Bonhams Cars had its best Zoute Sale results ever in 2023 – five cars sold for over a million dollars led by a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France that achieved five million dollars.
A golden 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France sold for $5 million as the top result at the tenth anniversary Bonhams Cars The Zoute 2023 classic car auction in Belgium. Five cars achieved over a million dollars and a few more fell just short for the highest total results ever at The Zoute.
Bonhams The Zoute Sale 2023
Bonhams|Cars held its top Belgian classic car auction on 8 October 2023 as the Zoute Sale in Knokke-Heist, Belgium during the Zoute Grand Prix.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this year’s auction earned over €27 million. The 147-lot sale presented automobilia, motorcycles, and 96 collector cars, and achieved an 87% sell-through rate and 96% by value. In 2022, Bonhams earned €25 million at The Zoute.
Million-Dollar Results at Bonhams The Zoute Sale 2023
The following five cars achieved results in excess of a million dollars (and euro) at the Bonhams The Zoute 2023 classic car auction in Belgium:
| Year | Car | Price ($) | Price (€) | |
| 1 | 1959 | Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’ | 5,093,250 | 4,830,000 |
| 2 | 2014 | Porsche 918 Spyder | 1,273,300 | 1,207,500 |
| 3 | 1929 | Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix Two-Seater | 1,214,000 | 1,150,000 |
| 4 | 1994 | Bugatti EB110 GT | 1,214,000 | 1,150,000 |
| 5 | 1995 | Porsche 911 Type 993 GT2 | 1,092,500 | 1,035,000 |
Note: Auction in €, USD conversion for guidance only. Include auction premium
Top Results at Bonhams The Zoute Auction in 2023
The top result at the Bonhams The Zoute Sale 2023 in Belgium was €4,830,000 (just over $5,000,000) paid for a matching-numbers and Ferrari Classiche certified 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta TdF. This rare car in an elegant gold exterior was campaigned for 37 years by the late Plinio Haas and is fully restored to the highest standards.
The 77th Ferrari TdF was the very last example built by Scaglietti, and chassis 1401GT features open headlights and is a ‘single vent’ model, with alloy coachwork from the Modenese coachbuilder to a Pininfarina design. Over the years, Chassis 1401GT competed at races such as the Gran Premio della Lotteria in Monza, Garessio-Colle San Bernado hill climb (1st place), Marchariuz (2nd place), Vaduz-Triesenberg (2nd place), Coupe des Alpes, Rallye de Genève, the Mitholz-Kandersteg hill climb in Switzerland, and Tour de France Automobile
In 2016 the car went through restoration to the highest standard in Maranello where the original engine was reunited with chassis 1401GT. The car was painted in Oro Chiaro (Light Gold) as it was back in 1959 and the interior was re-trimmed in maroon leather.
Other Million-Dollar Results at Bonhams Zoute 2023
Bonhams also achieved a good result with the iconic 1929 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix, which sold for €1.15 million. This unique model was one of the last built and has a great continuous ownership history that includes artist René Durey and aviator/engineer Louis Blériot.
A low-mileage, two-owner 1994 Bugatti EB110 GT sold for near top estimate while a more recent 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 just missed the million-dollar mark at €920,000.
Two Porsche supercars also achieved over a million dollars each: a 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder sold for €1.2 million against its estimate of €600,000-900,000, while a 1995 Porsche 911 / 993GT2 achieved €1 million. A 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, with only two owners but a relatively high 21,000 km, sold for €908,000 — below the million euro estimate but still higher than prices realized three years ago.
The Orange Collection – eight Aston Martins from the same era in a bespoke tangerine orange with matching orange interior – sparked international attention. The enthusiasm continued during the live bidding, with many people actively participating both in the room, online, and on the phones. All eight cars reached impressive results and achieved €750,000 all in.
