RM Sotheby’s, Arizona Biltmore, January 25, 2024

Fortunately I have help from a few of my friends….

I wedged my head firmly between my gluteus maximus muscles in Scottsdale and thought RM’s auction was the 26^th, not the 25^th. Arriving Friday morning I was greeted by … nothing automotive. Andrew Newton and Greg Ingold saved the day, in fact saved the week, with their on-site reporting which is what we have here.

The 2024 RM Arizona results are a dramatic change from prior years here, the lowest total since 2010 which continues my speculation that Scottsdale has become less important in the annual auction calendar. RM moved on in less than a week to the Louvre in Paris, as did Bonhams at the Grand Palais Éphémère.

Florida looms on the horizon as RM stages its standalone event in Miami playing directly against the Hagerty/Broad Arrow event at Amelia Island the same weekend.

“Clash of the Titans” anyone? We’ll see, but as a precursor this RM Arizona auction was an underwhelming event.

Even if RM had moved its entire consignment of eleven lots bid to >$1 million on hammer bids of $15,300,000 (about $16.8 million with commission) it still would have been an “ordinary” RM Arizona auction.

There is an adjustment going on and “Scottsdale” is on the declining end of it.

Here are the numbers:

Year	Cars Sold/ Offered	Sale %	Sold < Low Est	Sold > High Est	Average Sale	Median Sale	Total $
2024	62/84	73.8%	54.8%	16.1%	$369.962	$235,200 [63.6%]	$22,937,660
2023	80/89	89.9%	70%	6.3%	$558,079	$201,600 [36.1%]	$44,646,340
2022	65/69	94.2%	24.6%	30.8%	$665,394	$302.000 [45.5%]	$43,250,600

On-site observations are by Andrew Newton and Greg Ingold. Lots are sorted in lot number order.

---

Lot # 102 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport Convertible; S/N 5YJRE1A39A1000697; White, Black/Black, Red; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Unrestored original 4 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $44,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $49,280. – 215kW/288hp Electric, Black wheels, Yokohama tires. – Represented with 3,500 miles, which is reassuring. But also represented with an inoperable battery that needs replacing, which is not. Good paint and interior. Some blemishes on the wheels. – The first Tesla model as well as the first production EV with lithium-ion batteries, the Tesla Roadster has all the ingredients of a collector car (dynamic chassis borrowed from the Lotus Elise, limited production of less than 2,500 units, sexy looks) and their prices have risen to the point where they’re worth comfortably more than the Lotus Elises from which they borrow their aluminum chassis. This example, though, is garage art until an vastly expensive battery replacement. Unlike the Toyota engine in the Elise which will last forever if maintained, EV powertrains have a shelf life. Consider this a glimpse into the future, then. As EVs become collectible historic vehicles, the chance of them being inoperable may be high. No wonder Elon Musk sent his personal Tesla Roadster into space.

Lot # 105 1983 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45 Pickup; S/N FJ45914979; Olive Green, White roof/Tan vinyl; Estimate $50,000 – $70,000; Truck restoration 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $84,000. – 4,230/135hp, 4-speed, hub caps, Warn winch, Old Man Emu suspension. – Restored 600 miles ago but not all shiny and new. The chassis and suspension are dirty, and the exhaust tip is covered in surface rust. The bed is reasonably clean and straight. There are some scratches on the quarter windows. Good paint and lightly worn interior. Rare body style and relatively late build date on a body-off restored FJ, but it’s not the showroom fresh truck that the catalogue suggests. – Or that the price suggests. This same FJ45, with metric gauges and probably salvaged from some Central American banana plantation, that was bid to a $27,500 no-sale at Mecum Harrisburg in 2019, then sold a few months later in Chicago for $41,250. FJ45s haven’t doubled in value since then, but somebody wanted this one bad enough to pay an above-estimate, above-market price for it.

Lot # 110 2012 Lexus LFA Coupe; S/N JTHHX8BH9C1000219; Black/Red leather; Estimate $800,000 – $900,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $720,000. – 4,805/553 V-10, automatic, red calipers, window sticker, luggage, car cover with bag. – Represented as the 221st of 500 built, one of 21 US cars finished in black, and with 2,609 miles. No issues. Still clean and like new. – LFA prices more than doubled during the pandemic boom and for the most part have stayed there, so holding out for more at this reported high bid was understandable. The RM Sotheby’s website currently shows an $850K asking price, which is a more realistic number but oddly $50K above the Arizona low estimate. It might be yours with a $750K offer.

Lot # 114 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N ZA9CA05A5KLA12571; Rosso/Champagne leather; Estimate $450,000 – $550,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $430,000 plus commission of 11.16%; Final Price $478,000. – 5,167/355hp, 5-speed, OZ Racing wheels, Pirelli P Zero tires, climate control, Alpine CD stereo, Euro front bumper fitted but original US-spec bumper included with sale. – With the seller for 24 years. Recent major service. Showing 15,455 km (9,603 miles). Dirt behind the light lenses. A few paint cracks on the nose and a few more on the tail. Clean but used engine. Aged wheels and tires. Visible dirt and wear inside and some wear on the steering wheel. A little dirt and discoloration on the carpets. A little wear and tear from consistent use, but a fundamentally good and usable Countach that has been taken care of. – Thanks in part to the cash infusion from Chrysler in 1987, the Anniversary Countach was in many ways the best Countach as well as the most produced, with around 650 built. Some find the extra strakes, wings, scoops and appendages on the Anniversary cars to be too fussy, but for some over the top styling is the whole point of a car like this. There have been some massive sales of Anniversary cars over the past couple of years but this isn’t one of them. It was surprisingly a bit modest but more than a bargain, just below the curve.

Lot # 117 1966 Ferrari 330 GT SII 2+2 Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 8487; Grigio Fumo/Nero Franzi leather; Estimate $300,000 – $400,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $310,000 plus commission of 11.61%; Final Price $346,000. – 3,967/300hp, 5-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Ansa exhaust, woodrim steering wheel, wood dash, power windows, original radio. Comes with a set of Campagnolo alloy wheels, books and tools. – Sold new in Italy. Matching numbers. Good paint and chrome other than a small crack at the top of the right A-pillar. Light age to the dash, switchgear and upholstery but nothing at all serious. Tidy underneath. A solid four-seater Ferrari. – These are handsome cars with Pininfarina coachwork that handsomely disguises their rear seats in pleasing lines. Half the value of a 330 GTC is realistic and it keeps them from being carved up to make replicas of GTOs or Testa Rossas. The sound of a 4-litre Ferrari V-12 is as pleasant and euphoria-inducing in a 330 GT as it is in much more expensive Ferraris although “affordable” has long since been eclipsed. This is expensive even for a sound and well-maintained example, however.

Lot # 118 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Coupe; S/N DB51715L; Silver Birch/Red leather; Estimate $750,000 – $900,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $720,000 plus commission of 10.69%; Final Price $797,000. – Enlarged 4.2-liter engine with triple Webers, 5-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Talbot Berlin mirror, woodrim steering wheel, Pioneer CD stereo, power windows, toolkit. – Featured in the movie “Catch Me If You Can”. Represented as matching numbers. Good paint and mostly good brightwork, but the rear bumper looks significantly older than the front. Clean wheels and tires. Lightly worn and stretched driver’s seat but mostly good interior. – A Silver Birch DB5 is one of the most famous movie cars of all time, but that movie was Goldfinger, not Catch Me If You Can. In this case it was the car’s matching numbers, LHD configuration and clean condition that made up most of the value. A #3+ car sold for #2- money on the strength of its charismatic color.

Lot # 121 1966 Shelby Cobra 428 Roadster; S/N CSX3237; Red/Black leather; Estimate $1,100,000 – $1,300,000; Older restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,000,000. – 428 car upgraded to side-oiler 427, 4-speed, Smiths gauges, Halibrand-style wheels, wind wings. Accompanied by a multitude of spares including a correct (as distinguished from “the correct”) 428 engine. – Restored in the 2010s. Excellent paint and panel gaps. The brightwork is phenomenal. The engine compartment is immaculate, as are all mechanical components. The interior presents very well with the heavy creases to the driver’s seat being the only real signs of wear. A beautifully restored Cobra with light signs of actual use. – Early 427 Cobras had side oiler 427 engines but Ford couldn’t supply enough of them so Shelby went to 428 Police engines, not the same thing but still thrilling to drive. Some owners sought out real 427s to replace the mundane but reliably understressed 428s as in this case. This car, which was a $925,000 no-sale at RM Monterey in 2019, is priced as a 428 and the lusty 427 is a bonus that would have doubled this result had it been under the hood originally. The consignor might give some thought to declining this bid.

Lot # 129 1993 Jaguar XJ 220 Coupe; S/N SAJJEAEX8AX220686; Spa Silver/Smoke Grey leather; Estimate $475,000 – $600,000; Visually maintained, largely original 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $425,000 plus commission of 11.18%; Final Price $472,500. – 3,498/542hp, 5-speed, Pirelli tires. – Major service last year. Engine rebuild, repaint, and retrimmed interior done in 2016. It’s unclear why that was necessary, since the odometer shows just 6,934 km (4,209 miles), but the end result is a gorgeous example of Jaguar’s `90s supercar side trip. – This is an XJ220 with a long auction history. It sold for $206,700 at Fall Auburn in 2003, for $154,000 at RM Phoenix in 2009, for $483,500 at RM’s Elkhart Collection sale in late 2020, and for $472,500 at RM Sotheby’s Monterey in 2021. It has only put another 100 km on its odometer since we saw it in 2021, and it’s in the same condition. XJ220s saw a surge in value during the pandemic boom, but it wasn’t as drastic as some of the more beloved ’90s hypercars, and XJ220 prices have been mostly flat over the past year and a half. Identical auction results for the same car in 2021 and 2024 seem to confirm that.

Lot # 130 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 15229; Blu Dino/Tan leather; Estimate $650,000 – $750,000; Recent restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $570,000 plus commission of 10.88%; Final Price $632,000. – 4,390/352hp, 5-speed, Ansa exhaust, Cromodora centerlock alloy wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Becker Grand Prix radio, power windows, air conditioning, electric power steering, LED instrument lights and Xenon headlights added. – Restoration by GTO Engineering finished in 2019. Represented as matching numbers engine and transaxle. Crack below a front corner of the hood. Otherwise good paint, and this is a really sharp color on a Daytona. Light rip in the upholstery around the right rear quarter window. Lightly scratched window frames. Good, lightly worn interior. – This car was in Amelia Island six years ago, and it sold for $621,000. That was before its restoration, when it was painted red and in #3+ condition. Daytona prices aren’t far off from where they were in 2018, so even though the restoration made a big difference in the car’s appearance it didn’t, at least in the eyes of a bidding audience, make a big difference in its value and is a sound value in this transaction.

Lot # 132 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ95ZHS900121; Guards Red/Black; Estimate $1,700,000 – $1,850,000; Modified restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,500,000. – 2,849/450hp, 5-speed, heated power seats, Blaupunkt cassette stereo. – Number 121 of the 207 Komfort model 959s produced. Represented with $60K in recent mechanical service and cosmetic detailing. Equipped with the upgraded 959 SC coilover suspension from Canepa after a $60,000 service. The original paint presents well aside from a handful of minor chips on the front bumper. The mechanicals and underbody present well and show minor aging. The interior does show some wear, chiefly the driver’s seat which has noticeable creasing. An honest 959 Komfort with moderate use and 32,376 km (20,118 miles) – This used but regularly maintained 959 sold by Broad Arrow at Monterey in 2022, which in hindsight was probably the peak of the pandemic boom, for a strong $1.875M final price. The $1.5M high bid here with only 687 more km on the odometer, while uncomfortably lower than that result, is still a fair offer relative to other recent 959 sales but discounts to <$0 the extensive Canepa modifications. It raises a bigger question: are upgrades on legendary cars really upgrades or are they just bragging rights? With only 687 km (426 miles) since 2022 the consignor may have found them underwhelming.

Lot # 133 2009 Spyker C8 Roadster; S/N XL9AA11G19Z363216; Midnight Blue/Magnolia leather; Estimate $300,000 – $400,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $360,000 plus commission of 11.39%; Final Price $401,000. – 4,192/375hp Audi V-8, 6-speed, Aeroblade alloy wheels, window sticker and order copy documented with service invoices. – Represented with single ownership and just 2,632 miles. The paint and bare aluminum are free of any major blemishes, and the interior shows almost no age. – The Spyker C8 is less a car than an art form. Distinguished by intricate details like polished aluminum vents, an aircraft-style dashboard and the most imaginative shift linkage ever put in a car’s cockpit, the C8 is a festival of visual and mechanical delights and backed up by exceptional performance from its mid-mounted 4.2 litre Audi V-8 and 6-speed gearbox. Each Spyker belongs in an art gallery, but functions like a real car. It is an individual statement of taste and style and it is impossible to quibble with the bidders’ determination that it is a marvelous creation even if it is expensive. A Calder mobile only hangs on a wall or ceiling, a Spyker can be driven.

Lot # 135 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe; S/N 1980405500753; Engine # 1989805500606; Silver Metallic/Red leather; Estimate $1,500,000 – $1,700,000; Cosmetic restoration 4+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,400,000. – 2,996/240hp, 4-speed, Rudge centerlock wheels, Becker Mexico radio, belly pans, old Michelin tires. – Originally finished in White over Cream. Cosmetically restored in the 1970s and in present ownership since 1978. The paint is noticeably deteriorated with large cracks throughout the left fender, bubbling on the doors and around the trunk. The engine compartment is aged and grimy, but the radiator appears new. The underside is dirty and grimy as well. The interior has significant wear and stretching to the upholstery. A prime candidate for restoration. – A typical old Gullwing in single ownership for 46 years but cherished and maintained throughout those years, this is more than a barn-find but less than a presentable driver, a car that could have been sold with gratitude at the reported high bid here. What to do with it requires serious consideration because a restoration obliterates its long history while leaving it in this condition isn’t very satisfying. The reported high bid is reasonable, even generous, for its condition.

Lot # 145 1967 Iso Grifo GL Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N GL720134; Silver/Black leather; Estimate $300,000 – $375,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $290,000 plus commission of 11.72%; Final Price $324,000. – 327/350hp, 4-speed, power steering and brakes, alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Personal woodrim steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning, original AM/FM stereo. – Sold new in Italy and featured in a 1973 Italian film called “The Violent Professionals.” Good paint but light scratching on the front bumper, mild pitting on the window frames. Good interior but age on the steering wheel. Tidy underneath. Cosmetic restoration in the late 2010s. – It’s a terrible film, in case you want to waste time watching it. It’s not a terrible car, though, and brought a respectable price here although less than the $346,000 it sold for here three years ago.

Lot # 148 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder; S/N WP0CA2A11FS800834; White/Garnet Red and Bianco Leda; Estimate $1,900,000 – $2,200,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,650,000. – 4,593/887hp, green calipers, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, front axle lift, carbon fiber interior package, full body PPF. – Number 834 of 918 built. Represented with 2,095 miles. No major age or wear to speak of. Still essentially looks new. – RM Sotheby’s sold another white 918 Spyder just last December for nearly $4M, and the consignor here probably had that number in the back of their mind. But that $3.9M car from December was a different one in key ways, with a different paint-to-sample shade on the body, lots of bespoke goodies, the Weissach package and 12 miles on the odometer, not to mention its selling out of an all-Porsche auction that attracted generally high bidding. A better comp for this Scottsdale car would have been the Acid Green 918 with similar mileage that Barrett-Jackson sold a couple of days later for $1,787,500, including buyer premium, or a nearly identical high bid of $1.625M.

Lot # 151 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Coupe, Body by Zagato; S/N SCFLMCPZ2JGJ33943; Escaping White/Pure Black, Pearl White leather; Estimate $600,000 – $650,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $500,000. – 5,935/595hp V-12, 8-speed automanual, Pirelli P Zero tires, books, window sticker, umbrella, car cover, battery, spare crystal glass key. – One of 99 Vanquish Zagato coupes built and represented with one owner and just 200 miles. MSRP of $764,683. – Now on RM’s website asking an above low estimate $625,000. Not to be owned by the faint of heart, this is a menacing, dramatic Aston that will clear the left lane of any highway upon its approach. That wasn’t enough to clear it from the market, though even at this generous bid.

Lot # 153 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 W&S Roadster; S/N CSX2044; White/Brown; Estimate $1,200,000 – $1,400,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,100,000 plus commission of 10.45%; Final Price $1,215,000. – 289/271hp, 4-speed, painted wire wheels, Cooper tires, wind wings, woodrim steering wheel, Smiths gauges, heater, chromed air cleaner, aluminum rocker covers. – Represented as the first 289 Cobra, and billed by RM Sotheby’s as “likely the most obsessively documented Cobra on the planet.” Three owners since new, and showing 27,707 supposedly actual miles. The chassis was originally slated to get the 260 engine used in the earliest Cobras, but numerous changes and delays to the original owner’s order meant that he got the newer, larger 289. A California scientist, he drove the Cobra for 23,000 miles before knocking a muffler loose and stowing it away in his garage, apparently too busy working on the first Macintosh computers. The car is now largely original other than a repaint and upgraded carburetor (the roll bar and dual mirrors it originally came with are not fitted), and all the better for it. The cockpit, though, is a bit past the point of patina and is now just tattered. The carpet is faded and worn, the door panels ripped, and the seats both ripped enough that stuffing is coming out on each side. I’d feel nervous just sitting in there. – While this isn’t the first Cobra ever (that car sold for $13.75M in 2016), being the first 289 has to count for something, and so does originality considering how many genuine Cobras have long since been restored. The Arizona bidders placed a healthy premium on both, pushing it to a low-$1M price. Healthy, but not excessive. It’s above what other early 289s in perfect condition could sell for but still within sight of them.

Lot # 158 1958 Bentley S1 Continental Flying Spur 4-Dr. Sedan, Body by H.J. Mulliner; S/N BC34LEL; Velvet Green/Biscuit Tan leather; Estimate $200,000 – $300,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $182,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $204,400. – 4,887/178hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, Flying B hood ornament, Lucas driving lights, later cassette stereo, air conditioning, power steering. – Delivered new to Alfred Hitchcock, original LHD with A/C. Handsome paint and chrome other than a tiny chip on the left B-pillar. Good interior with very light use on the upholstery and beautiful wood trim. Famous ownership helps this car, but it’s desirably configured and beautifully presented as well. – Surprisingly economical in this transaction with little if any premium for celebrity ownership, this is a quality car with desirable features that didn’t absorb a lot of money to own it.

Lot # 159 2020 McLaren Speedtail Coupe; S/N SBM23GDGXLW403069; Liquid Blue Silver/Blue and Gray full aniline 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. – 43,994/1,035hp twin-turbo hybrid, dual-clutch 7-speed, Pirelli P Zero tires, Liquid Blue Silver calipers, 10-spoke diamond cut wheels. – One of 106 built. Like new condition with 54 miles. Sold new in the UK at a £2.097M ($2.726M) price with a reported $452,075 in options. In the US under the show or display exemption. The front wheel spats are a magnificent example of McLaren’s design ingenuity

– Billed as a sort of spiritual successor to the McLaren F1 with a similar central-seating arrangement and identical production numbers, the Speedtail has not made anywhere near the same splash as its decade-defining ancestor. In today’s market for these two ultra-exclusive hypercars, an F1 can be worth 10 times as much as a Speedtail. The sample size is admittedly small, but about a dozen Speedtails have come up for auction since the model’s introduction in 2020. Half of them haven’t met reserve, and sale prices have ranged from the low-$2M to mid-$3M range. This one is now the cheapest (OK, least expensive) Speedtail to sell publicly, behind a $2.315M car that sold in Monterey last year. The new owner is encouraged to put more than 54 miles on the odometer at this price. The consignor’s haircut is monumental.

Lot # 161 1965 Aston Martin DB6 Mk I Short-Chassis Volante; S/N DBVC2330R; Engine # 400/2361; Winchester Blue/Blue leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $1,400,000 – $1,800,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,300,000. – Original engine enlarged to 4.2L, ZF 5-speed, wire wheels, Pirelli P4000 tires, Momo-Lita woodrim steering wheel, Motorola radio, rear seat speaker, power windows, leather boot cover. – One of 37 Short Chassis Volantes built. Upgraded engine. Originally a RHD UK market car ordered in a different shade of blue and with an automatic gearbox. Later converted and fully restored in the early 2000s and about 3,000 miles ago. Everything looks very good and still reasonably fresh but nothing is overdone. Stretched leather on the driver’s seat is the only significant sign of age. – “Volante” means “steering wheel” in Italian. In English it means “moving with light rapidity.” In Aston Martin, it means “convertible,” and these low-production Short Chassis Volantes were the first Astons to use the term. An interim model between the DB5 and DB6, this was a short run of 37 drop-tops that ride on a DB5 chassis and have the DB5’s more attractive proportions, but also have some styling cues from the upcoming DB6. This one doesn’t have the best resume (color change, LHD conversion, non-original gearbox), but it’s an inherently desirable car. Even so, others have sold for similar amounts to the reported high bid and it could have changed hands at this bid.

Lot # 165 1929 Auburn 8-90 Speedster; S/N 2972337; Engine # GS17808; Light Green, Dark Green/Dark Green leather; Estimate $400,000 – $600,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $340,000 plus commission of 11.47%; Final Price $379,000. – 247/93hp, 3-speed, painted wire wheels, Firestone blackwall tires, single sidemount spare, cowl lights, golf bag door, ACD Category One and Harrah’s documented. – Formerly in the Harrah’s Collection. Older RM restoration. Good older paint and chrome. Even gaps. Very good interior. Clean underneath. Not done yesterday, but also nothing to nitpick. – Sold after the Auburn Fall auction in 1998 where it was reported bid to $75,000 by Edward Herrmann, then restored by RM Restorations. A 2001 Pebble Beach class winner, judged 100 points at the CCCA Michigan Grand Classic. It is gratifying to see it bring 1/3 of a million bucks here, a recognition of its quality, originality and history.

Lot # 169 1964 Citroen DS19 Cabriolet, Body by Chapron; S/N 4272040; Red/Tan leather; Tan top; Estimate $150,000 – $200,000; Older restoration 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $110,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $123,200. – 1,911/83hp, column shift 4-speed, wheel covers, Michelin X tires, boot cover. – Restored and maintained by specialists. Owned by the same family since 1977. Restoration work in the 1980s. Scratched bumpers. A few blemishes on the hood. Slightly uneven gaps. Soiled boot cover. Dry, cracked leather. The glovebox lid is cracked, and the vent cover below it is missing altogether. Inherently interesting and desirable, but a bit tired. – A fair, straightforward price that takes into account the Chapron’s rarity and beauty, but also its age and wear.

Lot # 170 2002 Ferrari 575M Maranello Coupe; S/N ZFFBV55A420126973; Grigio Titanio/Blu Scuro leather; Estimate $350,000 – $400,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $260,000. – 5748/515hp, 6-speed manual, silver calipers, Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, Scuderia shields, Daytona-style seats. – Represented with 24,000 miles. Very good paint. Clean wheels. Lightly wrinkled leather. Clearly well and consistently maintained. Rare colors and, most importantly it’s a 6-speed, which is rare on a 575. Only about 250 cars were ordered with that gearbox. – That clutch pedal can more than double the value of a 575M, so while a $260K high bid would buy the world’s best paddle-shift 575M, it was light for this lightly used stick shift car. It was advertised for sale at a dealer late last year for $289,900, so something close to that number was likely what the consignor had in mind. RM Sotheby’s lists it as sold after the auction at an undisclosed amount.

Lot # 175 1984 Audi Sport Quattro Coupe; S/N WAUZZZ85ZEA905147; White/Gray; Estimate $575,000 – $700,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $600,000 plus commission of 10.83%; Final Price $665,000. – 2133/302hp, 5-speed, white wheels, Yokohama tires, Recaro seats, factory cassette, power windows, books and tools. – Believed to be the only Sport Quattro delivered to Japan. Showing 8809 km (5474 miles). Good paint and exterior plastic with light age. Small paint scrape on the right front wheel. Light but significant wear on the driver’s seat bolsters. Not showroom fresh or anything, but a well-cared for and seldom driven example of Audi’s Group B homologation road car. – The Sport Quattro was Audi’s first design to fully take advantage of regulations (or lack thereof) in the Group B era of the World Rally Championship. Compared to the original Quattro that first introduced four-wheel drive to rallying, the Sport Quattro is more than a foot shorter, features carbon-Kevlar body panels, and has wider wheels stopped by brakes derived from the Porsche 917. It’s these Sport Quattros, with flames shooting out the exhaust accompanied by chirps and whooshes of their massive turbo, that are among the most beloved Group B era cars. Collectors lust after both the rally cars and the easier to find but still rare road cars built for homologation. This exact Sport Quattro has played an important part in the Group B market. At this same auction nine years ago, it was a breakout sale for Group B machinery at a $401,500 final price. Prior to that, Sport Quattros and other Group B cars were a very rare sight at auction, and none ever even sold for half of what this car brought at Arizona 2015. Surprisingly, it set the benchmark again at Arizona 2024, suggesting that enthusiasm for these 1980s World Rally weapons has not died down.

Lot # 185 1972 Porsche 911T Coupe; S/N 9112102076; Engine # 6123246; Gulf Blue/Black leatherette, houndstooth cloth; Estimate $120,000 – $160,000; Recent restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $115,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $128,800. – 2,341/157hp, 5-speed, Fuchs wheels, Pirelli P6000 tires, driving lights, AM/FM radio, comfort package, sport seats, front and rear stabilizers, books, tools. – Beautiful wheels and tires. Lovely paint. Light scratches on the windshield and window frames. Gorgeous, nearly spotless engine. Like new interior. Represented with a 2022 restoration. This is a beautiful car. – And at this price it better be. Although it had gained fuel injection by 1972, the T was still the entry-level 911 and it was surprising to see this one get the kind of treatment more often seen on more valuable E and S model 911s.