RM Sotheby’s left some $14 million on the table with just three lots this year (Jaguar D-type XKD 520, Daytona Spider 15535 and the Batmobile-ish Lamborghini Veneno that is not reported here but brought a reported high bid of $4,347,370 and had kids barely old enough to shave fawning over it in the preview), carving a chunk out of their total sale.
Their numbers (along with the other Paris auctions) weren’t helped by a swooning Euro, costing just a US dollar-ten on the auction day.
The exchange rate did make it possible (for a few moments) to consider consuming some fish eggs at Petrossian around the corner from my AirBnB but in deference to ecological concerns (but more deference to financial considerations) I didn’t.
Paris is, regardless of where you stay, Paris and it is wonderful. The croissants are blessed. It’s a busy few days between RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams, Artcurial and Retromobile but flying home on Sunday morning leaves Saturday as a day to ascend the Eiffel Tower and go to the Louvre.
Several cars surprisingly exceeded their high estimates although we didn’t capture an on-site impression of the most extraordinary of them, the 1969 Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 “Red Pig” replica which brought a nearly unbelievable successful hammer bid of $418,228, nearly double its pre-sale high estimate of $220,000.
Here are the numbers:
Year | Cars Sold/ Offered | Sale % | Sold < Low Est | Sold > High Est | Average Sale | Median Sale | Total $ | Exchange Rate |
2020 | 55/78 | 70.5% | 56.4% | 12.7% | $331,072 | $161,000
[48.6%] |
$18,208,973 | $1.1006 |
2019 | 65/85 | 76.5% | 63.1% | 13.9% | $562,082 | $338,555
[60.2%] |
$36,535,306 | $1.1380 |
2018 | 69/83 | 83.1% | 65.2% | 8.7% | $422,631 | $225,970
[53.5%] |
$29,161,512 | $1.2281 |
2017 | 60/77 | 77.9% | 43.3% | 13.3% | $492,147 | $224,000
[45.5%] |
$29,528,809 | $1.0708 |
On-site observations by Rick Carey and Andrew Newton with 40 of the 78 lots offered described. Sorted in lot number order.
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Lot # 127 1991 Honda NSX Coupe; S/N JHMNA12600T001037; Sebring Silver, Black roof/Black leather; Estimate $55,030 – $66,036; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $63,285 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $72,777. – RHD. 2997/270hp V6, automatic, factory cassette stereo, air conditioning. – From the Poster Car collection. Right-hand drive UK-market car with just 5,665 miles. A few light chips on the nose and right headlight door. A few light scratches on the tail. The seats are a little dry. For a car with such low mileage, it could be better. – Back in 2013, Bonhams sold this car in at the Beaulieu sale for £32,200 (about $50,300 at the time); this result is about £56,000. The dollar was weaker against the pound then, the Beaulieu sale is in this car’s original market of the UK and NSXs (even ones with an automatic) are worth more than they were six-plus years ago. The car could be better but the price couldn’t be.
Lot # 128 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe; S/N 1980404500034; Engine # 450004; Silver/Red leather; Estimate $880,480 – $1,320,720; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,045,570 plus commission of 13.03%; Final Price $1,181,769. – Hubcaps, Vredestein tires, Nardi woodrim steering wheel. – An early Gullwing originally delivered to Olle Perssons in Sweden who competed with it in among other things the 1955 Rally of the Midnight Sun and Helsinki Grand Prix. Later ran the Mille Miglia Storico. Restored in the 90’s. Very good paint, good older interior showing age but in remarkably good condition. Orderly engine compartment has some age and miles. Delaminating windshield edges. A mostly attractive Gullwing in good condition for tours and events. – Even though this result is well over RM Sotheby’s presale low estimate it’s not an unexpected price for a well-maintained early Gullwing with known history and a high quality older restoration.
Lot # 133 1971 Maserati Ghibli SS 4.9 Coupe; S/N AM115492110; Engine # AM115492110; Black/Brown leather; Estimate $143,078 – $187,102; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $121,066 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $139,226. – Alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, air conditioning. – Poor old repaint that didn’t even get around the engine compartment edges. Crazing on the left front fender. Surface cracked but sound original upholstery. Dirty, grimy engine compartment. Disappointing and a car that will always have needs interfering with its enjoyment. Poster Car Collection. – Bonhams sold this car at Quail Lodge in 2015 for $242,000. It’s not as good now as it was then and, like its counterpart in performance and design the Ferrari Daytona, the intervening five years have not done its standing in the eyes of collectors any favors. This is a realistic result in 2020.
Lot # 135 1981 Ferrari 512 BB Berlinetta; S/N 35409; Engine # 00797; Red, Black sills/Black leather; Estimate $187,102 – $220,120; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $220,120 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $253,138. – 5-speed, Cromodora wheels, Michelin XWX tires, leather-wrapped Nardi steering wheel, Borletti air conditioning, power windows, Pioneer radio, dash clock. – Bought new from Auto Palace Sales in Pittsburgh, then almost immediately put in storage. It then sat for 33 years. Labels, tags and stickers are all there. The 820 km showing on the odometer were almost all racked up by Ferrari and during EPA testing according to an odometer mileage statement that comes with the car. Engine-out belt serviced in 2016. This is basically a new car except that the upholstery, particularly the driver’s seat and handbrake boot are worn and cracked. The original paint has been clearcoated with a few wet sanding oversights. Not as good as it should be for the miles. Poster Car Collection. – Sold by RM at Monterey in 2014 for $473,000 when it had 715 km. After spending a considerable sum on the needed service, this is a huge loss, even more huge than just the depreciation that has affected BBs in the past six years. The buyer got a special car at a realistic price.
Lot # 136 1963 Maserati Sebring 3500 GTi Series I Coupe, Body by Vignale; S/N AM10101559; Engine # AM10101559; Rosso Cordoba/Cream leather; Estimate $165,090 – $220,120; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $132,072 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $151,883. – 3694/245hp, fuel injection, ZF 5-speed, hub caps and trim rings, Vredestein tires, Ansa exhaust, Jaeger console clock. – From the Poster Car collection. Good older paint and chrome. Light pitting on the door handles. The badge on the trunk doesn’t fit flush. Small chip on the driver’s door. Light scratches on some of the interior brightwork but the cockpit is mostly very clean. An aged but sound restoration in very rare right-hand drive configuration, reportedly one of just 35. – The right-hand drive may be rare, but it’s also an inconvenience to anybody but a British buyer. That and the generally aged condition explain this mediocre price,
Lot # 137 1937 SS Jaguar 100 3 1/2 Litre Roadster; S/N 39011; Engine # M508E; Dark Green/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $385,210 – $440,240; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $242,132 plus commission of 14.77%; Final Price $277,902. – RHD. Brantz digital rally computer, two dash-mounted CWC stopwatches, dual rear-mounted spare, chrome spoke wire wheels, Michelin tires, Lucas King of the Road headlights. – Replacement engine with reduction gear starter, modern hose clamps show that maintenance was directed toward an enjoyable, reliable driving experience. Moderately oily under the hood and under the car. Paint, chrome and upholstery are better than adequate. Looks ready to tour or rally. Poster Car Collection. – But it’s far from being ready to show except in the 5-star hotel parking compound at the end of a high speed open road run like the Colorado Grand. Even taking those issues into account, however, this is an excellent value in what is to all appearances a turnkey road-ready example of one of the best-looking cars of the Thirties.
Lot # 142 1953 Bentley R-Type Continental 2-Dr. Sedan, Body by HJ Mulliner; S/N BC15B; Engine # BCB14; Smoke Green/Grey Green leather; Estimate $770,420 – $880,480; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $660,360. – Floor shift 4-speed, wheel covers, Avon tires, Flying B hood ornament, fender skirts, Lucas driving lights, bucket seats. – From the Poster Car collection. Full ownership history, including under Conservative MP and Minister of State Alan Clark. Never restored but consistently maintained its whole life and freshened in the late 2000s. Featured in an article in Octane magazine. The blistered original paint shows lots of scratches and quite a few cracks as well as chipped wheel covers. The right front of the nose got crunched at some point, although the bumper is fine. The rest of the chrome is good as well. Tired but decent interior wood. The seats are older but were recovered at some point. The rear seats are dry, cracked and a different color. Undercoated frame and generally tidy underneath. The level of preservation and history are impressive, impressive enough to keep it as-is without restoring. – Easily one of the most charismatic and handsome cars ever built. The aged condition of this car is a challenge to its value, but not as much of a challenge as the bidders reflected with this parsimonious offer.
Lot # 143 1958 BMW 507 Series II Roadster; S/N 70134; Engine # 40146; Ivory/Blue leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $1,926,050 – $2,476,350; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,948,062 plus commission of 12.78%; Final Price $2,197,073. – Becker Mexico, wheel covers, Vredestein tires – Represented as the original engine. Impressively and freshly restored to like new condition without going to excess. Poster Car Collection. – Sold by Gooding & Company at Amelia in 2014 for $1,815,000 before restoration and its odometer now shows just 61 more kilometers than it did six years ago. The result in this post-block transaction is reasonable, but also a sound value in a meticulously restored, fresh, 507 ready to show or tour.
Lot # 144 1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 12841; Engine # B150; Rosso Bordeaux/Black leather; Estimate $495,270 – $605,330; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $506,276 plus commission of 13.59%; Final Price $575,064. – RHD. Centerlock alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Plexiglas nose panel, power windows, Veglia air conditioning, roof-mounted antenna, power steering added. – Restored in 2018 and looks like it with very good paint, upholstery and interior. The wheelwells have been covered in new undercoat, but done well. Done to high standards and like new. Ferrari Classiche inspected and verified with the original engine but a replacement gearbox. – This result is a good one for a very good Daytona and a rare righthand drive example at that.
Lot # 146 1964 Porsche 904 GTS Coupe; S/N 904061; Silver/Beige leather; Estimate $1,760,960 – $1,981,080; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,871,020 plus commission of 12.79%; Final Price $2,110,401. – Fire system, Carrera 6 engine installed, original 4-cam 904 engine number P99045 with Weber carbs and four spare wheels and used Avon tires included. Blaupunkt multiband radio, Haldex Speedpilot, dash mounted thermometer, Dunlop Racing tires. – Good recent repaint and interior. Clear headlight covers. Orderly engine compartment. Clean repainted wheelwells. Good panel fits. Early racing history in France; an outstanding, highly original 904 GTS outfitted for touring and high speed open road events. – This is a Porsche that will be a welcome entrant at some of the most enjoyable and prestigious events. It is a sound value at this mid-estimate range price. It was avidly inspected during the preview and that attention and interest shows in the result it brought.
Lot # 149 1982 BMW Alpina B7 S Turbo 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N WBACJ710XB6579934; Alpina Sapphire Blue, Alpina graphics/Black, Blue, Green cloth; Estimate $143,078 – $165,090; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $79,794. – 3.5L/330hp turbocharged six, Alpina wheels, wood shift knob, Pioneer cassette stereo, accessory gauges. – Represented as the 17th of 60 built and as a three-owner car delivered new to Japan, but someone got a lot of enjoyment out of it given the 118,261 km (73,484 miles) showing. It is also represented with recent service history, and documentation going back to the 1990s. Dull exterior plastic. Lots of paint chipping off the window frames and steering column. Small scrape on the bottom of the air dam and a handful of other paint flaws. All the Alpina decals, while very cool, are a little faded. Very rare and quick, but it has been enjoyed quite a bit over the years. – Insanely fast for a four-door car in 1982 and built two years before BMW came out with its own M5, the Alpina B7 is an exceedingly rare car and very desirable among the BMW faithful. It’s rare enough that it can be hard to get a read on values, but RM offered a higher-mileage car, the 22nd of the 60 built, here in Paris last year and it sold for Euros 138,000 ($157,000) and others have popped up at dealers with six-figure asking prices over the past few years, so holding out for more at this lackluster reported high bid makes sense.
Lot # 152 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N 1533GT; Engine # 1815GT; Blue Notte Metallic/Tan leather; Estimate $429,234 – $550,300; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $374,204. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Pirelli tires, Marchal headlights, Blaupunkt multiband radio. – The 7th Series II coupe built. Good door fits but the deck lid stands proud. Good repaint and interior. Good chrome except for the headlight bezels. Half inch paint crack on the top of the left front fender. The engine compartment is restored to factory appearance, as is the chassis. An attractive PF Coupe. – This would be a tremendous value even at the low estimate of Euros 390,000 and there’s no reason to let it go at the reported high bid here.
Lot # 154 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Clubsport Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ99ZSS390270; White/Black; Estimate $357,695 – $412,725; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $330,180. – 3.8/300hp, 6-speed, Speedline wheels, red calipers, Continental tires, racing seats with harnesses, roll cage, Blaupunkt stereo, tools, books, spare. – Represented as a two-owner car. Supposedly never raced, but that doesn’t mean it’s had a pampered life. The odometer reads 62,408 km and there are numerous chips on the nose. A little dirt underneath but nothing bad. Small blemish on the front of the right rocker trim. No thrashed on a track (like the car was meant to be), but driven regularly. The optional radio is also an odd choice, as it’s probably hard to hear tunes with a wailing flat-six and little in the way of sound deadening. – The 993 Carrera RS is already a rare, focused 911, but the Clubsport built for FIA GT2 homologation took things up a notch with less weight and the extra rigidity via a roll cage. Being such excellent driver’s cars a lot of them got driven so this one isn’t unusual in showing signs of use. Other ones have sold at auction, most recently another white one with 40,650 km sold by Bonhams in Switzerland last September for CHF 339,250 (about $336,500 at the time). Other, lower-mile examples have sold for more but the reported high bid here wasn’t too far off and with the buyer’s premium would have been within RM’s reasonable estimate range. This was a deal that should have happened.
Lot # 155 2009 Ferrari 16M Scuderia Spider; S/N ZFFKZ66J000168279; Rosso Corsa, White, Red, Green stripes/Black leather, cloth; Estimate $275,150 – $308,168; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $250,387 plus commission of 14.70%; Final Price $287,188. – 4,308cc/503hp, Black carbon fiber sills, mirrors, rear valence panels, steering wheel and interior trim, matte grey 5-spoke alloy wheels, PZero Corsa tires, climate control, Kenwood stereo, manettino steering wheel. – Chipguarded nose with bumps and small bubbles, fogging headlight covers. Good lightly used upholstery. Clean engine compartment and underbody. Represented as under 13,000 km and looks like it. Assembly no. 85958. – A highly desirable Ferrari that brought a realistic price, and not much of a discount from its price when new of around $300,000 despite the 13,000 kilometers it has been driven, a good indication of the regard in which this open top high performance Ferrari is held.
Lot # 156 1961 Jaguar XKE SI flat floor Roadster; S/N 875295; Engine # R1421-9; Red/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $220,120 – $286,156; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $154,084 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $177,197. – Flat floor, outside bonnet latches, welded louvers, chrome wire wheels, Michelin tires, Lucas tri-bar headlights. – Several chips behind the passenger’s door are the only things detracting from an otherwise very good paint job. The interior shows slight use. Gauges and the aluminum tunnel cover are clean and crisp. The engine compartment is nearly like new. – This is the ideal early E-type with flat floors, outside bonnet latches and welded bonnet louvers, but this is a fair price for an E-type without any of those things and a huge value for the new owner.
Lot # 157 1997 Bentley Turbo RT Sedan; S/N SCBZP26CXWCX66733; Black Garnet/Royal Blue, Wildberry leather; Estimate $99,054 – $121,066; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $143,078 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $164,540. – 6.75/420hp, automatic, fog lights, chromed wheels, chromed mirrors, rear seat tables. – One of 56 Turbo RTs built (almost all of them on the long wheelbase chassis), distinguishable by restyled bumpers and vents on the hood and fenders. This one sold new in Japan and is represented with just 17,000 km (10,563 miles). Tiny, tiny chips on the nose. The back windows are tinted too dark to see inside, but the front looks great with just light wrinkling on the driver’s seat. Very interesting colors, a very rare model and low miles to boot. Youngtimer Collection. – That combination (or maybe it was the Wildberry interior) resonated with at least two people in the tent at the Place Vauban because this is a ton of money for a ’90s Bentley, even a loaded rare model like this, and well over RM’s Euros 110,000 high estimate. For reference, a higher-mile but still clean Turbo RT sold in London last October for £88,550 (about $113,400 at the time).
Lot # 159 1925 Bugatti Type 23 Torpedo; S/N 2400; Engine # 898; Blue, Black fenders/Brown leather; Black cloth tonneau cover top; Estimate $385,210 – $412,725; Visually maintained, largely original, 4+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $352,192. – RHD. Black wire wheels, Classico tires, single rear-mounted spare, wind wings, Marchal headlights. – Raced and hillclimbed in Ireland when new, later owned and restored by Bugatti historian Hugh Conway with the current factory-style torpedo body. Represented as the original engine. Clearcoat repaint with plenty of orange peel. Sound but well-used distressed leather upholstery. The rest of the car is old, used and oxidized (if it isn’t oily residue covered.) An historic Bugatti, but one that needs pretty much everything. – An important Bugatti, mostly on account of its ownership by Hugh Conway, but its old restoration is showing its age which is now beyond patina and this is a responsible offer for its history while taking account of its condition and replica bodywork.
Lot # 162 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS Spider, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 06002; Engine # 10550; Black, Matte Black roof panel/Black leather; Estimate $418,228 – $462,252; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $385,210. – “Chairs and Flares”. Campagnolo wheels, Vredestein tires, power windows, Becker Mexico cassette stereo, Borletti air conditioning, Ferrari Classiche certified with a replacement correct type engine. – Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Bright, crisp gauges. Light wiper scratches on the windshield. Gorgeous, dry, engine compartment. A seriously attractive and professionally presented Dino Spider. – This is an exceptional 246 GTS with the most desirable features including Chairs & Flares and air conditioning but it difficult to justify a price any higher than the one reported here despite its condition. The consignor may later regret taking what was, if there was money on it, a realistic offer.
Lot # 163 1957 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk III Coupe; S/N AM30031364; Engine # DBA985; Metallic Gunmetal/Parchment leather, Grey piping; Estimate $220,120 – $247,635; Recent restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $209,114 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $240,481. – Silver painted wire wheels, Michelin X tires. – Clearcoat repaint over old paint, cowl chipped from hood interference. Driver’s door closes hard and both doors close a bit proud. The upholstery is vaguely soiled. Restored, but not to the highest standards. – Maybe not presented to present day North American standards, but this is a quality DB2/4 Mk III that is pleasantly reassuring and represents solid value for money in this result.
Lot # 164 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Coupe; S/N DB52028L; Engine # 4002026; Dark Green/Buckskin leather; Estimate $605,330 – $770,420; Cosmetic restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $605,330 plus commission of 13.41%; Final Price $686,499. – Aftermarket air conditioning, Pioneer CD stereo, power windows, chrome wire wheels, Pirelli P4000 tires, Talbot outside mirrors. – Represented as the original engine. Four owners from new. Restored in 1996, engine rebuilt more recently. Chipped, scratched and dinged all over. In addition to the edge chips the driver’s door has abraded the front fender from interference. The upholstery is sound but patinaed. The steering wheel rim wood is scratched. The gauges are very good and sharp, though. The underbody is original and dirty. Not as encouraging as it deserves to be. – Used, and not particularly gently, this DB5 was sold by Christie’s in New York in 2003 for $139,500. Times have changed in the past seventeen years, but this car hasn’t changed much beyond getting older. It brought a reasonable price here in Paris.
Lot # 166 2005 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Clubsport Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ99Z4S691888; Carrera White, Red graphics/Black; Estimate $247,635 – $302,665; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $242,132 plus commission of 14.77%; Final Price $277,902. – 3.6L/380hp, 6-speed, red wheels, red calipers, books, tools. The fire bottle and harnesses are not fitted but included with the car. – One of 682 built. Represented with 2,500 km (1,553 miles). Scrapes on the plastic front lip. The coating on the carbon fiber wing appears to have yellowed a bit. Some odd paint bubbling on the hood but nowhere else. Low miles and a rare model, but it’s hard to believe there isn’t a better example out there. – The 996 GT3 RS took the already hardcore regular GT3 and subtracted weight, added a larger rear wing, beefed up the handling and reshaped the intake and exhaust ports. The Clubsport version further added racing bucket seats, partial roll cage, harnesses and a fire bottle. We didn’t get the 996 GT3 RS in America, but it followed the familiar racy 911 formula of less weight plus more performance equals a higher price tag. A brand-new one is available here with an MSRP of $187,500. Back to this 996, it’s at the top in terms of collectability for this mostly underappreciated 911 generation and it brought an expensive top-of-market result right in the middle of its presale estimate range.
Lot # 167 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900C Sprint; S/N AR1900C01422; Engine # AR130800185; Rosso Matador (Persimmon)/Beige cloth, Brown piping; Estimate $302,665 – $357,695; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $264,144. – Chrome spoke RW2847 Borrani wire wheels, Michelin X tires, Electromatic S AM-FM radio, column shift. – Replacement engine. Good clearcoat repaint. Sound older upholstery but the rear deck is badly waterstained and soiled. Old undercoat in the wheelwells. Good bumper chrome but the trunk lid ornament is pitted and starting to flake. The aluminum windshield and rear window moldings are dull and the wheel rims are, too. A sound but driver quality Alfa. – Offered with a reasonable pre-sale estimate, the replacement engine may have weighed on the bidders’ enthusiasm for it, exacerbated by the numerous cosmetic flaws but their judgment was sound in stopping at this bid. The seller might not have been so reasonable in declining it.
Lot # 168 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4-A Daytona Spider, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 15535; Engine # B1632; Red/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $2,641,440 – $2,861,560; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $2,091,140. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Becker Mexico cassette stereo, power windows, no-name air conditioning, headrest seats, painted nose panel, popup lights. – Crazing marker light covers. Good repaint and replaced upholstery with little use evident. Good chrome. Old undercoat in the wheelwells. Orderly older restored engine compartment now showing limited age consistent with the reported 27,829 miles from new and one of only 19 lefthand drive Euro-spec Daytona Spiders. Ferrari Classiche certified with the original engine but a replacement correct type gearbox. – Back in 2001 (in a different age) this Daytona Spider sold at Bonhams Gstaad auction for $400,852. Somewhat amazingly its odometer has added only 1,786 kilometers since then, a waste of a beautiful, adaptable and powerful Daytona Spider’s driving and enjoyment potential. RM had it at Monaco in 2016 where it was reported bid to $2,258,800 (Euros 2 million, the reported high bid here is Euros 1.9 million) and the consignor has turned a blind eye upon history in declining this realistic offer.
Lot # 169 1963 Lancia Flaminia GT 3C 2.8 Convertible, Body by Touring; S/N 8261341007; Engine # 8261001040; White/Red leather; Black top; Estimate $55,030 – $77,042; Unrestored original, 5 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $61,634 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $70,879. – 2.8L/150hp V6, triple Webers, 4-speed, hub caps and trim rings, Blaupunkt pushbutton radio, woodrim steering wheel. – Delivered new in Portugal, driven for 10 years then put away and not driven since. In tattered barn find condition currently. Cracked, faded original paint. Dented front bumper. Missing left marker light and driver’s side window, although what’s left of it may explain the pieces of broken glass on the floor. Dirty, ripped top. Decent but aged seats. The rest of the interior is dirty and musty smelling. Rusty exhaust and lots of oxidation underneath. Masking tape holds the trunk closed. A barn find in pretty much every sense of the term, and in need of everything. – The V6, rear-drive Flaminia was available in various body styles, all of them attractive, from four-doors by Pininfarina to coupes by Pininfarina, Zagato and Touring and a convertible, also by Touring. The breathtaking and rare Sport Zagato coupe is worth the most but the Touring convertibles are next on the Flaminia ladder. When finished (and it is worth saving) this car could command somewhere around $200,000. How much in shop bills will it take to get this one there? That’s unclear, but talking in pure financial terms it would probably make more sense to buy one that someone else has already redone.
Lot # 170 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT Coupe, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 01824; Azzuro Metallizato/Black; Estimate $330,180 – $412,725; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $313,671 plus commission of 14.25%; Final Price $358,383. – Cromodora alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Talbot outside mirror, open headlights, Momo leather rim steering wheel, Ferrari Classiche Certified. – Orderly restored engine compartment with minor oil seepage and fuel stained carburetors. Very good new clearcoat repaint in the original color and barely stretched Daytona style seats. There are some poor quality replacement trim chrome parts. – It is refreshing to see a Dino in its original color instead of the “resale red” or “fly yellow” that so many have acquired over the years. That said, however, this is an optimistic price for the caliber of the presentation especially considering that the better condition “Chairs & Flares” 246 GTS offered earlier today was bid to $385,000.
Lot # 171 1955 Jaguar D-Type Sports Racer; S/N XKD520; Engine # E2056-9; Dark Green/Green leather; Estimate $6,493,540 – $7,043,840; Competition restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $5,943,240. – RHD. Driver’s head fairing and wraparound windscreen, passenger’s hard tonneau cover, Dunlop centerlock allot wheels, Dunlop Racing tires fire system, short nose body, 3.8 litre engine, Australian-built long nose bonnet included. – Unnumbered cylinder block. Delivered new to Australian and raced successfully there by four-time Australian champion Bib Stillwell. Later sold to AMPOL for Jack Davey, then Frank Gardner. 3.8 liter engine installed by the next owner, David Finch. Acquired in 1967 by Richard Attwood then sold to Sir Angus Spencer Nairn. Good older paint and interior but very thick paint. Restored and used for competition. Orderly underhood and chassis but visibly aging and driven many miles in a variety of conditions. 6 inch long crack on the right rear fender and outie stone stars on both rear fenders. – RM sold this car here in Paris in 2014 for $4,996,623 (Euros 3,696,000 at the time, this result is Euros 5.4 million) and it’s been used since, even with consistent maintenance by CKL Developments. There’s enough paint on it to take 2% off a lap time and the reported high bid here is appropriate recognition of its presentation and history.
Lot # 172 1955 Moretti 750 Gran Sport Barchetta; S/N 1612; Red/Black vinyl, Red piping; Estimate $165,090 – $220,120; Competition restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $154,084 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $177,197. – 748cc/71hp, 4-speed, stainless steel side exhaust, driver’s rollbar, covered passenger seat, wraparound Plexiglas windscreen, alloy wheels, Dunlop Racing tires, driving lights, driver’s head fairing, modern instruments (originals included.) – Very good paint and interior, good bright trim. Engine compartment, frame and chassis are like new. Le Mans Classic 2014 and 2016, Mille Miglia 2013 participant. Shown at Pebble Beach in 2002. Finished 9th in class in the 1955 Mille Miglia. A charming and exhilarating diminutive racer for a jockey-weight driver. – A charming little car with potentially surprising performance and definitely appealing design, it’s enough to give a competitive driver a strong incentive to go on a weight loss campaign. It was offered by RM at Monaco in 2018 where it brought a reported high bid of $173,290 (Euros 145,000 hammer at the time; this result is Euros 140,000 hammer.) Both the seller and the buyer should be satisfied with this realistic result.
Lot # 173 1961 Ferrari 250 GTE SI 2 + 2, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 2619; Engine # Internal no.102E; Rosso Bordeaux/Black leather; Estimate $363,198 – $418,228; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $330,180. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, AM-FM, halogen headlights. – Unstamped engine block with internal number 102E but confirmed by Ferrari Classiche to be the original engine, gearbox and differential. Fresh clearcoat repaint and lightly stretched upholstery. Erratic chrome especially the taillight surround and rear bumper. Good opening panel fits. Orderly engine compartment. A freshly restored but driver quality car with shiny paint. – The reported high bid is eminently reasonable for this 250 GTE’s erratic “full restoration” and engine block without a chassis number. It could have been sold with no regret at all other than investing in an ultimately unrewarding restoration.
Lot # 174 1993 BMW Alpina B12 5.7 Coupe; S/N WAPBC57C03D200021; Alpina Blue, Gold Alpina graphics/Black leather; Estimate $330,180 – $385,210; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $254,361 plus commission of 14.66%; Final Price $291,659. – 5.7L/412hp V12, 6-speed, Alpina wheels, Pilot Super Sport tires. – From the Youngtimer Collection. One of 57 built. Originally equipped with an automatic but now has a manual. Several big stone chips on the nose. Otherwise very good original paint. Very good interior in condition that matches the age and 9,000 km (5,592 miles) represented. Rare, fast, well equipped, well cared for and very attractive. – The Alpina B12 took the engine from the top-spec BMW 850 CSi, coaxed out an extra 37 horsepower and added the usual Alpina cosmetic flair. Just 57 were built compared to 1,500 850 CSi’s. That makes it the ultimate 8-Series in the eyes of many, and this seems like a fair result. RM also sold another B12 out of the same collection here last year. That car had 47,000 km on the odometer and an automatic, and it brought Euros 207,000 (about $235,600 at the time).
Lot # 175 2005 Porsche Gemballa Mirage Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ98Z5L000102; Black Metallic, Gold/Black; Estimate $852,965 – $963,025; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $687,875. – 5.7L/670hp V10, carbon fiber shift knob, Gemballa wheels, infotainment system with sat nav. – One of 25 Mirage GTs and one of three Gold Editions. Ordered new by Samuel Eto’o. Some chips and small scrapes on the bottom front, including the carbon splitter. Fisheyes in the paint on the nose. Very good interior. Represented with 6,500 km (4,039 miles) and only lightly used. – It may be covered in gold and have multi-colored metalflake in the paint (it doesn’t look like it in photos, but the paint on this car shows rainbow sparkles in person), but this is nevertheless one of the more tasteful modified Porsches that ever left Gemballa’s shop. It’s still a modified Porsche, however, and there weren’t enough Champions League football fans to push this car to its ambitious Euros 775,000 low estimate. The flamboyant paint job may have also put some people off. The reported high bid was about what a regular Carrera GT with this condition and mileage would expect so sell for, and that seems about right.
Lot # 176 1982 Porsche 924 Carrera GTS Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ93ZBS710029; Red/Black cloth with Red stripes; Estimate $242,132 – $308,168; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $203,611 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $234,153. – 1984/270hp turbo four, 5-speed, black Fuchs wheels, Potenza tires, fire extinguisher. – Retained by the factory when new but sold to its first owner in 1983. Good paint and exterior plastic. Very good very lightly worn interior. The windshield is delaminating at the bottom. A top spec, lightly used 924. Showing 24,148 believable km (15,005 miles). – Certainly not your grandfather’s 924, with 270hp on tap the Carrera GTS is far more car than any of the production versions and it’s rare even by limited-production Porsche standards. Naturally, it’s in an entirely different price realm as well, although the few auction results there are for these cars have varied widely. Gooding sold a slightly beat up one in Amelia Island last year for $162,400, while RM sold one with just 47 km on it last September for $357,000. This car is somewhere in the middle condition-wise, so it makes sense that its price is as well.
Lot # 177 2018 Ferrari 488 GTB 70th Anniversary Berlinetta; S/N ZFF79AMB000229458; Rosso Scuderia, White stripe/Blue Alcantara; Estimate $302,665 – $357,695; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $291,659 plus commission of 14.39%; Final Price $333,619. – 3,902/670hp turbo V8, 7-speed automanual, white 5-spoke alloy wheels, PZero tires, SF shields, carbon fiber console, manettino steering wheel, climate control, carbon ceramic brakes. – <250km from new and unblemished. This is the “Le Mans” 70th Anniversary livery after Scuderia Filipinetti’s 1965 Le Mans 250 LM 6119, otherwise known as a 488 GTB in Red with a white stripe, white wheels and blue upholstery. – The 488 GTB is a fabulous automobile with immense power from its 3.9 litre turbo V8, and this one has negligible miles. There are, however, other 488 GTBs out there with all the bells and whistles of this one but without the “70th Anniversary” livery … an exclusive red hue, white stripes, a door roundel with a number and some other accessories that Filipinetti couldn’t have dreamed of in 1965. Inherently the whole 70th Anniversary program is a distinction without a difference, an attempt to entice anxious buyers to purchase so-called “special” cars so they stay in the queue to buy still more barely differentiated Ferraris, which is why we see so many of them coming on to the market with delivery miles as their initial buyers recoup what lucre they can realize to recycle into the coming 2022 75th Anniversary specials. At least the first buyers got Ferrari credit for filling the company coffers with silly money; the second owners get no such recognition and the large premium brought by this and other 70th Anniversary editions in the secondary market will earn them nothing but depreciation. This is a silly price for a silly car: a mid-five figure premium for a red Ferrari with a white stripe and door roundels? Madness, but an affliction shared by other buyers of 70th Anniversary Ferraris. The premium paid for this 488 GTB could have bought an otherwise similar 488 GTB and a “Smokey and the Bandit” Pontiac Firebird to satisfy cravings for a “special edition”.
Lot # 179 2008 Spyker C8 Laviolette Coupe; S/N XL9BA11G98Z363029; Quintessential Silver/Tropicana Orange; Estimate $220,120 – $275,150; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $236,629 plus commission of 14.83%; Final Price $271,711. – 4.2L/400hp Audi V8, 6-speed, Pilot Sport tires, slotted rotors, hardtop. – The clear bra on the nose is yellowing and has some light scuffs on it, but presumably the actual car underneath it is just fine. Small scratch in the driver’s window. A little dirt in the engine bay. Good, clean upholstery with little detectable age or wear. Slightly flat seat bottom and it smells like it may have been smoked in once or twice. An 18,000 km Spyker. – With its exposed gear linkage, aircraft-style gauges, ample aluminum trim and diamond stitched upholstery everywhere from the seats to the door panels, the Spyker has the coolest interior this side of a Pagani. And while neither the most attractive nor the quickest car for the money in its day (or now), a Spyker offers character in spades and a high degree of exclusivity. The appeal isn’t lost on today’s enthusiasts, and today Spykers seem to sell for a little more than their original base price. This one was appropriately bought for its condition and mileage.
Lot # 180 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spider, Body after Zagato; S/N 8513034; Engine # 8513034; Red/Dark Red leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $990,540 – $1,430,780; Rebodied or re-created, 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $825,450. – RHD. Black painted wire wheels, Michelin tires, radiator stoneguard, Bosch headlights, Motometer, folding windshield, dual rear-mounted spares. – Discovered in a Long Island, NY junk yard in the 1950’s, rebodied in the 70’s by Pettenella with this Zagato-style body. Tired old paint with numerous cracks and chips. Deeply surface cracked redyed old upholstery. Taped wiring joints and oily engine compartment with paint loss. Oily, greasy chassis. Generally used. – “Generally used” is entirely OK when dealing with an enthusiastically used 1750 like this. The catalog generously says, “the coachwork has mellowed wonderfully” which is a bit generous: this thing is used and not particularly looked after. It is, however a 1750 Gran Sport and delightfully used which makes using it more not much of a risk to its condition. Is it undervalued at this reported high bid? Probably not much; its eligibility for the events everyone wants to do is a strong inducement to bid more, although the near $1 million low estimate is optimistic.
Lot # 183 1961 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster; S/N 12104010022232; Silver, Silver hardtop/Cinnamon leather; Cinnamon cloth top; Estimate $110,060 – $143,078; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $118,315 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $136,062. – Hubcaps, trim rings, narrow whitewalls, Blaupunkt multiband radio, two tops, halogen headlights – Beautiful, fresh, crisp engine compartment with some exposed iron starting to surface rust. Weber carburetors. Excellent clearcoat paint, interior, chrome and top. The chassis and underbody are like new. A beautiful, thoroughly done, impressive 190SL. – The Weber carbs are a disappointment but the original Solexes were cast from some particularly soft alloy that quickly eroded around the throttle shafts admitting air that eventually made them impossible to tune. Beyond that this is a better than new 190SL and it brought a superior price deserved by its condition, equipment and delicious color combination.
Lot # 188 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE AMG 3.4 Coupe; S/N WDB1240511B581941; Brilliant Silver/Black leather; Estimate $88,048 – $132,072; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $107,859 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $124,038. – 3.5L/270hp six, automatic, AMG/OZ Racing wheels, flared fenders, air dam, rear spoiler, Pilot Sport tires, headlight washers, sunroof, power windows, power Recaro seats, original cassette stereo. – From the Youngtimer Collection. Represented as one of fewer than 50 built. Delivered new to Japan, where the actual conversion was carried out by AMG Japan. Showing 41,611 believable km (25,856 miles). The sunroof is a little crooked. Very good original paint with no blemishes to speak of. Some of the switchgear is a little dull and the seats are lightly wrinkled, but the interior is very good. Very rare little early AMG with a lot going for it even if it is somewhat used. – Among the later AMG cars before the company became Mercedes-Benz’s in-house tuning arm, this 300 CE is rare, but there are more powerful, more extreme and more desirable pre-merger AMGs out there to choose from as AMG also swapped V8s into the W124 E-Class chassis with more aggressive body kits. One such car with a 6.0L engine sold out of this collection in London last October for £207,000 (about $265,200 at the time). It may not quite be twice the car, but it’s easy to make the case that it’s twice as desirable and this result is fair.
Lot # 191 1962 Jaguar XKE SI Roadster; S/N 877306; Engine # R5556-9; Opalescent Blue/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $176,096 – $220,120; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $154,084. – Chrome wire wheels, Michelin tires, heater, no radio. – Cylinder block number unreadable. Good repaint, fair replaced upholstery, weak chrome with some peeling. Bashed up wheel nuts. Orderly but aged engine compartment. Peeling steering wheel varnish. A superficial driver quality restoration. – This E-type should have been well on its way to a new owner at the reported high bid here. It has far too many flaws in its presentation and no one has adopted a position on the drivetrain’s originality, nor is there an JDHT Certificate to document it. It looks good, but has no paper backup and is fully valued at the reported high bid.
Lot # 193 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL AMG Sedan; S/N WDB1260391A497466; Anthracite Grey Metallic/Black leather; Estimate $110,060 – $154,084; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $88,048. – 6.0/375hp M118 V8, automatic, AMG wheels and body kit, headlight washers, Continental tires, sunroof, white face gauges, power windows, air conditioning, later Sony stereo. – From the Youngtimer Collection. Sold new in Japan. Showing 62,189 believable km (38,642 miles). Dull plastic grille and door handles. Small chips on the nose and light scratching on the doors. The woodgrain trim on the back of the seats is badly faded and cracking, while in the front it’s just faded. Good leather. Tidy underneath. Early, pre-merger AMGs are getting quite collectible and this is a charmingly sinister car, but it’s also a used one. – RM sold a ’91 560 SEL AMG in similar specs but with higher mileage in Essen last year for Euros 109,250 and interest in AMGs has only gained since then if anything, so the consignor here can’t be blamed for expecting more than the high bid in Paris. The AMG money may have been dissipated on the “Red Pig” replica that sold for almost half a million bucks.
Lot # 194 1952 Dyna-Veritas Cabriolet; S/N 28854; Metallic Green/Tan leather; Black top; Estimate $44,024 – $66,036; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $67,137 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $77,207. – “Sprint” model with a 745cc/38hp Panhard twin, 4-speed, hub caps, whitewalls, black cloth boot cover, speedometer and clock. – Represented as one of 10 known to exist. Blistering, chips and cracks on the tail. Blistering and chips on the door edges as well. Good, lightly worn interior. An old restoration of a car that looks like a chopped VW. – The few people who have even heard of Veritas mostly know it for the expensive and oddly styled but potent BMW-powered sports cars that made a name for themselves in Germany’s postwar racing scene. The more humble Panhard-based Dyna-Veritas was intended to be Veritas’s volume production model (to fund the company’s racing habit) but it deservedly flopped. RM Sotheby’s claims as few as 10 Dyna-Veritases2019 are left. This one is less than perfect, but it still charmed its way into the wallets of a few bidders in Paris to well over its Euros 60,000 high estimate.
Lot # 195 1970 Fiat Dino 2400 Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N 135BC0003751; Giallo Dino/Black cloth; Estimate $66,036 – $88,048; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $41,273 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $47,463. – 2,418cc/180hp Dino V6 with triple Webers, 5-speed, Cromodora wheels with hub caps, mismatched tires, woodrim steering wheel, Becker Mexico stereo, power windows. – Grimy engine bay. Tired, dull bumpers. Average quality resprayed paint on a car that deserves better. Small dents in some of the window trim. Good interior with newer seats. Little known history but has had some recent mechanical attention. Fiat Dinos, especially the coupes, are underappreciated classics, and someone definitely hasn’t appreciated this one enough. – Fiat’s Ferrari-powered Dino was available as a sharp-looking Pininfarina-styled Spider, but about three-quarters of production went to the 2+2 coupe with more conservative but still elegant lines penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone. This is a later car with the larger 2.4-liter engine and independent rear suspension, but it’s not clear if it was built before or after production switched from Fiat in Turin to Ferrari in Maranello. Either way, this is a mediocre car bought for driver-quality money and both parties can be happy with the result. Fiat Dino Spiders are worth over twice as much.
These prices will look very quaint in a few months, not to mention 12. Marvelous reporting, as ever. Thank you.
Who, in this day and situation, knows what these prices will look like in a year?
It’s going to be a journey, that’s for sure.
Rick