The top result at the 2015 RM Sotheby’s Driven by Disruption auction was $28 million for a 1956 Ferrari 290 MM – the highest price paid for a car in 2015. This also set a new record for a car sold in New York and by RM Sotheby’s. A 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato achieved $14.3 million – a new marque record and the most-expensive British car ever sold at auction. Eleven of the 31 cars on offer sold for more than a million dollar including an astonishing $1,760,000 for Janis Joplin’s 1964 Porsche 356 Cabriolet.
RM Sotheby’s New York Driven by Disruption Sale 2015
RM Sotheby’s Driven by Disruption sale, the final major classic car auction of 2015, was held in New York on 10 December 2015. Only 31 cars were on offer but with a sell-through rate of 81% realized $73.5 million.
Eleven of the cars that sold at the RM Sotheby’s New York sale 2015 achieved over a million dollar:
| Year | Car | Price ($) |
| 1956 | Ferrari 290 MM | 28,050,000 |
| 1962 | Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato | 14,300,000 |
| 1958 | Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I by Pinin Farina | 5,720,000 |
| 1933 | Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow | 3,740,000 |
| 1953 | Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe by Vignale | 3,300,000 |
| 2003 | Ferrari Enzo | 3,300,000 |
| 1972 | Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone | 2,420,000 |
| 1964 | Porsche 356 C 1600 SC Cabriolet by Reutter | 1,760,000 |
| 1954 | Siata 208S Spider by Motto | 1,650,000 |
| 1934 | Delage D8 S Cabriolet by Fernandez et Darrin | 1,430,000 |
| 1956 | Mercedes Benz 300 Sc Roadster | 1,072,500 |
Million-Dollar Cars at RM Sotheby’s New York 2015 Sale
1956 Ferrari 290 MM by Scaglietti
The top result at the RM Sotheby’s Driven by Disruption classic car auction in New York in 2015 was $28,050,000 for a 1956 Ferrari 290 MM by Scaglietti. This was the third highest price ever paid for a car at public auction, the highest price paid in 2015, the most-expensive car sold at auction in New York and the top result ever for RM Sotheby’s.
This Ferrari 290 was built for Juan Manuel Fangio to participate in the 1956 Mille Miglia race, where he finished fourth behind three other Ferraris. The car was an official works Scuderia Ferrari entry into the 1956 and 1957 Word Sportscar Championship racing series (WSC) and has the distinction of finishing every race it was entered into by Ferrari. It was later raced by private teams and remarkably never involved in any major crashes.
See 1956 Ferrari 290 MM – Most-Expensive Car in 2015 for more details on this exceptional car.
1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
The 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato sold for $14,300,000, as the second highest result of the night at the RM Sotheby’s New York 2015 classic car auction. This set the new Aston Martin marque record at nearly three times higher than before. It was also the first time ever that an Aston Martin sold for more than $10 million.
The 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato also set the new record for a British car sold at public auction. Only three British-made cars have ever sold for more than $10 million at auction – all in 2015.
The 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was the 14th of only 19 DB4 GT Zagatos made for competing in the WSC. The car only briefly raced in Australia in the 1962 season driven by Doug Whiteford.
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I
The top result for a non-racing car at the 2015 RM Sotheby’s New York sale was $5,720,000 for a white 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I. This cabriolet was the 14th of only 40 Series I cabriolets produced. It is fully restored and presented in its original specifications with correct color.
1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow
Spirited bidding saw the 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow sell for $3,740,000 at the RM Sotheby’s Driven by Disruption sale. The pre-auction estimate was a more modest $2.5 – $3 million. The car was displayed at the 1933 Chicago World Fair in the “A Century of Progress” exhibition. Only three of the five Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow cars built are known to have survived.
1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe
A 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe by Vignale sold for $3,300,000. Only 22 Ferrari 250 Europas were produced with only four with coachwork by Vignale. This car has a one-off design by Vignale for the 1954 World Sport Show in New York. The priced paid was $500,000 more than when the car was sold for $2.8 million by Bonhams at Quail Lodge 2013.
2003 Ferrari Enzo
The 2003 Ferrari Enzo that belonged to Floyd Mayweather sold for a very strong $3,300,000. The car was helped by top condition and having covered only 560 miles since new. The price was more than doubled that achieved by two Enzos sold earlier in the year but half the record $6 million paid for the Pope’s Enzo at Monterey 2015.
1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV
The 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV sold for $2,420,000 at the RM Sotheby’s New York 2015 sale. Eight Miuras achieved over a million dollar during 2015 with the SV models generally achieving more than two million. This car is in a fully restored condition and in original color scheme.
1964 Porsche 356 C 1600 SC Cabriolet
Janis Joplin’s 1964 Porsche 356 C 1600 SC Cabriolet was the sensation of the night. This car with its psychedelic “History of the Universe” mural paintwork sold for an astonishing $1,760,000 – a record for a Porsche 356 and a price that a similar model is unlikely to achieve again. Exceptional examples rarely achieve $400,000. The pre-auction estimate of $400,000 – $600,000 was supposed to have factored the celebrity value in.
See Janis Joplin Psychedelic Porsche 356C Cabriolet for more on this colorful car.
1954 Siata 208S Spider
A 1954 Siata 208S Spider by Motto sold for $1,650,000 at the RM Sotheby’s New York 2015 Driven by Disruption classic car auction. This car was the final of 33 Motto-bodied spiders built by Siata – an Italian marque now mostly remembered only by specialists. It used a Fiat Tipo 104 V8 (Otto Vu) engine. The fully restored car won in recent years a Premio d’Onore at the 2013 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on Lake Como in Italy and Best in Class at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
1934 Delage D8 S Cabriolet
The flamboyant 1934 Delage D8 S Cabriolet by Fernandez et Darrin sold for a strong $1,430,000 at the RM Sotheby’s New York sale. It is one of only two known cars built by Fernandez et Darrin on the Delage D8 chassis. The car is a great example of French Art Deco car design of the 1930s, although the flamboyant lilac color scheme dates from the 1980s.
1956 Mercedes Benz 300 Sc Roadster
A 1956 Mercedes Benz 300 Sc Roadster sold for $1,072,500 at the RM Sotheby’s Driven by Disruption sale. The more comfortable but less sexy sibling of the 300 SL is actually less common than the Gullwing or the Roadster. Only around 600 of the 300 Sc cars were built of which only 53 were Sc roadsters. The 300 SL Gullwing in the sale was a special Sportabteilung car, i.e. from Mercedes Benz works racing team, but a bit of $4.2 million was insufficient to secure the car.
Unsuccessful Million-Dollar Bids at RM Sotheby’s New York 2015
The following cars had highest bids exceeding a million dollar but failed to clear the reserves:
| Year | Car | Price ($) | Estimate |
| 1955 | Ferrari 500 Mondial by Scaglietti | HB 4,450,000 | $5,000,000 – $7,000,000 |
| 1955 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Sportabteilung Gullwing | HB 4,200,000 | $5,000,000 – $7,000,000 |
| 1959 | BMW 507 Roadster Series II | HB 1,900,000 | $2,300,000 – $2,600,000 |
| 2006 | Lamborghini Concept S | HB 1,700,000 | $2,400,000 – $3,000,000 |
| 1953 | Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe by Vignale | HB 1,700,000 | $2,000,000 – $2,500,000 |
| 1938 | Bugatti Type 57C Atalante | HB 1,700,000 | $2,200,000 – $2,500,000 |
See 2015 RM Sotheby’s New York Driven by Disruption Sale (Auction Preview) for more details on these cars.
The next round of classic auctions will be Scottsdale, Arizona at the end of January 2016 and Paris, France early February 2016.See 2015 RM Sotheby’s New York Driven by Disruption Sale (Auction Preview) for more details on these cars.
