A BMW 507, McLaren F1 racing car, and a Porsche 959 were the top results at the RM Sotheby’s classic car auction in St Moritz in mid-September 2021.
A 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II sold for $2,310,000 as the top results at the RM Sotheby’s St Moritz sale 2021, the auction house’s first-ever sale in Switzerland. It was followed by a 2002 McLaren MP4 17D Single-Seater F1 racing car and a low-mileage 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort that both achieved $2,128,000. Eight of the two dozen cars on offer in the sale sold for over a million dollar each.
RM Sotheby’s St Moritz Switzerland Sale 2021
RM Sotheby’s held its first-ever sale in Switzerland at the beautiful Swiss mountain resort of St. Moritz in association with the Bernina Gran Turismo on 17 September 2021 in the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains.
The boutique sale with only two dozen lost on offer grossed CHF16,494,625 with eight cars selling for over a million dollar each.
The Bernina Gran Turismo was re-launched in 2014 by classic car enthusiasts Kurt Engelhorn and Florian Seidl with the aim of starting to bring alive the legendary ‘International St. Moritz Automobile Week’ of 1929 and 1930. The Bernina Race is regarded as Europe’s best mountain event for historic vehicles. It takes place on a section of the original route on the Bernina Pass that has been specially closed for the mountain race.
Top Ten Results at the RM Sotheby’s St Moritz Sale 2021
The top ten results at the RM Sotheby’s St Moritz 2021 sale in Switzerland were as follows:
| Year | Car | Price ($) | Price CHF | |
| 1 | 1958 | BMW 507 Roadster Series II | 2,309,656 | 2,142,500 |
| =2 | 2002 | McLaren MP4 17D | 2,127,768 | 1,973,750 |
| =2 | 1988 | Porsche 959 Komfort | 2,127,768 | 1,973,750 |
| 4 | 2012 | Aston Martin One-77 | 1,854,891 | 1,720,625 |
| 5 | 2015 | Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach | 1,521,258 | 1,411,250 |
| 6 | 1955 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,490,941 | 1,383,125 |
| 7 | 1953 | Fiat 8V Berlinetta | 1,460,624 | 1,355,000 |
| 8 | 1961 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster | 1,218,022 | 1,130,000 |
| 9 | 1955 | Austin-Healy 100S | 757,130 | 702,500 |
| 10 | 1973 | Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring | 550,907 | 511,250 |
Note: Sale in Swiss franc, courtesy conversion rate at CHF100 = $107.76.
Million-Dollar Cars at the RM Sotheby’s St Moritz Sale 2021
The top result at the RM Sotheby’s St Moritz sale 2021 was CHF2,142,500 paid for a 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II. Only 252 of the Series II were built with this car, which was originally delivered in Switzerland, presented in the classic color combination of white over blue/white. Fully restored a few years ago by a leading Swiss specialist it remains in outstanding condition and is fully BMW Classic certified. The result was within the estimate: CHF2,000,000 – CHF2,200,000).
Attracting significant interest was the V10-powered 2002 McLaren MP4 17D, a chassis raced 12 times during the 2002 and 2003 Formula 1 Seasons piloted by legendary drivers Kimi Räikkönen and David Coulthard and driven to victory by Coulthard at the 2003 Australian Grand Prix. Modern-era Formula One cars of this quality and importance rarely come to market. This remarkable piece of Formula One history made CHF1,973,750 — a solid result but far from the $6,741,384 paid at Silverstone 2021 for the 2010 McLaren MP4-25-A F1 racer driven to victory by Lewis Hamilton.
The car which possibly garnered the most pre-sale interest was the unique 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort. A one-owner-from-new example that was produced as one of seven 959s exclusively built for the Royal family in Qatar in 1989. The example offered was ordered in Wine Red Metallic over a complimentary burgundy and grey leather interior and has covered only 961 kilometers. It exceeded its pre-sale high estimate and brought CHF1,973,750. At $2,127,768 this was exchange rate depending, the highest price ever paid for a standard 959. The 959 model record is $5,945,000 paid at RM Sotheby’s Atlanta 2018 for a 959 Paris-Dakar racer.
Another car to exceed its pre-sale high estimate was the 2012 Aston Martin One-77, one of just 77 cars ever produced. Known to be one of the most powerful naturally aspirated road cars ever made and capable of hitting a top speed in excess of 220 mph, the car offered had only two owners from new and has covered a mere 1,009 km. This rare and exotic car made CHF1,720,625.
Leading the consignments in scarcity value was a fully restored, concours winning, 1953 Fiat 8V, which is one of the first 34 ‘Series 1’ cars constructed with bodywork made by Fiat’s Reparto Carrozzerie Speciali department. This fully restored, matching numbers car, has been displayed at many of Europe’s most prestigious concours and is Mille Miglia eligible. It sold for CHF1,355,000 (Estimate: CHF1,300,000 – CHF1,600,000).
Also selling for over a million dollars were a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing and a 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster. Both achieved solid results. A 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach sold for just over $1.5 million – one of the lower results for the model thus far this year but well above bidding at sales in 2020 and 2019.
Worthy of note was the 1955 Austin-Healey 100S, believed to be the only 100S directly exported from the factory to Switzerland and one of only 50 production alloy-bodied examples manufactured. Fully restored and boasting an extensive and well-documented period competition history, this rare and versatile car sold for CHF702,500.
The only non-motor car lot to be offered in the sale was a remarkable Pininfarina Leggenda eClassic Simulator. The first of nine limited-edition simulators made by Pininfarina at the company’s factory in Cambiano, Italy to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the start of Battista “Pinin” Farina’s long and celebrated career. Blending high-end technology with stunning craftsmanship, and including membership to the eClassic Club, an online community for enthusiasts, this remarkable lot achieved a sale price of CHF192,000.