2017 Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale Results

Three cars sold for more than a million dollar at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed 2017 sale: a 1973 Porsche 911 RS Lightweight, a 1962 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster and a 1931 Bentley 8-Litre Sedanca de Ville.

1973 Porsche 911 RS Lightweight
1973 Porsche 911 RS Lightweight © Bonhams

The top result at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed 2017 classic car auction was £897,500 ($1,163,408) paid for a 1962 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster with hardtop. However, the more sensational result was £830,000 ($1,076,299) achieved for a rare right-hand drive 1972 Porsche 911 RS Lightweight with an in period racing history. A 1931 Bentley 8-Litre Sedanca De Ville also achieved above a million dollar when it sold for $1,010,966 (£779,900).

Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale 2017

The Bonhams 25th annual Festival of Speed sale took place on Friday 30 June 2017 at the Goodwood Estate in Chichester in southern England. The festival is a traditional motoring highlight of the year with the accompanying classic car auction one of the most important in the UK.

James Knight, Group Motoring Director and the auctioneer for the sale commented: ‘We were delighted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our Festival of Speed sale with such a fantastic range of motor cars. The results once again reflect the appetite for special motor cars, whether it be based on condition, originality, rarity, provenance – or a combination of all of these. On some lots I felt like an umpire as the bidders rallied their bids back and forth with pace and commitment. We sold motor cars to Australia, Japan, the Americas, Continental Europe and the home nations. The overall total of more than £10,000,000 is a fantastic way to bring the UK auction season to a close, and we focus now on accepting entries for our September Sales at Beaulieu and the Goodwood Revival Meeting.’

Before then, Bonhams will have the very important Quail Lodge auction during the Monterey Week in mid-August in California with further sales on continental Europe to follow: Chantilly in September and The Zoute Sale in October.

Top Results at the Bonhams Festival of Speed Sale 2017

The top five results at the Bonhams Festival of Speed 2017 classic car auction were:

Year Car Price ($) Price (£)
1962 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Coupé Gullwing 1,163,408 897,500
1973 Porsche 911 RS Lightweight 1,076,299 830,000
1931 Bentley 8-Litre Sedanca De Ville 1,010,966 779,900
1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Open Tourer 713,341 550,300
1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona 698,823 539,100

Auction held in British pound – US$ prices as per Bonhams published results.

1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster

The highest price paid at the Bonhams Festival of Speed 2017 sale was for a 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster that sold for £897,500 to only its fourth owner. Although 300 SL prices are weaker than two years ago, at least 10 had sold for over a million dollar thus far this year with a large number expected to be on offer at the Monterey Week auctions in mid-August.

A much earlier example from Mercedes also achieved a top price – the 1911 Mercedes Simplex 28/50hp ‘Roi des Belges’ Tourer sold for £359,900 having been in single family ownership for the past 60 years.

1973 Porsche 911 RS Lightweight

The more sensational result at the auction was when an exceptionally rare 1973 Porsche 911 RS Lightweight realized an astonishing £830,300 – at the top end of the pre-sale estimate. Over a million Porsche 911s have been produced thus far but rare limited edition versions increasingly achieve results around a million dollar at auction. More owners are likely to test the market after such million-dollar results.

The 1957 Porsche 356A Carrera Sportster was initially listed as sold at £919,900 but was not included in published results.

1931 Bentley 8-Litre Sedanca de Ville

British marques were well represented at the sale. The star was undoubtedly the resplendent and outstandingly original 1931 Bentley 8-Litre Sedanca de Ville, which sold for £779,900. Aston Martins were also popular, with the one-of-a-kind 1957 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkII Coupé Design Project 193 (DB Mark III Prototype) achieving £337,500 and the 1959 Aston Martin DB4 ‘Series 1’ Sports Saloon realizing £326,300.

1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Open Tourer

Vintage cars were successful throughout the sale, with the 1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Open Tourer, originally the property of his Highness the Maharana Sir Fateh Singh Bahadur of Udaipur, achieving £550,300, well above its pre-sale estimate, after a prolonged battle between two committed bidders in the room and on the telephone.

A similar battle saw the 1908 Hotchkiss 16/20hp Type T Roi des Belges also sell for considerably more than its pre-sale estimate of £80,000-100,000, realizing £163,900.

1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ Berlinetta

Ferrari, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, saw some of its most iconic models up for sale at the auction. The 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ Berlinetta was one of the first offered, and set the standard when it achieved £539,100. Widely considered one of the most elegant Ferraris, a 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GT Spyder finished in striking orange sold to an auction room bidder for £253,500.

Other highlights at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed 2017 sale included:

  • The ex-Col. Sorel, Col. Giles and David Scott-Moncrieff 1930 Bugatti Type 46 5.3 litre Weymann Sportsman’s Saloon achieved £281,500.
  • 1936 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Supercharged Special realized £253,500.
  • 1973 Iso Grifo 5.8-Litre Series II Coupé sold for £208,700 to a telephone bidder.