2018 Gooding Amelia Island Sale (Auction Preview)

A 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo estimate $6,000,000 – $8,000,000, and a 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series 1 Coupe, estimate $5,000,000 – $6,000,000, are the lead cars for the Gooding Amelia Island 2018 classic car auction.

1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.1 Turbo
© Gooding

The Gooding Amelia Island classic car sale in Florida in March 2018 will see several million-dollar cars on offer including nine Porsches and four Ferraris. The revolutionary 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo, chassis R13, estimate $6,000,000 – $8,000,000, was the first turbocharged Porsche to participated in the Le Mans 24 Hours race (and finished second overall). The 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series 1 Coupe, estimate $5,000,000 – $6,000,000, is one of only 12 cars produced. The sale will also include a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy and a 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra that were parked together in a garage and not used for nearly three decades.

Gooding Amelia Island 2018 Sale

1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider Amelia Island Record
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider Amelia Island Record © Gooding

Gooding & Company’s traditional Amelia Island Auction is held on March 9, 2018, at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation, Amelia Island, Florida, USA.

In 2017, Gooding gained $30,568,700 – only half of the record $60 million Gooding earned at Amelia Island in 2016, when the sell-through rate was 87% with an average price of $871,915 per car sold. The 2016 sale memorably included 14 Porsches from the Jerry Seinfeld Collection.

Million-Dollar Cars at Gooding Amelia Island 2018

The following cars on offer at Gooding Amelia Island 2018 have upper estimates exceeding a million dollar:

Year Car Estimate
1 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.1 Turbo 6,000,000 – 8,000,000
2 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series 1 Coupe 5,000,000 – 6,000,000
3 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy 2,500,000 – 3,250,000
4 2003 Ferrari Enzo 2,400,000 – 2,700,000
5 1967 Ford GT40 Mk IV 2,000,000 – 2,500,000
6 1952 Ferrari 212 Europa Cabriolet 1,800,000 – 2,200,000
7 1993 Porsche 964 Turbo S Leichtbau 1,600,000 – 2,000,000
8 1990 Porsche 962C 1,500,000 – 2,000,000
9 1996 Porsche 993 GT2 1,500,000 – 1,800,000
10 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder 1,400,000 – 1,700,000
11 1976 Porsche 934 1,200,000 – 1,600,000
12 1960 Porsche 356 B 1600 GS/GT Carrera Coupe 1,200,000 – 1,500,000
13 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra 1,100,000 – 1,400,000
14 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra 1,000,000 – 1,300,000
15 1958 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster 1,000,000 – 1,250,000
16 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra 1,000,000 – 1,250,000
17 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort 900,000 – 1,200,000
18 2005 Porsche Carrera GT 800,000 – 1,000,000

Most-Expensive Cars at Gooding Amelia Island 2018

The two most-expensive cars, by some margin, on offer at Gooding and all the auction houses present at Amelia Island 2018 are the 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo and the 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series 1 Coupe. Only Gooding is offering cars at Amelia Island 2018 with estimates above $3 million.

1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo

1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.1 Turbo
© Gooding

The lead car for the Gooding Amelia Island 2018 auction is the revolutionary 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo, chassis R13, estimate $6,000,000 – $8,000,000. This car was the first turbocharged Porsche to participate at Le Mans and promptly finished second overall at the 1974 Le Mans 24 Hours race with Müller and Lennep as drivers. The same team finished second overall at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, 7th at Le Castellet and 5th at Brands Hatch.

The car on offer was the last of only four 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo cars built and the most successful at racing. All four survived with two in private Porsche collections while the third is in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.

1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series 1 Coupe

1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe (Estimate: $5,000,000-$6,000,000)
1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe © Gooding

The 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series 1 Coupe, estimate $5,000,000 – $6,000,000, chassis 0491 SA, is the top Ferrari on offer at Gooding Amelia Island 2018. The car is one of only 12 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series 1 Coupes with bodywork by Pinin Farina.

This 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series 1 Coupe had only three previous owners and somewhat disappointingly covered only 12,000 km since new. The restored car received a platinum Award at the 2009 Cavallino Classic and has not been shown at major events since.

Other Top Ferraris at Gooding Amelia Island 2018

Although Porsches are prominent at the Gooding Amelia Island 2018 sale, several top Ferraris are expected to attract higher bids. In addition to the 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series 1 Coupe, a further three Ferraris are expected to sell for over a million dollar:

1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy

1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy
© Gooding

The 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy, estimate $2,500,000 – $3,250,000, is a garage-find, as the thick coating of dust suggests. The car was recent discovered in a garage, where it was parked for 27 years, together with several other cars including a Shelby 427 Cobra that will be sold in the same auction.

This 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy is one of 80 aluminum-bodied cars produced by Scaglietti. It is presented in its original color scheme of silver over blue vinyl (rather than leather!)

RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2018 lead car is a steel-bodied, long-nose, torque-tube 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB.

2003 Ferrari Enzo

The 2003 Ferrari Enzo, estimate $2,400,000 – $2,700,000, at Gooding Amelia Island 2018 is the only modern million-dollar Ferrari on offer at the Gooding, RM Sotheby’s and Bonhams Florida 2018 sales. No F40, F50, F12tdf or LaFerrari will be on offer.

This Enzo spent most of its life in Japan but was recently imported into the USA and federalized at some expense. It has covered just over 1,600 miles since new and enticingly is offered at no reserve.

1959 Ferrari 212 Europe Cabriolet

1952 Ferrari 212 Europa Cabriolet (Estimate: $1,800,000-$2,200,000)
© Gooding

The 1959 Ferrari 212 Europe Cabriolet, estimate $1,800,000 – $2,200,000, chassis 0233 EU, is one of only two produced by Ghia. The car was displayed at the Geneva and Turin auto shows.

The Ferrari was parked in a garage in 1971 and only rediscovered in 2011. It was restored and re-united with its original engine – a Corvette V-8 was fitted during the 1960s. The restored car was shown at Pebble Beach 2017 and received a Platinum Award at the Cavallino Classic in January 2018.

Porsches at Gooding Amelia Island 2018
© Gooding

Top Porsches at Gooding Amelia Island 2018

Nine Porsches on offer at the Gooding Amelia Island 2018 sale have upper estimates exceeding a million dollar. These Porsches, in addition to the 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo, are:

1993 Porsche 964 Turbo S Leichtbau

The 1993 Porsche 964 Turbo S Leichtbau is one of only 86 cars made of Porsche’s first lightweight turbo production car. Additionally, it is one of only 67 produced in left-hand drive.

The 1993 Porsche 964 Turbo S Leichtbau is one of four built to customer order for the same owner and kept at four different residences. The car has covered less than 100 km since new.

1990 Porsche 962 C

1990 Porsche 962C
© Gooding

The 1990 Porsche 962 C is a late production car that was campaigned by the Swiss team Brun Motorsport.

The car started the 1990 Le Mans 24 Hours race from the front row and was leading when engine failure knocked it out of the race with only 15 minutes to go. It finished the third highest number of laps but rules at the time excluded cars from classification if not running after 24 hours. The Porsche participated in Le Mans in 1991 as well but again failed to finish.

The car is offered in the Repsol livery of the 1990 Le Mans race.

1996 Porsche 993 GT2

The speed yellow 1996 Porsche 993 GT2 is one of only 194 GT2 Strassenversion cars built. It is German specification car and may only be driven on a show / display permit if it remains in the USA. The car has covered just less than 10,000 km since new.

2015 Porsche 918 Spyder

The 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder, estimate $1,400,000 – $1,700,000, was the 159th of 294 cars delivered to the USA. It has 2,500 miles on the clock. At least nine Porsche 918 cars have been sold at auction during the past two years with several more failing to reach reserve margins.

1976 Porsche 934

1976 Porsche 934
© Gooding

The 1974 Porsche 934, estimate $1,200,000 – $1,600,000, is one of only 31 Porsche 934s built. This car had an impressive in-period racing history that includes winning the 1978 FIA Group 4 Championship. It was also campaigned at Sebring Daytona and Watkins Glen. It is presented in its original color scheme of light yellow.

1960 Porsche 356 B 1600 GS/GT Carrera Coupe

The 1960 Porsche 356 B 1600 GS/GT Carrera Coupe is one of only 49 cars produced. It is a rare factory lightweight with matching numbers engine. More than a quarter million dollar was spent on its restoration in recent years.

1987 Porsche Komfort

The 1987 Porsche Komfort, estimate $900,000 – $1,200,000, was originally acquired by the Matsuda Porsche Museum of Japan but has been in the USA since 2000 with the necessary California and federal emission requirements. It has covered only 7,400 km since new. The Porsche 959 is finished in a rare red burgundy over gray tri-color cloth.

2005 Porsche Carrera GT

Only three Porsche Carrera GT cars have ever sold for over a million dollar at public auction – all three were sold by Mecum at Monterey (2015, 2016 and 2017). The 2005 Porsche Carrera GT on offer at Gooding Amelia Island 2018 is in with a chance: it is a single-owner car with only 109 miles on the clock.

Top Shelby Cobras at Gooding Amelia Island 2018

1967 Shelby 427 Cobra
© Gooding

Three Shelby Cobras will be on offer at Gooding Amelia Island 2018:

  • The 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra is a garage-find car that spent decades in the same garage as the 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy that will be sold just one lot earlier. Although dusty, the Cobra is largely unmolested in a very original condition. It has covered only 18,000 miles since new.
  • The 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra offered later in the same sale may show how the market is currently valuing garage finds. In contrast to the dust-covered 1967 Shelby, this car is comprehensively restored and presented in its original colors. It has covered only 30,000 miles since new.
  • The 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra is a later production car with rack and pinion steering. It is fully restored and presented in its original color scheme.

1967 Ford GT40 Mk IV

The 1967 Ford GT40 Mk IV, estimate $2,000,000 – $2,500,000, chassis J-12, was the final of only 12 Mark IV chassis built. It was sold as a bare tub by Ford around 1970 and remained as such until Rod Leach had it rebuilt with period spares and a correct 427 Ford engine in the mid-1980s. It comes with a FIA Historic Technical Passport, which makes the car eligible for FIA-sanctioned historic motor sport events.

1958 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster

After offering five Mercedes Benz 300 SLs at Scottsdale, and selling four, Gooding scaled down and is offering only one 1958 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster at Amelia Island. (RM Sotheby’s is offering a Roadster and a Gullwing).

This 1958 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster was one of 324 examples built in 1958. It was comprehensively restored in 2015 at an expense of nearly $200,000.