Record Prices for the Most Expensive Car Marques at Public Auctions

Ferrari and Mercedes Benz cars are the most expensive automobiles sold at top classic car auctions but many marques record prices over a million dollars.

Most Expensive car ever sold at auction 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé set of course also record marques prices.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé © Mercedes-Benz

Classic and rare exotic cars trade at multi-million-dollar prices. Privately, Ferraris are rumored to have sold for over $70 million, but public auctions remain the best indicator of what rare cars are worth. A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold for $143 million at an auction in 2022 to become by far the most expensive car in the world. The second, third, and fourth most expensive cars ever are Ferrari 250 GTOs — the only three 250 GTOs offered a public auction for about a decade. Ferraris are over-represented on lists of the most expensive cars in the world but even marques that usually see cars trading for much lower figures may see the best-of-marque samples sell for well over a million.

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The Most-Expensive Cars Ever

Patrick Ernzen © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold by Bonhams
1962-3 Ferrari 250 GTO © Bonhams

The highest price ever paid at public auction for a car is $143 million for the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé somewhat unexpectedly sold by the Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart at an invitation-only auction arranged by RM Sotheby’s.

The previous record was $48,405,000 paid for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018 sale but this was surpassed by a 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO that sold for $51,705,000 at RM Sotheby’s New York in 2023. The third most expensive car sold for a world record auction price when $38,115,000 was paid for a 1962-63 Ferrari 250 GTO at the Bonhams Quail Lodge Sale during the 2014 Monterey classic car week.

1957 Ferrari 315 / 335 S Scaglietti Spyder
© Artcurial / Christian Martin

The fifth most expensive car ever in dollar terms was the 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport sold for $35,711,359 at the Artcurial Paris Rétromobile 2016 sale.

The highest price ever paid at public auction for a purely road-going car is $ 27,500,000 for a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spider by Scaglietti. This result was achieved at the RM Auctions sale in Monterey in 2013.

The record prices for a new car sold at public auction are $10,677,742 paid for a 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée at Paris 2023, $10,000,000 for the 210th 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta and $7,000,000 for the 500th Ferrari LaFerrari. Both Ferrari cars were sold in RM Sotheby’s auctions after being donated by Ferrari for charity.

See also: $10 Million Plus – the Most-Expensive Cars Ever

Most Expensive Classic Cars by Auction Year

marque record holder: 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula-1 Racing Car
1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula-1 Racing Car © Bonhams.

The highest prices achieved at classic car auctions in recent years were:

See Wikipedia for a detailed list (not always up to date) with adjusted prices.

Top Record Prices for Classic Cars by Marques

The following are the top prices ever paid at public auction for classic cars of various marques. All prices are nominal – i.e. prices paid at the time of auction and including premiums. Non-US dollar transactions converted to $ at the time of sale.

YearCar $ Price Auction HouseYearAuction
1939Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider by Touring 19,800,000RM Sotheby’s2016Monterey
1956Aston Martin DBR1 22,550,000RM Sotheby’s2017Monterey
1929Bentley “Birkin Blower” 7,867,000Bonhams2012Goodwood Festival of Speed
1908Benz 1,870,000Bonhams2017Bothwell Collection
1957BMW 507 Roadster 5,031,683Bonhams2018Goodwood Festival of Speed
1935Brewster Coupe Roadster577,000Gooding2023Virginia
1934Bugatti Type 59 Sports 12,681,550Gooding2020London
1967Chevrolet Corvette L88 3,850,000Barrett-Jackson2014Scottsdale
1932Chrysler CG Imperial Custom Roadster1,600,000Gooding2023Virginia
1937Delahaye 135 Competition Court Torpedo Roadster 6,600,000RM2014Amelia Island
1935Duesenberg SSJ 22,000,000Gooding2018Pebble Beach
1962Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO 51,705,000RM Sotheby’s2023New York
1968Ford GT40 Lightweight 11,000,000RM2012Monterey
1950Gordini Type 18S1,121,400Artcurial2022Paris
1939Horch 853A Special Roadster 5,170,000RM2012Monterey
1931Invicta 4 ½ Litre S-Type Low Chassis Sports1,771,583Bonhams2020Paris
1955Jaguar D-Type 21,780,000RM Sotheby’s2016Monterey
2015Koenigsegg One:1 4,631,767Bonhams2019Bonmont Geneva
2014Lamborghini Veneno Roadster8,337,182Bonhams2019Bonmont Geneva
1913Lozier Type 72 Meadowbrook Runabout1,765,000Gooding2023Pebble Beach
1955Maserati 300S Sports Racing Spider 6,646,787Bonhams2013Goodwood Festival of Speed
1995McLaren F1 20,465,000Gooding2021Pebble Beach
1903Mercedes-Simplex 60 HP ‘Roi des Belges’12,100,000Gooding2024Amelia Island
1955Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé 143,000,000RM Sotheby’s2022Mercedes-Benz Museum
1914Mercer Type 35-J Raceabout4,790,000Gooding2023Pebble Beach
1913Peugeot L45 Grand Prix Racers 7,260,000Bonhams2017Bothwell Collection
1934Packard Twelve Individual Custom Stationary Coupe by Dietrich 4,180,000RM Sotheby’s2015Andrews Collection
1971Porsche 917K 14,080,000Gooding2017Pebble Beach
1907Renault Type AI Vanderbilt Racer3,332,500Bonhams2020Amelia Island
1912Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost “The Corgi” 7,343,000Bonhams2012Goodwood
1998RUF Turbo R Limited2,040,000Gooding2022Amelia Island
1962Shelby 260 Cobra “CSX2000” 13,750,000RM Sotheby’s2016Monterey
1912Simplex 50 HP 5 Passenger Torpedo Tourer4,845,000Bonhams2023Scottsdale
1914Stutz 4E Bearcat2,920,000Gooding2021Pebble Beach
1937Talbot Lago T150-C SS Teardrop Coupe 13,425,000Gooding2022Amelia Island
1967Toyota Shelby 2000 GT2,535,000Gooding2022Amelia Island
1924Vauxhall 30-98 OE-Type Wensum1,658,510Gooding2020London
1991Williams FW14 Formula 14,222,060RM Sotheby’s2022Monaco

Most Expensive Cars by Country of Origin

The most expensive cars ever sold at public auction by country of origin are:

CountryCarPrice ($)Auction HouseAuction DateAuction
France1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe13,425,000Gooding2022Amelia Island
Germany
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé
143,000,000RM Sotheby’s2022Mercedes-Benz Museum
Italy1962 Ferrari 250 GTO51,705,000RM Sotheby’s2023New York
Japan1967 Toyota Shelby 2000 GT2,535,000Gooding2022Amelia Island
Sweden2015 Koenigsegg One:14,631,767Bonhams2019Bonmont Geneva
UK1956 Aston Martin DBR122,550,000RM Sotheby’s2017Monterey
USA1935 Duesenberg SSJ22,000,000Gooding2018Pebble Beach

More on the Most Expensive Cars Ever Sold

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