Two Ferrari 250 GT Competizione cars, a Ferrari 250 LM and a McLaren F1 ‘LM’ are headlining the 2015 RM Sotheby’s Monterey classic car auctions. Over 50 cars are expected to sell for over a million dollar, including 20 Ferraris, at the three days of auctions RM Sotheby’s will held in Monterey in 2015..
Million-Dollar Cars at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015
RM Auctions set new records in 2014 when it grossed $143 million at the two days of classic car auctions. In 2015, RM Sotheby’s expects to do even better by adding a third auction day to sell the magnificent cars of what is termed The Pinnacle Portfolio. The RM Sotheby’s auctions are held on August 13 to 15, 2015 at the Portola Hotel and Spa in Monterey, California.
The following cars are expected to achieve results in excess of a million dollar each at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015 auctions:
| Year | Car | Estimate |
| 1956 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione “Tour de France” by Scaglietti | Upon request |
| 1960 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione by Scaglietti | Upon request |
| 1964 | Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti | Upon request |
| 1998 | McLaren F1 “LM-Specification” | Upon request |
| 1953 | Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight | 9,000,000 – 12,000,000 |
| 1959 | Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti | 9,000,000 – 11,000,000 |
| 1950 | Ferrari 275S/340 America Barchetta by Scaglietti | 7,500,000 – 10,000,000 |
| 1955 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing | 5,500,000 – 6,500,000 |
| 1931 | Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Supecharged Two-Seater Sports | 4,500,000 – 5,500,000 |
| 2005 | Ferrari Enzo | 4,000,000 – 6,000,000 |
| 1966 | Ferrari 275 GTB / 6C Alloy by Scaglietti | 3,500,000 – 4,000,000 |
| 1972 | Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti | 3,000,000 – 3,500,000 |
| 1967 | Ferrari 330 GTS by Pininfarina | 2,650,000 – 2,950,000 |
| 2012 | Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport “300” | 2,500,000 – 3,000,000 |
| 1985 | Ferrari 288 GTO | 2,400,000 – 2,800,000 |
| 1964 | Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso by Scaglietti | 2,300,000 – 2,600,000 |
| 1971 | Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone | 2,200,000 – 2,600,000 |
| 1994 | Ferrari F40 LM | 2,000,000 – 2,500,000 |
| 1952 | Jaguar XK120 Supersonic by Ghia | 1,900,000 – 2,400,000 |
| 2015 | McLaren P1 | 1,900,000 – 2,100,000 |
| 2006 | Bugatti Veyron 16.4 “001” | 1,800,000 – 2,400,000 |
| 1963 | Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso by Scaglietti | 1,800,000 – 2,300,000 |
| 1960 | Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II by Pinin Farina | 1,800,000 – 2,200,000 |
| 1948 | Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport Cabriolet | 1,700,000 – 2,100,000 |
| 1933 | Duesenberg Model SJ “Riviera” Phaeton by Brunn | 1,600,000 – 2,000,000 |
| 1995 | Ferrari F50 | 1,600,000 – 2,000,000 |
| 1976 | Lamborghini Countach LP 400 “Periscopio” | 1,500,000 – 2,000,000 |
| 1959 | Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II Prototype by Pinin Farina | 1,500,000 – 1,900,000 |
| 2005 | Maserati MC12 | 1,500,000 – 1,900,000 |
| 1954 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,500,000 – 1,800,000 |
| 1968 | Chevrolet Corvette L88 RED / NART Le Mans | 1,400,000 – 2,000,000 |
| 2008 | Lamborghini Reventon | 1,400,000 – 1,800,000 |
| 1960 | Chevrolet CERV I | 1,300,000 – 2,000,000 |
| 1957 | Ferrari 250 GT Coupe by Boano | 1,300,000 – 1,500,000 |
| 1956 | Ferrari 250 GT Coupe “Boano Prototype” by Pinin Farina | 1,250,000 – 1,750,000 |
| 1938 | Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine | 1,200,000 – 2,800,000 |
| 1968 | Maserati Ghibli Spyder Prototype by Ghia | 1,200,000 – 1,800,000 |
| 1960 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster | 1,200,000 – 1,500,000 |
| 1966 | Shelby 427 Cobra | 1,200,000 – 1,400,000 |
| 1954 | Fiat 8V Coupe by Vignale | 1,100,000 – 1,400,000 |
| 1967 | Toyota 2000 GT | 1,000,000 – 1,300,000 |
| 1988 | Porsche 959 Komfort | 1,000,000 – 1,300,000 |
| 1953 | Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback Spoets Saloon by H J Mulliner | 1,000,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 1969 | Ferrari 365 GTC by Pininfarina | 850,000 – 1,100,000 |
| 1906 | Pungs-Finch Finch Limited Touring | 750,000 – 1,000,000 |
| 2008 | Koenigsegg CCXR | 9000,000 – 1,300,000 |
| 1956 | Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupe by Park Ward | 900,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 1970 | Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta US Prototype by Scaglietti | 900,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 1930 | Rolls Royce Phantom II Two-Seater Sports by Hooper | 800,000 – 1,000,000 |
| 1965 | Lamborghini 350 GT by Touring | 800,000 – 1,000,000 |
| 1964 | Chevrolet Covette Sting Ray GM Styling Coupe GPV-57 | 700,000 – 1,000,000 |
Headline Cars at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auctions 2015
Three Ferraris and a McLaren are headlining the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015 classic car auctions. No pre-auction estimates were released for these cars but results well over ten million dollar each are expected.
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione
The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione by Scaglietti is the highlight of The Pinnacle Portfolio and will be the final lot on offer on the first of the three days of classic car auctions arranged in 2015 by RM Sotheby’s.
This racing Ferrari is one of 45 alloy-bodied competition cars built in 1960. Its best result was 7th overall and 5th in class at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring as a NART entry. It is considered one of the best-restored examples in existence.
A similar Ferrari failed to clear the reserve margin earlier in 2015 at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale in Italy.
1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti
A 1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti is the second top Ferrari on offer in the Pinnacle Portfolio. This car was the 23rd of 32 produced and is Ferrari Classiche certified to have retained all its original mechanical components. It was very successfully raced by its original owner, privateer Ronald Fry, and is amongst the most important racing cars from the era.
1998 McLaren F1 ‘LM-Specification’
A 1998 McLaren F1 ‘LM-Specification is also offered without a pre-auction estimate as part of The Pinnacle Portfolio. This car was the penultimate of the 64 road-specification McLaren F1 cars built. However, it is one of only two cars that McLaren upgraded with an LM specification engine similar to those that won Le Mans overall in 1995.
It is quite likely that this car may break the record $8.5 million paid for an F1 at the Gooding Pebble Beach sale in 2013.
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione
The 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione ‘Tour de France’ by Scaglietti is a very special racing car as well. It was placed first overall in the 1956 Tour de France racing series and thus the actual car that instituted the Tour de France nomenclature. It was the 5th of 7 Scaglietti-bodied first-series competition berlinettas produced and was originally raced by the illustrious Marquis Alfonso de Portago.
Other Top Cars at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey Sale 2015
In addition to the four cars without estimate, a further six cars are on offer with upper estimates in excess of five million dollars:
1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight
The highest pre-auction estimate for the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015 is $9 to $12 million for a 1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight. Although racing Jaguars have fallen somewhat short of expectations at recent auctions, this is a very special car.
It was the second of only three Works Lightweights and one of the final C-Types built. It finished 4th overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1953 before being sold of to Ecurie Ecosse, who successfully raced the car in many events.
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider
The 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti comes with a pre-auction estimate of $9 – $11 million – the highest for a regular road car in this years RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale.
The car was the 23rd of only 50 LWB California Spiders built by Ferrari. It features special factory installed equipment including Superamerica-style front fender vents, an insert air intake and velocity stacks. A super sexy car that is likely to earn top dollar.
1950 Ferrari 275S/340 America Barchetta
The 1950 Ferrari 275S/340 America Barchetta by Scaglietti (estimate $7.5 – $10 million) is one of only nine work entries and the first Lampredi-engineered Ferrari sports racer. Not surprisingly then, the car comes with a fascinating period history and was driven by amongst others Alberto Ascari.
1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing
Mercedes Benz 300 SLs sell usually for over a million dollar but often struggle to clear margins set at a million and a half. However, the 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing on offer comes with a whopping estimate of $5.5 to $6.5 million. Clearly a special car then.
This Gullwing is one of only 29 aluminum-bodied examples ever produced. It furthermore is a very early example but features many upgrades including a stronger Sonderteile motor, sport suspension and Rudge wheels. A highly desirable car but it must be worth five regular ones for an investor willing to pay the price.
1931 Bentley 4 ½ Litre Supercharged Two Seater Sports
The most valuable pre-war car in the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015 sale is a 1931 Bentley 4 ½ Litre Supercharged Two Seater Sports. It is one of only 50 original supercharged ‘Blower’ Bentleys and still has its original chassis, engine, D-type gearbox and supercharger. It is also the last ‘W.O.’ Bentley bodied in period by Vanden Plas.
2005 Ferrari Enzo
The 2005 Ferrari Enzo (estimate $4 – $6 million) was the 400th and final Ferrari Enzo built. It was originally gifted to the Pope who sold it off for charity. The car has only covered 179 kilometers, which is a bit of a waste of its superb engineering.
The interesting provenance and basically unused condition largely explains the large spread of the estimate.
Other Ferraris at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015 Auctions
No fewer than 20 Ferraris on offer at the 2015 RM Sotheby’s Monterey classic car auctions have upper estimates exceeding a million dollars. 10 have the magical model number 250.
It may be worth watching how a few of the newer Ferraris perform:
- 1995 Ferrari F50 (estimate $1.6 – $2 million) – the lower production numbers usually assure much higher prices for standard F50s compared to F40s. This one was the 59th of 349 produced and one of only 55 in US specification.
- 1994 Ferrari F40 LM (estimate $2 – $2.5 million) – without LM specification (lighter body and more powerful engine), the estimate for the F40 would probably have been a million less.
- 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO (estimate $2.4 – $2.8 million) – the 129th of only 272 produced. The first of Ferrari’s modern supercars and original ones like this example are increasingly demanding high prices. Bonhams is selling a similar car.
Other Million-Dollar Cars at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015
A few other cars worth watching at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015 classic car auctions:
Bugatti Veyrons
Two Bugattis in the Pinnacle Portfolio anchor the Veyron production range:
- 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 ‘001’ – the first production Veyron with only 764 miles on the clock (estimate $1.8 – $2.4 million).
- 2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport ‘300’ – the last of the 300 Veyron coupes built (estimate $2.5 – $3 million)
Mercedes Benz 300 SLs
In addition to the alloy Gullwing, RM Sotheby’s will have two further 300 SLs with Gooding and Bonhams offering further models too.
- 1954 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe (estimate $1.5 – $1.8 million) – a matching numbers model in immaculate concourse condition, as reflected by the high estimate.
- 1960 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster (estimate $1.2 – $1.5 million) – a fine matching numbers example in good restored condition.
Pre-War Cars at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015
RM Sotheby’s are offering a number of pre-war vehicles with estimates of more than a million. In order of age:
- 1906 Pungs-Finch Finch Limited Touring – estimate $750,000 – $1,000,000.
- 1930 Rolls Royce Phantom II Two Seater Sports by Hooper – estimate $800,000 – $1,000,000.
- 1931 Bentley 4 ½ Litre Supercharged – see above.
- 1933 Duesenberg Model SJ Riviera Phantom by Brunn – $1,6 – $2 million.
- 1938 Adler Trump Rennlimousine – $1.2 – $2.4 million.
