2019 RM Sotheby’s Arizona Sale (Auction Results)

A 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO sold for $3,360,000 and a 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS for $2,012,500 as the top results at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019 sale during the annual Scottsdale collector cars auction week.

A 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO sold for $3,360,000 as the top result at the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2019 sale
Patrick Ernzen © 2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The highest results at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019 sale were for two Ferraris but not the two pre-sale favorites. The top result was a very strong $3,360,000 for a low-mileage 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO while a 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS sold for $2,012,500. The 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II sold in a post-hammer deal for $2,175,000. Neither the 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale that originally belonged to the Belgian royal family nor the 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta sold. Of the 15 cars with million-dollar estimates, only eight found buyers and only six sold for over a million dollar.

RM Sotheby’s Arizona Classic Car Auction 2019

RM Sotheby’s scheduled its 20th annual Arizona classic car auction on 17 & 18 January 2019 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.

In 2019, RM Sotheby’s earned $37 million with a sell-through rate of 85% of 154 lots on offer. According to Hagerthy, the average sale price was $273,710 per car. 

In 2018, RM Sotheby’s grossed $35.8 million by selling 109 cars of 127 offered for a sell-through rate of 86% and an average $328,404 per car. (Hagerty calculations)

1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen
 Darin Schnabel ©2015 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

In 2017, RM Sotheby’s earned $54 million from 141 cars offered with a sell-through rate of 89%. RM Sotheby’s sold 15 cars for more than a million dollars.

With both Jaguar D-Types on offer at Scottsdale 2018 failing to sell, RM Sotheby’s continue to hold the Scottsdale classic car auction week record with the very elegant 1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster that sold for $9,900,000 in 2016.

Top Results at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019

The highest prices paid at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019 sale were:

YearCarPrice ($)Estimate
11985Ferrari 288 GTO3,360,0003,200,000 – 3,600,000
21958BMW 507 Roadster Series II2,175,0002,500,000 – 3,000,000
31967Ferrari 330 GTS 2,012,5002,200,000 – 2,500,000
41948Tucker 481,600,0001,500,000 – 1,700,000
51956Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupe1,077,5001,100,000 – 1,400,000
62017Ferrari F12tdf1,006,000950,000 – 1,100,000
71930Cadillac V16 Sport Phaeton940,000750,000 – 900,000
82012Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package885,000850,000 – 1,100,000
91968Ferrari 330 GTC687,000600,000 – 800,000
101971Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona NART Spider670,500600,000 – 650,000

Million-Dollar Cars at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019

1985 Ferrari 288 GTO
Drew Shipley © Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

With the 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale and the 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta failing to sell at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019, the top result was somewhat unexpectedly for a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO that sold for a very strong $3,360,000. Ironically, 288 GTOs often struggled to find buyers at recent auctions and in recent years the only more expensive 288 GTO was the near $4 million achieved by RM Sotheby’s at Maranello 2017. The $2.5 million paid for a 288 GTO at Gooding Scottsdale 2019 is closer to the norm for the model.

The 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO sold at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019 is a low-mileage US example with only 2,900 miles from new. Only 272 Ferrari 288 GTOs were ever produced.

1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II
David Bush © Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The in-auction highest bid of $2,150,000 for the 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II was initially refused but the car was sold post-hammer for $2,175,000. Accepting the bid in-auction would have yielded the seller more and the buyer gained the most. The bid price was totally reasonable for the model – the $3 and $5 million results Bonhams achieved in 2018 were for cars with exceptional provenance.

1967 Ferrari 330 GTS
Darin Schnabel ©2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The second highest result at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019 sale was $2,012,500 for a 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS. This car was the 71st of only 100 produced. It has 33,750 km on the clock and was offered from the Skip Barber Collection.

A highly-optioned 2017 Ferrari F12tdf, offered from single ownership in as-new condition, sold for $1,006,000. This car has fewer than 280 miles and is finished in Grigio Titanio over two-tone blue interior.

1948 Tucker 48
Patrick Ernzen © Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1948 Tucker 48 was the 40th of only 51 ever built and is freshly restored and fitted with a factory spare engine. It sold for mid-estimate $1,600,000 – two Tuckers achieved around $1.8 million at auctions in 2018.

The 1956 Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupe sold for $1,077,500 – the third car to exceed a million dollar in the past two years. This Bentley is one of 31 left-hand drive examples with bodywork by Park Ward.

Top Cars Not Sold at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019

The following highest bids (as reported by Hagerty) were unsuccessful at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019 sale:

YearCarHighest Bid ($)Estimate
1957Ferrari 250 GT Coupe SpecialeHB 7,500,00011,000,000 – 13,000,000
2017Ferrari LaFerrari ApertaHB 5,500,0006,500,000 – 8,500,000
1967Ferrari 275 GTB/4HB 2,650,0002,800,000 – 3,200,000
1973Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona SpiderHB 1,850,0002,200,000 – 2,600,000
1955Mercedes Benz 300 SL GullwingHB 1,100,0001,200,000 – 1,400,000
1967Shelby 427 CobraHB 1,100,0001,350,000 – 1,450,000
1960Mercedes Benz 300 SL RoadsterHB 950,0001,100,000 – 1,200,000
1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale
Darin Schnabel © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Cars above $10 million have struggled at auctions in the past year and only exceptional cars sold. Buyers clearly did not consider the one-off 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale, chassis 0751, special enough.

It is similarly somewhat heartening that buyers were not prepared to hand the seller of the 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta a quick enormous profit – a similar Aperta failed to sell at Mecum Kissimmee 2019 a few days earlier, although the delivery-mileage car in Florida achieved a highest unsuccessful bid of $6.1 million (it is still available for $7 million).

Several bids came near estimate and others were reasonable for the cars on offer and sellers may regret not taking the money. The 1958 BMW 507 Roadster sensibly sold post-hammer but accepting the in-auction bid would have been more profitable for the seller. The bids for the two Mercedes Benz 300 SLs also reflect the state of the market and the oversupply of the model at auctions – seven were available at the various Scottsdale 2019 sales!

More on Scottsdale 2019 Collector Car Auctions

2017 Ford GT
© Barrett Jackson

The first major collector car auction series of the year is traditionally the Scottsdale and Phoenix auctions in Arizona, USA, in mid-January.

Most major car auctioneers have sales in Arizona including Barrett-Jackson, Bonhams, Gooding and RM Sotheby’s. A notable exception is Mecum that start the auction year a few weeks earlier at Kissimmee in Florida.

Scottsdale, Arizona, 2019 Auctions Sale Results

Scottsdale, Arizona, 2019 Auctions Sale Previews:

Scottsdale, Arizona, 2019 Auctions Pre-Sale Announcements: