2019 RM Sotheby’s Arizona Sale (Top Ferraris Announcement)

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A 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina and a 2017 LaFerrari Aperta was announced for the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019 sale.

Darin Schnabel © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s announced a one-off 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale (estimate $11,000,000 – $13,000,000) originally delivered to Princess Lilian de Réthy of Belgium as the lead car for the Arizona Sale during the annual Scottsdale classic car auction series. Also on offer in the sale is a 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, (estimate $6,500,000 – $8,500,000) – the first time a preowned open top version of the LaFerrari will be offered at public auction. 20 Ferraris will be offered in the sale.

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.

Darin Schnabel © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina

Darin Schnabel © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Originally sold by the factory directly to Princess Lilian de Réthy of Belgium, the rare 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina, chassis no. 0751, estimate $11,000,000 – $13,000,000, is one of a handful of Ferraris delivered new to European royalty and one of just two in this configuration.

Upon ordering a Ferrari coupe in early 1957, Princess Lilian was afforded something truly unique – the car was dispatched to Pinin Farina’s workshop and crafted with a distinctive body that employed elements of concurrent Ferrari designs while presaging the forthcoming series-built Pinin Farina Coupe. The Speciale’s long nose featured covered headlamps like the 250 GT Tour de France racing berlinettas of the time, while the front fenders were notable for large chromed and louvered vents, reminiscent of those found on the California Spider.

Darin Schnabel © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The one-off coupe was delivered to the Princess in January 1958. Nearly ten years later, the Princess gifted the car to enthusiast Dr. Ernest De Bakey of Mobile, Alabama, who had been visiting a cardio-vascular specialty hospital that the Princess sponsored. Shortly after, the car’s wheels were modified to 15-inch units and disc brakes were installed. By 1977 the engine was rebuilt by marque expert John Hajduk.

In 1997, the Speciale was presented at the Ferrari 50th Anniversary meet at Rome and Maranello and then in 2001 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the Pininfarina class. Now offered for the first time in 20 years, refinished in Grigio Metallizzato with beige leather interior and accompanied by a toolkit and extensive historical documentation, this unique Speciale offers a premium level of coachbuilt elegance on the 250 GT platform.

Mo Satarzadeh © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta

Representing Ferrari royalty in another sense of the term is a 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, estimate $6,500,000 – $8,500,000, also set to cross RM Sotheby’s Arizona podium. Continuing the grand tradition of mid-engined Ferrari hypercars that began with the 288 GTO, the LaFerrari offers total output of 950 bhp, with the even more exciting open version, the Aperta, reserved for Ferrari’s most important clients.

Mo Satarzadeh © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

One of just 210 built, of which all were pre-sold prior to the car’s debut at the 2016 Paris Auto Show, the example on offer in Arizona was delivered new to Ferrari of Beverly Hills, fully optioned and finished in Nero Daytona with red accents throughout the interior and exterior. Carefully driven (approximately 1,500 miles), regularly serviced, and displayed in the owner’s collection of Italian supercars ever since, this LaFerrari Aperta epitomizes what Ferrari is today: a company that provides cars with the utmost performance and exclusivity, honoring their past whilst looking toward the future.

Only one LaFerrari Aperta has ever sold at public auction – the last one built achieved just over $10 million when sold new for charity at the RM Sotheby’s Maranello 2017 sale. A delivery mileage 2016 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta will be offered at the Mecum Kissimmee 2019 sale just days prior to the Arizona auction. Standard LaFerrari coupes have sold for between $3 and $5 million.

We have long been the auction house of choice for important Ferraris, and the 250 GT Coupe Speciale is no exception. One of the most significant road cars of the 1950s, the only other example in this body style was also delivered to European royalty and remains in long-term ownership, unlikely to be sold anytime soon, making the acquisition of 0751 an unmissable opportunity. Fast-forward to today and the LaFerrari Aperta is without question the ultimate in Ferrari performance and a nearly unobtainable must-have in any world-class collection of Ferraris.”

Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, RM Sotheby’s

Other Top Ferraris at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019

© Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

No less than 20 Ferrari models are slated for RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale. Additional highlights include:

  • A Classiche-certified 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti, the 90th of just 121 examples built, showing less than 34,500 miles, retaining its original engine and gearbox, and restored in its original colors (Est. $2,200,000-$2,600,000);
  • A rare, freshly serviced and Classiche-certified 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4, one of only 330 examples and finished in the stunning color combination of Blue Sera over Pelle Bleu (Est. $2,800,000-$3,200,000). However, the 275 of the week is undoubtedly the 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB Prototype at Gooding.
  • A highly-optioned 2017 Ferrari F12tdf, offered from single ownership in as-new condition, showing fewer than 280 miles and attractively finished in Grigio Titanio over two-tone blue interior (Est. $950,000-$1,100,000). 

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: