,120,000 – the first time ever that a Porsche achieved over $10 million at public auction.
The 1982 Porsche 956 is of course a very special car. It was the third of only 10 Works Porsche 956s built but most memorably won the 1983 Le Mans 24 Hours race outright with Al Holbert / Hurley Haywood / Vern Schuppen. The previous year, the same car was second overall while driven by Jochen Mass and Vern Schuppen. It also scored victories at Spa, Fuji, Brands Hatch and Kyalami. Further famous drivers racing the car included Jacky Ickx, Derek Bell and John Watson.
The 1982 Porsche 956 was sold, not surprisingly, in the iconic Rothmans livery it wore during the 1983 Le Mans race.
Top Ferrari Results at Gooding Pebble Beach 2015
Ten of the million-dollar cars at the 2015 Gooding Pebble Beach auction were Ferraris. These were, in addition to the $16-millino cars:
A 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series II Coupe sold for $5,087,500. The original owner was Princess Soraya, who kept the car after her divorce from the Shah of Iran.
A 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 sold for $3,877,500. This car was recently rediscovered after being in storage for four decades. The paintwork is believed to be the original.
A 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast sold for $3,025,000. It car originally belonged to Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan.
Further Ferrari’s selling for over a million dollars included:
- A 1966 Ferrari 206 S Dino Spider sold for $2,310,000.
- A 1998 Ferrari 333 SP sold for $2,090,000.
- A Ferrari 275 GTS sold for $1,925,000.
- A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet sold for $1,842,500.
- A 1992 Ferrari F40 sold for $1,375,000.
Top Porsche Results at Gooding Pebble Beach 2015
Apart from the record-breaking Le-Mans winning Porsche 956, several further top Porsches were on offer at the various auctions during Monterey 2015 classic car week. Gooding had the best Porsches on offer and sold five for over a million (and several more for just below a million).
1960 Porsche RS60
The 1960 Porsche RS60 sold for $5,400,000 was the last of four Works Porsche RS60s built. It was raced by amongst other Stirling Moss and Graham Hill although reliability issues let it down and prevented any major victories.
1988 Porsche 959 Komfort
Gooding achieved a strong $1,732,500 on a 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort – the highest result for the four Porsche 959s on offer during the week. It is only in recent months that 959s have achieved a million dollar regularly at auctions and this strong result is sure to encourage more owners to test the market. Values of 959s are helped by the 25-year rule, which allows it to be registered in many parts of the USA – but not California – without many of the safety and emission standards required from newer vehicles.
1967 Porsche 906 E
A 1967 Porsche 906 E in Sebring racing livery sold for $1,650,000.
1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR
Gooding had three 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS cars in the 2015 Pebble Beach auctions with estimates around a million dollar. However, it was the 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR (estimate $700,000-$900,000) that comfortably broke the million-dollar mark when it achieved $1,292,500. (The other three sold in the mid-$900,000).
Mercedes Benz 300 SLs at Gooding Pebble Beach 2015
Gooding had four Mercedes Benz 300 SLs on offer at the 2015 Pebble Beach auction. For once, the Gullwings outsold the Roadsters:
Two 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwings were on offer selling for $1,650,000 and $1,595,000 respectively. These prices were at the top end of results at recent auctions for Gullwings.
The Roadsters are more practical than the Gullwing Coupes and often achieve higher prices at public auctions. However, at the 2015 Pebble Beach auction the results were reversed. The 1960 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster sold for $1,210,000 while the 1959 Roadster achieved a more modest $1,100,000.
Pre-War Million-Dollar Cars at Gooding Pebble Beach 2015
Gooding had several pre-War cars on offer at the 2015 Pebble Beach classic car auction with several achieving results well above the pre-auction estimates:
- A 1927 Bentley 6 ½ Litre Le Mans Sports sold for $1,210,000 (estimate $800,000 – $ 1,200,000).
- A 1939 Lagonda V-12 Rapide sold for $1,650,000 (estimate $1.1 – 1.5 million).
- A 1934 Packard Twelve 1108 Sport Sedan sold for $3,630,000 (estimate $2-$3 million).
- A 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II Continental Sedanca Drophead Coupe sold for $1,650,000 (estimate $0.9-$1.2 million).