Gooding & Company, Amelia Island, Florida, March 2-3, 2023

Gooding & Company worked its way to the top of the Amelia Island auction heap in 2023 with a total sale of $72.8 million and a prodigious sell-through rate of 93.6%, a rate that is far better than Gooding did at Pebble Beach last August where they sold 85.6% of the 155 lots offered while bringing a much better total sale of $109,795,000.

A lot of that margin is reflected in the fourteen lots sold on hammer bids >$1 million here at Gooding, a total of $47,342,500 with commissions, 65% of the total sale including Amelia’s top sale, the 250 GT SWB California Spider that brought just over $18 million all-in.

Unless Broad Arrow pulls a rabbit out of its 2024 hat after RM Sotheby’s decamps to a new location, Gooding over at the Amelia Island Plantation will accede to the definitive leading role at Amelia in 2024.

The Amelia auctions are fertile ground for teasing out trends. The auctions are (at least until 2024) similar in makeup and setting. The participants are consistent, and the environment and activities are steady. Noticed this year were the number of lots with auction histories that sold on bids less than they’d brought previously.

It was most apparent in high 6- and 7-figure cars, a stratosphere that is usually inhabited by very (I mean very) wealthy collectors who can be counted upon to have the ready liquidity to buy the very best cars.

But at Amelia in 2023 they seemed reticent to apply a positive increment to prior sales or high bids.

It wasn’t just at Gooding, either. Bonhams, RM and Broad Arrow sale results showed similar patterns. So far it’s not enough to call a top in the market, but it alerts us to that possibility if banks continue to fail, Russia continues to destroy Ukraine, China keeps rattling its sabre over Taiwan and the South China Sea and inflation keeps eating away at the purchasing power of ordinary consumers whose expenditures flow upstream to support the values of rich collector’s financial assets.

Here are the numbers:

Year	Cars Sold/ Offered	Sale %	Sold < Low Est	Sold > High Est	Average Sale	Median Sale	Total $
2023	147/154	95.5%	62.6%	10.2%	$495,455	$140,000 [28.3%]	$72,831,828
2022	91/99	91.9%	37.4%	26.4%	$731,148	$246,000 [33.7%]	$66,534,480
2020	83/89	93.3%	72.3%	3.6%	$250,432	$106.400 [42.5%]	$20,785,080

2023 totals include a number of motorcycles which pulled down the median sale amount. Andrew Newton and Greg Ingold viewed 33 of the 157 lots at Gooding. Another 23 lots had prior auction history. They are not included here. The described lots are sorted in lot number order.

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Lot # 12 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Coupe; Body by Bertone; S/N AR149301927; Engine # AR131502308; Red/Red vinyl, Light Gray cloth; Estimate $90,000 – $120,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $105,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $117,600. – 1,290/65hp, column shift 4-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Pirelli Cinturato tires, books and tools. – Clean paint, chrome, wheels and tires. Lovely interior with light wear on the steering wheel and light scratching on the rear glass. A very charming little car, especially for the money, and surprisingly usable. – Although this is Sprint Veloce money, not the usual value of a Normale with a single Solex carburetor, its condition and presentation, however, are exemplary as is the fact it hasn’t been fluffed up with a pair of Webers and hot camshafts. The enthusiasm for it is not misplaced, only enthusiastic.

Lot # 22 1953 Ferrari 250 MM Spider, Body by Vignale; S/N 0274MM; Engine # 0274MM; Red, Silver/Tan leather; Estimate $3,000,000 – $5,000,000; Competition restoration 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $3,200,000 plus commission of 10.16%; Final Price $3,525,000. – RHD. 2,953/240hp, 4-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Englebert tires, woodrim steering wheel, covered Marchal headlights, full width Plexiglas windscreen. – One of 12 built. Extensive Italian race history in 1953 driven by Piero Scotti and later Chico Landi in South America. Ran the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio but both were DNFs. Restored in the early 90’s for Jess Pourret. Restamped engine block but the original block comes with the car. Small dent in the right front fender and a scuff on the left. A few other chips in the paint and two long scratches on the left side but, hey, it’s a race car. Lightly worn seats and light wear to the steering wheel. Historic early racing Ferrari that in its current condition is more suited for competition than concours. Estate of Jess Pourret. – The racing history of this 250 MM is not very celebrated but it is the key to entry in all sorts of great events. Personally, I love the Vignale Spider coachwork. It is tightly-wrapped and has fantastic details like the coved taillights and side vents, a purposeful and intense presentation all about performance but also spare and attractive. Considering that Gooding sold 0348MM, a car with a more celebrated U.S. racing history and somewhat better condition for $5,395,000 at Scottsdale in 2019 this result is a solid value in a car with proven history and excellent provenance.

Lot # 27 1951 Cisitalia 202 SC Cabriolet, Body by Vignale; S/N 128SC; Engine # 250; Green/Tan leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $600,000 – $800,000; Older restoration 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $650,000 plus commission of 10.77%; Final Price $720,000. – RHD. 1,089/55hp, 4-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Vredestein tires, boot cover, banjo steering wheel, Jaeger gauges, tools. – First registered in Uruguay. Restored in the 2000s and shown at Pebble Beach in 2017 and Amelia Island in 2018. Beautiful paint, although there is a small blemish on the back edge of the driver’s door. Gorgeous, barely used interior. A lovely little car, still good enough for the show field and eligible for just about any other event you’d want to use it in. – Compagnia Industriale Sportiva Italia (Cisitalia) came out of the postwar gate in the 1940s with space-frame racing cars, finishing second at the 1947 Mille Miglia and racing a Grand Prix car designed by Ferdinand Porsche before embarking on a road car program with the 202. All were handmade with only about 60 built, and according to the New York Museum of Modern Art are pretty enough to have one in their permanent collection. This is an expensive price, but gorgeous coachbuilt early ’50s Italian Spiders with show-quality restorations are expensive cars.

Lot # 30 1966 Lancia Flavia Sport 1.8 Iniezione Coupe, Body by Zagato; S/N 815432001618; Brown/Black leather; Estimate $90,000 – $120,000; Recent restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $50,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $56,000. – 1,800/105hp, Bosch fuel injection, 4-speed, hub caps and trim rings, Michelin XZX tires, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, period Motorola radio. – Funky Zagato coachwork with odd proportions, outrageous rear quarter windows that wrap up into the roof and an oddly shaped grille flanked by quad headlights, but nothing about this car is boring. From the doors back the roofline looks like a Jensen. Reportedly one of 628 built and just 32 with fuel injection. Recently restored with beautiful high quality paint and chrome, a straight body, and a lovely interior. There is light wear on the steering wheel and light scratching on the rear glass, both forgivable things. – Zagato coachwork isn’t for everyone. You either like it or you don’t, and there are much easier Italian sports cars to fall in love with than this. Lucky for the new buyer, though, who got a rare and distinctive coachbuilt Lancia for a solid deal, well under both presale estimate and price guide values for a Flavia Sport Zagato in this condition.

Lot # 35 1970 Citroen Mehari Soft Top; S/N 01CA2801; White/Black; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Enthusiast restoration 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $26,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $29,120. – 602/29hp, 4-speed, Nankang tires. – No real history represented, but out of a private collection. The plastic body is in decent shape but shows plenty of flaws, including a large crack on the lower left and numerous blemishes. Good upholstery. Faded speedo, which is the only gauge you get in a Mehari. A charming beach cruiser, not to be taken too seriously. – Named after the dromedary camel, the Mehari was sold in small quantities to the French military, it is mostly relegated to recreation duty in seaside towns. Compared to other vintage beach cruisers like Mini Mokes, Fiat Jollies or VW Things, the Mehari is plenty practical but somehow a lot less charming and generally less valuable, at least in this country. Compared with a Moke or Jolly the long wheelbase leaves usable cargo space behind the back seats for yacht supplies, or transporting a small camel. That said, someone was taken with this refrigerator-white example to pay top dollar for it, exactly what it brought at RM’s Elkhart Collection sale in 2020.

Lot # 41 1973 Alfa Romeo 1600 Junior Z Coupe, Body by Zagato; S/N AR3060228; Engine # AR00536S4111; White/Black; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $45,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $50,400. – 1,570/115hp, alloy wheels, store brand tires, woodrim steering wheel. – One of 492 built. Once displayed at the Zagato factory showroom. Tired brightwork. Some scrapes and finish chipping off the wheels. Decent repaint with some masking issues plus some overspray on the left window frame. Clean interior with some scratches on the aluminum trim below the shifter. Tidy underneath. Rare and interesting but also used. Largely original other than a repaint. – Probably the worst collaboration between Alfa Romeo and Zagato, the Junior Z is a pastiche of stylistic elements. Long ignored, and still ignored if this result is any standard, this is, however, the car I’d buy to leave in Europe to drive to auctions. It has Giulia performance and handling, Zagato light weight and is worth little but would make the drive from Charles de Gaulle airport to Monaco, Villa d’Este or Le Mans a memorable experience. This result, based on recent auction history, is a bargain for the new owner.

Lot # 47 1953 OSCA MT4 2-AD Roadster; S/N 1124; Red/Black piped in Red; Estimate $700,000 – $900,000; Visually maintained, largely original 4 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $415,000 plus commission of 11.20%; Final Price $461,500. – 1,570/120hp Alfa Romeo engine and 4-speed, side exhaust, painted Borrani wire wheels, woodrim steering wheel, driver’s head fairing, full width Plexiglass windscreen, no carburetors. – Delivered new to Briggs Cunningham. Won its class at Sebring in 1953 and fifth overall. Originally fitted with the OSCA 1,350-cc twin-cam four but fitted in period with an Alfa Romeo drivetrain by Henry Wessells III that it still has. Modified nose without headlights. Carburetors are missing (and the cylinders are full of sand?) Barn find dust and animal paw prints kept on it for that “just discovered” look. Dirty but not rotten, and rather complete, although all the gauges save for the Veglia tach are incorrect modern replacements. Striking even under the dust, and a solid, significant restoration candidate for vintage competition. – Gooding does well with dirty barn finds and people come here looking for them but this Alfa Giulia-engined OSCA with its modified nose is perhaps a reach too far even at this far under estimate result. The gap between the low estimate and the eventual “with reserve” result tells the tale of an alluring catalog description not supported by history or condition. This is half the price of an OSCA-engined MT4, and it deserves to be, even with the Sebring history.

Lot # 107 1959 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible; S/N 2312937; Engine # 2752144; Bernina Blue/Blue vinyl; Blue cloth top; Estimate $100,000 – $130,000; Recent restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $110,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $123,200. – 1300/36hp, low-light model, wide whitewall tires, Blaupunkt Hamburg radio, shortwave adapter, map light, bumper overriders. – Restoration completed in 2022. Paint is well done, but with one tiny bubble on the hood. Interior is excellent, with finely fit upholstery and carpeting. Panel gaps are inconsistent. Fresh and gorgeous for a Karmann Ghia. – Step back a day. Gooding sold Lot # 19 yesterday, a 1974 Karmann Ghia 1600 46hp Convertible for $56,000. This ’59 K-G brought Porsche money. For a 36hp VW. This is beginning to resemble 190SL mania: a slow, boring car bought for serious money, but it’s what history supports.

Lot # 116 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso Coupe, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 5215GT; Burgundy/Beige; Estimate $1,800,000 – $2,400,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,600,000 plus commission of 10.31%; Final Price $1,765,000. – 2,953/240hp, 4-speed, Borrani wire wheels, woodrim steering wheel, books, tools. – Excellent paint and body which shows little use. The mechanicals and underbody are immaculate, and the interior shows little notable wear. A beautiful concours quality Lusso. Displayed at the Cavallino Classic, Pebble Beach, FCA Platinum Award, documented by Marcel Massini, Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified – Sold by Gooding in Scottsdale in 2009 for $704,000 and again there five years later by RM for a mind-bending $2,447,500. The restoration is older but still stunning and this is a sensible price for it in 2023.

Lot # 119 1956 Austin-Healey 100 M BN2 Le Mans Roadster; S/N BN2L230710; Blue, White/Blue; Estimate $150,000 – $200,000; Older restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $175,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $196,000. – 2660/110hp, 4-speed, wire wheels, Michelin XAS tires, overdrive, badge bar, Lucas driving lights, owner’s manual, side curtains. – Factory built M. Restoration finished in 2017. Still gorgeous with beautiful paint and chrome. Clean wheels and tires. Driver’s door sticks out slightly at the bottom. Very good, lightly worn interior. – The consignor bought this car at RM Phoenix in 2018 for $218,400, but this is still a fair price after a few years of enjoyment.

Lot # 121 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500E 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N WDBEA36E2NB778799; Black Pearl Metallic/Gray leather; Estimate $70,000 – $100,000; Unrestored original 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $68,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $76,160. – 4,983/315hp, automatic, sunroof, Evo II wheels, removable stereo face, tools, manuals, original window sticker. – A well-cared-for 500E coming from long-time single-family ownership. Paint only showing a few nicks, lower front valence has road wear, headlight lenses aged, grille and grille surround lightly marked. The engine cover lettering is worn. Really all just small stuff. Interior is excellent, with seats, headliner, and dashboard all presenting better than the 64,150 miles showing would suggest but still a used car with plastic lower body cladding like a Pontiac. – Famously the S-Class built by Porsche, the 500E is one of the best Benzes from the late 1980s to early 1990s even if it just looks like a W124 with fender flares to the casual observer. This one sold for $52,500 on Bring a Trailer in 2021, and that was a strong price. Even though 500Es have appreciated since then, this is still a huge price for one in 2023. The new owner can at least take comfort in the fact that 64k miles aren’t anything to worry about, since these cars were screwed together very carefully and can run forever with the right (expensive) maintenance.

Lot # 125 1998 RUF Turbo R Coupe; S/N W09BD0362WPR06023; Blood Orange/Black leather with Orange stitching; Estimate $1,400,000 – $1,800,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,550,000 plus commission of 10.32%; Final Price $1,710,000. – 3,746/551hp, 6-speed, carbon ceramic brakes with yellow RUF calipers, RUF alloy wheels, Bilstein adjustable coil spring suspension. – One of about 15 built. Showing 13,803 miles but looks like it hasn’t even been driven a tenth of that distance. The most expensive of the four RUFs on offer here. – It’s always been hard to recognize a RUF since almost all are Porsche-based but this Turbo R (and the three other RUFs in this collection) is in fact identified by a RUF VIN. Uniquely specified, vastly powerful and carefully used and maintained, it demands attention including from the bidders who paid dearly for it.

Lot # 129 1931 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan, Body by Murphy; S/N 2153; Engine # J-131; Rose, Burgundy/Blackberry leather; Burgundy cloth top; Estimate $2,000,000 – $2,400,000; Older restoration 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,000,000 plus commission of 10.25%; Final Price $2,205,000. – 420/265hp, 3-speed, wire wheels, Firestone tires, dual sidemount spares with mirrors, cowl lights, dual chrome horns, suicide front doors, boot cover, robe rail, cloth covered luggage trunk. – Original engine, crankshaft, chassis and body. Restored in the late 80’s. Striking paint finish that still looks stunning from a short distance, but there are cracks behind the front bumper and light blistering on top of the doors. Nearly spotless underneath. Engine rebuilt in 2020. Good, lightly worn interior installed in 2021. A former show car that’s still beautiful and took an Amelia Island class win in 2019, even before the most recent work. – Its Murphy coachwork also is exceptionally handsome and it is no surprise that it brought a superior price appropriate to its impression and provenance. It’s a Duesenberg that’s been around for ages and that everyone knows and respects.

Lot # 137 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 Clubsport Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ99ZSS390127; Speed Yellow/Black cloth; Estimate $450,000 – $650,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $380,000 plus commission of 11.32%; Final Price $423,000. – 3746/300hp, 6-speed, Speedline modular wheels, red calipers, roll cage, Schroth harnesses, air conditioning. – German delivered. Showing 11,305 km, very carefully kept and clean inside and out. – This is a realistic price for an RS 3.8, but doesn’t recognize at all the added performance of the M003 Clubsport of which only 227 were built. It’s a very good value for an attentive, astute, performance-oriented Porsche buyer.

Lot # 139 1966 AAR Gurney Eagle Mk 1 Formula 1; S/N 101; Engine # 1254; Blue, White stripe /; Estimate $3,000,000 – $4,000,000; Competition restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $2,400,000. – 2,751/250hp Coventry Climax FPF four, 5-speed, Dunlop Racing tires. – The first Eagle, powered by the then readily available Climax four since Harry Weslake’s V12 wasn’t ready yet. Unremarkable race history compared to Gurney’s later Belgian GP-winning car, but this is the first Eagle, and had seat time with Phil Hill, Bob Bondurant, and Dan Gurney. Part of the Donington Collection for many years. Crosthwaite & Gardner reproduction FPF installed, the original engine comes with it. Restored but not overdone and has been run a few times but still gorgeous. This is one of the better-looking F1 cars from an era of lovely-looking GP machines. – The combination of history, drivers, design and provenance put this Eagle in exclusive company among FPF powered GP cars, company that is not apparent in the offer it brought here.

Lot # 144 2003 Aston Martin DB AR1 Convertible, Body by Zagato; S/N SCFAE62333K800088; Ferrari Titanium Gray/Claret Red leather; Estimate $250,000 – $300,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $260,000 plus commission of 11.92%; Final Price $291,000. – 5,935/435hp, 6-speed manual, books and tools. – Represented with 348 miles and the nearly like-new condition supports that. The only sign of age is a slightly drying driver’s seat. The 88th off 99 examples built. – Even though just 99 of these modern coachbuilt Astons were produced, they seem to pop up at auction surprisingly often. This one, for example, has crossed the block three times. It was a no-sale at RM London in 2019 and then brought a $302,000 final price at Amelia 2021. It has the same mileage it did the last time it sold here, so when you take auction fees into account this was a pretty expensive way to just sit and look at a car for two years but with this low mileage it’s likely to show under 350 miles the next time it comes to auction.

Lot # 146 1958 Ferrari 250 GT TdF Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 0909GT; Engine # 0909GT; Silver, Red, White, Blue stripe/Black leather; Estimate $6,000,000 – $8,000,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $5,300,000. – 2,953/240hp, 4-speed, Borrani wheels, single-louver, woodrim steering wheel, covered headlights, Marchal fog lights. – Used in hill climb events from 1958-1961, Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified, Marcel Massini inspected, extensive records, restored by Motion Products, shown at Pebble Beach in 2019, participated in numerous historical events. Excellent paint and body. There is a scuff on the belt line trim under the passenger’s door. The underbody exhibits some aging and light oxidation beginning on the exhaust hangers. The interior exhibits some stretching to the driver’s seat. An older concours restoration that shows some use in the subsequent years. – This fastidiously restored, thoroughly documented Tour de France with period competition history would have been a sound value at the pre-sale low estimate, so it’s not surprising that it didn’t sell on a bid $700,000 below it.

Lot # 148 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Coupe; S/N 9113600491; Light Yellow, Black graphics/Black; Estimate $700,000 – $900,000; Recent restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $640,000 plus commission of 10.78%; Final Price $709,000. – 2,687/210hp, 5-speed, Fuchs wheels, fog lights. – Very good paint and body with no notable flaws. The brightwork is excellent. The engine compartment is immaculate and the interior shows no use. A beautifully restored RS Touring. Represented as matching numbers and restoration finished in 2021. – This is a spot-on result for this freshly restored RS 2.7 Touring, with maybe a little extra for the wonderful color.

Lot # 150 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 10803; Dark Blue/Tan; Estimate $3,500,000 – $4,000,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $3,200,000 plus commission of 10.16%; Final Price $3,525,000. – 3,286/320hp, 5-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, woodrim steering wheel, Rally timer mounted at the front of the console, books, tools. – Mostly original, 40 years of single family ownership, showing 10,794 miles, recently serviced. The paint is visibly aged with some scratches, small blisters and wrinkles in the finish here and there. The wheels are clean. Windshield is delaminating around the edges and the windshield gasket has fine cracks around the edges. Heavily worn driver’s seat but the rest of the interior is quite clean and with a nice patina. Lovely GTB, too good to restore and has already been awarded for its impressive level of preservation. – Sold at Gooding’s Pebble Beach auction in 2015, it’s had several subsequent owners and a mechanical rebuild at Motion Products last year, but other than that it has just been preserved, probably one of the best time-warp 275 GTB/4s around. That hasn’t helped its value, though, and it changed hands here for about $350,000 less than the $3,877,500 that it brought back in 2015 although still carrying a material increment for originality.

Lot # 152 1977 Porsche 934/5 Coupe; S/N 9307700960; White, Black/Black; Estimate $800,000 – $1,100,000; Competition restoration 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $920,000. – 2,994/485hp, 4-speed, Goodyear Eagle slicks, Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, roll cage, Schroth harness. – The last of 10 built, delivered new to Vasek Polak. Ran in Trans Am and IMSA, including Sebring and Daytona where it finished second in the July 6-Hour in 1978. Plenty of chips, cracks and scars from racing, including a chip in the windshield, but nothing too concerning. Older competition restoration to its 1977 specs and has run multiple times at Rennsport Reunion and Monterey Historics. – Reported sold at Mecum’s Monterey auction in 2012 for $577,700 when it still had slant nose bodywork. It has been carefully maintained since then but shows the eleven years that have passed as well as some historic racing use. Oddly, although the reported high bid is well over the low estimate it is reported as a no-sale. Go figure.

Lot # 156 1964 Ferrari 500 Superfast SI Coupe; S/N 6043; Verde Scuro/Black leather; Estimate $2,000,000 – $2,500,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,825,000 plus commission of 10.27%; Final Price $2,012,500. – 4,963/400hp, 5-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, woodrim steering wheel, Blaupunkt Koln radio, power windows, air conditioning and electric power steering added later, open headlights, Heuer Monte Carlo timer and clock. Comes with tool roll, documentation, and spares. – Lovely paint on a fascinating color that almost looks black at first glance, but the green really comes out when the light hits it. There is, however, some paint rubbed off the right B-pillar and some orange peel around the quarter windows. Pitting on the mirrors. Tidy but used wheels and underbody. Significant wear on the driver’s seat and two large blemishes in the middle of the dash. An attractive car and of course rare and rather fast, but also shows some flaws. – Sold by the original owner, Lord Hanson, at Brooks Ferrari sale at Gstaad in 2000 for $263,658, another successful investment by an important figure in British business in the Sixties. Bought there by Edgar Schermerhorn, it was next sold to Martin Gruss at RM’s Maranello auction in 2009 for $968,048 (Euros 715,000 at the time, today’s result in Euros is 1,895,700). It was offered at RM’s online Monterey-Shift auction in 2020 where it was bid to $1,980,000 and has changed hands at least once more since then. A wonderfully-maintained, obsessively documented largely original example of Ferrari’s exclusive flagship that is a sound value in this transaction even though it is a bit less than it would have brought had it sold at the reported high bid in 2020.

Lot # 158 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900C SSZ Coupe, Body by Zagato; S/N AR1900C01915; Engine # 130801048; Grigio Metallizzato/Green leather; Estimate $1,500,000 – $2,000,000; Concours restoration 1- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,400,000 plus commission of 10.36%; Final Price $1,545,000. – 1,975/115hp, column shift 5-speed, painted wire wheels, Pirelli Cinturato tires, woodrim steering wheel, Marchal fog lights, books, tools. – One of 39 built. Period race history including the Mille Millie twice. Gorgeous paint. Straight body. Beautiful, bright interior. Spotless wheels, although there is some pitting behind the center locks. A show car freshly restored by Motion Products in 2019. – Sold by RM at Amelia in 2017 for $1,100,000 in parlous “4+” condition, earning the comment there “This Alfa SSZ deserves a full restoration but at this price it is going to be hard to justify the expense.” Its price here would seem to bear out that pessimistic observation but it represents a solid value to the new owner.

Lot # 162 1974 Lancia Stratos HF Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N 829AR0001544; Engine # 829A000001146; Rosso Arancio/Tan cloth; Estimate $600,000 – $700,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $525,000 plus commission of 10.95%; Final Price $582,500. – 2,419/190hp Dino V6, 5-speed, gold alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, wood shift knob, books and tools. – Italian market car. Placed in storage from 1984 to 2017. Old, possibly original paint. Numerous flaws including a large crack on the right front flare and chip near the passenger’s door. A couple of dings in the wheels. Clean seats and carpets but faded dash and lightly worn steering wheel. Recently got a gearbox rebuild and engine-out service. A badass car in driver condition, which is exactly what you’re supposed to do with it. – The Stratos was the first car designed from scratch with international rallying in mind, and was homologated for the 1974 season. It won the World Rally Championship that season, and in ’75 and ’76 for good measure. Fewer than 500 cars were built and they’re quite uncommon on our side of the Atlantic. The bidders rewarded this one for its impressive preservation, affording it the kind of price ordinarily preserved for well-restored examples and a good bit more than the $410,841 it brought at RM’s London auction in 2016 (£308,000 at the time, this result is £485,600). If I could have just one (non-Alfa) car it would be a Stratos in good driver condition like this. It is much more rare and visually distinctive than its 246 GT Dino counterpart, and in today’s dizzying Dino market at least, less expensive.

Lot # 164 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider (closed headlight), Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 3099GT; Engine # 3099; Azzurro Metallizzato/Tan leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $18,000,000 – $20,000,000; Concours restoration 1- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $16,400,000 plus commission of 10.03%; Final Price $18,045,000. – 2,953/240hp, Weber 42 DCL6 carburetors, 4-speed, RW3690 wide rim Borrani wire wheels, Dunlop tires, covered Marchal headlights, woodrim steering wheel, grille-mounted Marchal fog lights, Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified, engine internal number 914E. – One of 37 covered headlight SWB Cal Spiders, the most attractive configuration. Built for the 1962 New York Auto Show. Retains original drivetrain and body. Small wreck in around 1970 and restored in the 2000s. The car is still a stunner, a slightly misaligned driver’s door is the only noticeable flaw. Reportedly the only Cal Spider in Azzurro Metallizzato, but looking at it in person I’m wondering why: It looks fantastic and is a color that should have been more frequently used. Previously owned by Rudi Klein and restored by Charles Betz and Fred Peters in the original colors. – Amelia week’s top sale, and it deserved to be. It is hugely expensive but it has a litany of distinctions not limited to the unique color but also including the cohesive SWB chassis and coachwork, covered headlights and impressive provenance.

Lot # 172 1959 OSCA Tipo S-187 Sports Racer; S/N 764; Red/Blue; Estimate $500,000 – $600,000; Competition restoration 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $340,000. – 846/75hp, dual Webers, 4-speed, side exhaust, Amadori alloy wheels, Michelin X tires, woodrim steering wheel, driver’s head fairing, full width Plexiglas windscreen, covered headlights, side exhaust. – East Coast racing history, and the 1959 SCCA H-Modified National Champion driven by Jim Eichenlaub. Some blemishes in the paint, including a big chip at the front edge of the driver’s door. Dirt and paint chipping off the exhaust pipe. Dash and steering wheel look original. A fun, historic, and rather attractive little race car. It has nice proportions, and photos don’t do justice to just how tiny this thing really is. – This OSCA was still winning SCCA Regional races in the mid-60’s, is a car that on the race track at least will reward its driver for going on a weight-loss regime. It’s difficult, however, to see an H/Modified pocket rocket like this bringing much more than the reported high bid here.

Lot # 176 1959 Lister-Chevrolet Sports Racer; S/N BHL132; Blue, White stripe/Blue; Estimate $400,000 – $600,000; Competition restoration 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $380,000 plus commission of 11.32%; Final Price $423,000. – RHD. 331/500hp Chevy V8, Hilborn injection, Borg Warner Super T10 4-speed, side exhaust, deDion rear suspension, braced roll bar, centerlock alloy wheels, woodrim steering wheel, Smiths gauges, wraparound Plexiglas windscreen, fire system, spares. – Sold new to John Edgar with Costin low-line body rather than the better known “Knobbly”. Raced in California in period with so-so results. A variety of engines were used including at least for a short time a 3.8 Jag. Current condition is as a vintage racer, with a large crack in the nose, another on the right front, and a few other little flaws picked up in historic competition. It’s more than good enough to keep enjoying and is described as professionally maintained and currently prepared for historic racing. – It should be breathtaking to drive and pull away from Knobblys and Lister-Jags. This is a realistic price for both the seller and the buyer.

Lot # 180 1964 Jaguar XKE SI Roadster; S/N 879926; Engine # RA2888-9; Carmen Red/Red leather; Black top; Estimate $150,000 – $180,000; Visually maintained, largely original 4 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $82,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $92,400. – 3791/265hp, 4-speed, wire wheels, boot cover, woodrim steering wheel, original Blaupunkt radio, jack, tools, JDHT certificate. – Represented as matching numbers. Mostly unrestored with an ancient repaint that is faded and chipped. Small but deep dent on the driver’s door. Decent brightwork. Tidy and maintained but unrestored underneath. Mostly original interior with severe cracking on the console. Dash and switchgear look good. The driver’s seat was reupholstered at some point but now is nearly as worn and aged as the original passenger’s seat. Neat car if you’re into patina, or a straightforward and complete restoration project. – A sound and reasonably well-maintained XKE, but not one that will appeal to most Jag fans on account of its tired and used condition. The result it brought here reflects its condition and is a fair price for both the seller and the buyer even if it is far below the aspirational pre-sale estimate. Gooding historically has done exceptionally well with unrestored barn finds but this Jag doesn’t fit that definition. It’s tired and used and while it is a good basis for restoration it will be an arduous and expensive process to realize its potential.

Lot # 184 1962 Aston Martin DB4 SS Convertible; S/N DB4C1055R; Engine # 3701002SS; Green/Tan leather; Tan top; Estimate $900,000 – $1,100,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $825,000. – RHD. 3,670/266hp Special Series engine, overdrive 4-speed, oil cooler, chrome wire wheels, Avon Turbospeed tires, dual mirrors, boot cover, woodrim steering wheel, later Kenwood cassette. – One of 70 DB4 convertibles and 11 Series IV cars with the Special Series engine adding 26hp and represented as the matching numbers engine. Restored in the 1990s. The paint and chrome are holding up well but starting to show their age. There are blemishes on the driver’s door and light pitting on the mirrors. Deep wrinkling to the leather but mostly clean interior. Tidy and lightly used underneath. A very rare Aston that needs nothing serious. – Another bid might have bought this DB4 SS (or “Vantage” if you prefer) but it didn’t come, a missed opportunity for the bidders and for the seller. It would not have been expensive at that bid and it is a sweet-looking and -driving car

Lot # 188 1974 Ferrari 246 GTS Dino Spider, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 08512; Pino Verde Metallizzato/Beige leather, Black bars; Estimate $600,000 – $700,000; Unrestored original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $875,000 plus commission of 10.57%; Final Price $967,500. – 2,419/195hp, 5-speed, fender flares and Daytona-style seats (aka “chairs and flares”), Campagnolo wheels, Michelin XWX tires, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Blaupunkt radio, power windows, air conditioning, books and tools. – One of 35 finished in this color. Mostly original and showing 28,350 miles that are represented as actual. A few blemishes on the nose but the finish is holding up remarkably well. The wheels are showing some age and a few light scrapes around the rims. The leather, dash, carpets and interior plastic are all impressive for their age and use. An impressive Dino even without the chairs and flares. – Sold by Gooding at Pebble Beach in 2018 for $528,000 with 27,487 miles showing, today it has 28,350 miles, less than a thousand more. One interesting trend in Amelia this year was that there were several Dinos selling for significantly higher prices than Daytonas at the same auction, which is quite the reversal. The chairs, flares, preservation and rare color was a magic combination on this car and it went beyond everybody’s expectations. We never thought we’d see a million-dollar 246 Dino, but this is staggeringly close.

Lot # 190 1971 Stutz Blackhawk Coupe; S/N 276571A172808; Gray/Red leather; Estimate $250,000 – $275,000; Older restoration 1- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $190,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $212,800. – 460/425hp, automatic, side exhaust, marrow whitewalls, rear-mounted spare, sunroof, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, 8-track, matching luggage. – One of 14 first-year Stutzes surviving and 25 total built. Gorgeous restoration. There is chrome flaking off the left exhaust, but otherwise the car looks spectacular with impressive attention to detail. Spotless on top and underneath. Ready for a show field other than that exhaust issue. – Three decades after the original Stutz Motor Company closed its doors, a New York banker revived it and coaxed ex-Chrysler designer extraordinaire Virgil Exner out of semi-retirement to do the styling. Around 500-600 were built utilizing mostly Pontiac running gear, but the 1971 models are particularly rare and were built to more exacting standards and better-equipped, so they are worth a lot more money than the later ones. One of Elvis’s 1971 Stutzes, for example, sold in Las Vegas for $297,000 last year. This car in Amelia is in much better condition but the price here is still appropriate for it. Such is the Elvis premium.

Lot # 191 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 Targa; S/N 9114410111; Engine # 6341291; Magenta, Gold Carrera script/Black leather; Estimate $130,000 – $150,000; Cosmetic restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $180,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $201,600. – 2,687/175hp, 5-speed, gold center Fuchs wheels, modern Porsche stereo. – Ordered new in Magenta, and this car really makes a statement. Represented as the matching numbers engine. Light restoration work recently. Exterior plastic is a little dull. Decent older repaint. New-ish weather stripping. Lightly stretched and wrinkled upholstery. Lightly worn steering wheel. – Really? This car was sold by RM at Ft. Lauderdale in 2019 for $63,800 and at Mecum Monterey in 2021 for $59,400. It then got a Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge treatment which spiffed it up and made the seller one of the most fortunate people at Amelia. This is a huge price, even for a stunning Magenta Porsche Carrera Targa.

Lot # 193 1958 Porsche 356A Cabriolet, Body by Reutter; S/N 150322; Engine # 69365; Black/Green leather; Black top; Estimate $250,000 – $325,000; Recent restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $235,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $263,200. – 1,582/60hp “correct type” engine overhauled and installed with performance upgrades, including Mahle pistons, forged connecting rods and counterweighted crankshaft. US bumpers with overriders, full hub caps. – Recently fully restored with immaculate paint, excellent body gaps, and crisp new interior. Reverse light housing is discolored, and the steering wheel is worn. Some very minor scuffs to the door trim brightwork. An impressive car and the engine is correctly numbered for a ’58 356A. – It’s not correctly priced, however, and is truly expensive for a replacement engine 356A Cab.

Lot # 194 1992 Porsche 968 Coupe; S/N WP0AA2969NS820318; Engine # 42N02412; Turquoise Blue Metallic/Cashmere Beige leather; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Unrestored original 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $37,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $41,440. – 2,990/236hp, 6-speed, alloy wheels, Hankook tires, sunroof, wood shift knob, factory cassette. – Rare, attractive colors but showing 122,232 miles and very much a used car. Repainted at some point, so the finish presents very well. Clean wheels as well, but the interior shows stretched upholstery and severe cracking on top of the dash as well as dirt on the console. Worn carpets, and they are discolored in the rear. Reasonably well cared for and represented as matching engine and transaxle number, but the mileage is hard to ignore. – That said, it has had a major service and new tires. The car has been treated well, just driven a lot. But this is still expensive for a 968. It wouldn’t be hard to find a significantly cleaner one for this price.