2017 RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island Auction Preview

A Ferrari 250 GT, Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet and Ferrari 166 MM are the top cars on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017 sale.

1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta – Erik Fuller ©2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The top three cars on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island classic car auction have upper estimates of $10 million: a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet by Vanvooren, and a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM. The auction will also feature around 60 cars from the Orin Smith collection that will be sold without reserve – this collection include amongst others 13 Rolls-Royces and 11 Bentleys.

RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island Sale 2017

Cars from the Orin Smith Collection — ‘A Gentleman’s Collection: The Pride and Passion of Orin Smith’ – Darin Schnabel ©2017 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s, the official auction house of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, will return for the 19th year to Amelia Island, Florida, for a classic car sale on 10 and 11 March 2017. In contrast to previous years, a second sales day has been added to the auction during which nearly 60 cars from the Orin Smith collection will be sold without reserve. Around 80 cars will be on offer in the regular auction.

In 2016, RM Sotheby’s earned $38.6 million with a high sell-through rate of 89%. In 2015, RM Sotheby’s earned $60 million at Amelia Island with a remarkably high 98% sell-through rate.

Million-Dollar Cars at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017

In 2016, RM Sotheby’s sold 9 cars for over a million dollar at Amelia Island. In 2017, RM Sotheby’s have upper estimates of a million dollar or more on the following 28 cars:

	Year	Car	Estimate ($)
1	1961	Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta	9,000,000-10,000,000
2	1937	Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet by Vanvooren	8,500,000-10,000,000
3	1950	Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta by Touring	8,000,000-10,000,000
4	1928	Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Le Mans Sports The Bobtail	6,500,000-7,500,000
5	1995	Ferrari F50	2,200,000-2,400,000
6	1936	Lancia Astura Cabriolet Series III Tipo Bocca	2,000,000-2,600,000
7	1964	Ferrari 275 GTB	1,800,000-2,000,000
8	1956	Maserati A6G/54 Coupe Series III	1,600,000-2,000,000
9	1966	Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante	1,600,000-2,000,000
10	1953	Fiat 8V Supersonic by Ghia	1,600,000-1,900,000
11	2012	Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport	1,500,000-1,800,000
12	1955	Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America	1,400,000-1,800,000
13	1958	Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I Drophead Coupe	1,300,000-1,800,000
14	1952	Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback Sports Salooon	1,250,000-1,500,000
15	1971	Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta Competizione Conversion	1,250,000-1,500,000
16	1954	Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing	1,200,000-1,400,000
17	1953	Lancia Aurelia PF200 C Spider	1,100,000-1,400,000
18	1929	Stutz Model M Supercharged Coupe	1,000,000-1,200,000
19	1957	Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing	950,000-1,050,000
20	1974	Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0	900,000-1,100,000
21	1965	Aston Martin DB5	900,000-1,100,000
22	1958	Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster	900,000-1,050,000
23	1957	Bentley S1 Continental Fastback Sports Saloon	850,000-1,000,000
24	1955	Alfa Romeo 1900 C SS Coupe Zagato	800,000-1,200,000
25	1933	Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Dual Cowl Sports Tourer	800,000-1,100,000
26	1973	Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Lightweight	800,000-1,000,000
27	1931	Rolls Royce Phantom II Croydon Convertible Coupe by Brewster	700,000-1,000,000
28	1933	Rolls Royce Phantom II Special Newmarket Permanent Sedan by Brewster	700,000-1,000,000

Top Multi-Million-Dollar Cars at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017

Six cars enter the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017 classic car auction with lower estimates of two million dollar or more with the top three all having upper estimates of $10,000,000:

1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta

Erik Fuller ©2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, estimate $9,000,000-$10,000,000, has the highest estimate of any car on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017 sale. This was the 83rd of 165 short wheelbase 250 GTs built and believed one of around 10 fitted with factory installed semi-competition upgrades.

The 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta is in concourse condition and in recent years was awarded Best of Show at the 2015 Concorso Italiano and a Platinum Award at the 2015 FCA International meet and 2016 Cavallino Classic, where a score of 98.5 points was sufficient to win the Ferrari Classiche Cup for the finest factory-certified Ferrari.

For more on the car see also: 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Announcement.

1937 Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet by Vanvooren

The 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet by Vanvooren, estimate $8,500,000-$10,000,000, is probably the most elegant car on offer at the Amelia Island 2017 classic auction series.

Bugatti Type 57S cars are very rare: only 42 were produced on this chassis. Only four were fitted with coachwork by Vanvooren of which three survived.

The car on offer at Amelia Island is in a highly original, unrestored example in good condition. It retained its original chassis, body, engine and gearbox. The car has rarely been seen in public in recent years giving the new owner many display opportunities.

For more on this car see also: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet by Vanvooren Announcement.

1950 Ferrari 166 MM

The 1950 Ferrari 166 MM, chassis no. 0058 M, estimate $8,000,000-$10,000,000, was the last of the leading cars RM Sotheby’s announced for Amelia Island 2017.

The 1950 Ferrari 166 MM was the 27th of just 32 Ferrari 166 MM examples built and the 23rd of only 25 Touring barchettas. The car competed twice in the Mille Miglia and also raced in period in other races in Italy and California.

The car is in restored condition and was displayed five times at Pebble Beach. It has also garnered multiple Platinum awards at the Cavallino Classic, FCA National Meet and Concorso Italiano.

For more on this car see also: 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Announcement.

1928 Bentley 4½-Litre Le Mans Sports “Bobtail”

The 1928 Bentley 4½-Litre Le Mans Sports “Bobtail”, chassis no. KM3088, estimate $6,500,000-$7,500,000, is another top car at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale with phenomenal provenance and in-period racing history.

The 1928 Bentley 4½-Litre Le Mans Sports “Bobtail” was built as a 1928 Bentley Works car and participated in the Le Mans 24 Hours race twice. In 1928 it had to retire with overheating while in 1929 it finished third in a race where Bentleys took the first four places.

For more on this car see also: 1928 Bentley 4½-Litre Le Mans Sports “Bobtail” Announcement.

1995 Ferrari F50

The 1995 Ferrari F50, estimate $2,200,000-$2,400,000, is the only modern top Ferrari that RM Sotheby’s is offering at Amelia Island 2017. (Gooding is selling an F40 and a LaFerrari.)

The Ferrari F50 was originally delivered to former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson. It was the 73rd of the 349 F50s produced and one of the 50 in US specification.

The F50 has covered only 5,694 miles since new – the first 4,900 while owned by Mike Tyson.

1936 Lancia Astura Cabriolet Series III “Tipo Bocca”

A 1936 Lancia Astura Cabriolet Series III “Tipo Bocca” by Pinin Farina, estimate $2,000,000-$2,600,000, is the top car on offer from the Orin Smith collection. The car was the original Pinin Farina 1936 Milan Motor Show car and was displayed at the inaugural Concorso d’Eleganza in San Remo in 1937.

Although Lancia produced 328 corto chassis, only three were fitted by Pinin Farina with the Tipo Bocca cabriolet coachwork.

Following restoration after 2011, the Lancia won amongst others the People’s Choice at Amelia Island in 2013 and was judged Most Sympathetic Restoration at the 2014 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Italy.

Bentleys and Rolls-Royce Cars from the Orin Smith Collection

1952 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback Sports Saloon by H.J. Mulliner — Darin Schnabel ©2017 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s will sell 11 Bentleys and 13 Rolls-Royce cars belonging to Orin Smith in the special “A Gentleman’s Collection” sale on Friday 10 March, the night before the traditional Amelia Island sale. Rather daringly, as these cars often fail to reach reserve margins, all are offered without reserve.

Two of the Bentleys have upper estimates above a million dollar: 1952 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback Sports Saloon (estimate $1,250,000-1,500,000) and 1957 Bentley S1 Continental Fastback Sports Saloon (estimate $850,000-1,000,000).

1929 Rolls Royce Phantom I Henley Roadster by Brewster — Darin Schnabel ©2017 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Three of the Rolls-Royces have upper estimate above a million dollar: 1958 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I Drophead Coupe (estimate $1,300,000-1,800,000), 1931 Rolls Royce Phantom II Croydon Convertible Coupe by Brewster (estimate $700,000-1,000,00 and 1933 Rolls Royce Phantom II Special Newmarket Permanent Sedan by Brewster ($700,000-1,000,000).

Another four Bentleys and eight Rolls-Royces have estimates above half a million dollar.

Other Million-dollar Cars at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017

Red 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing — Darin Schnabel ©2017 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

A few other cars worth watching at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017 classic car auction:

Mercedes Benz 300 SLs – these 1950s classics have been struggling to sell in excess of a million dollar at recent auctions but RM Sotheby’s will offer three at Amelia Island 2017. Two are without reserves and may thus actually go for below a million.

RM Sotheby’s will offer 23 Porsches at Amelia Island 2017 (the same number it sold in Paris 2017) but only two 911s have the potential to sell for a million dollar and may well sell for less, as they are offered without reserve. Really expensive Porsches will be available at Gooding’s Amelia Island 2017 sale. Two Porsche Carrera GTs will be available at RM Sotheby’s with a further two at Bonhams and Gooding.

1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta Competizione Conversion — Darin Schnabel ©2017 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

At least ten Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytonas have been on offer at auctions during the first quarter of 2017. Most failed to sell but the 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta Competizione Conversion has million dollar potential. This car was intended to compete at the 1972 12 Hours of Sebring but protracted legal action prevented the car from racing in period. The lack of racing history is balanced by a resulting exceptionally good condition. A regular 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta is offered in the sale with a realistic $600,000-$700,000 estimate.