A 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider sold for $4.2 million as the top result at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2019 classic car auction.
The top results at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2019 sale were for two 1950s sports racing cars: €3,717,500 for a 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider and €3,380,000 for a 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder. Three further cars sold for more than a million dollar: a 1965 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante, a 1955 Fiat 8V Coupe and a 1931 Bugatti Type 50 Roadster.
RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2019 Sale
The fifth biennial RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale was held 25 May 2019 as part of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como in Italy.
In 2019, RM Sotheby’s earned €19,798,085 ($22,385,000) at the Villa Erba sale. the sale-through rate slipped to below 60%.
In 2017, RM Sotheby’s grossed €25,355,850 from the sale – just slightly less than the $26.7 million earned in 2015 (from fewer lots but including a model record result for a 1952 Ferrari 212 Export Barchetta that sold for €6,720,000 ($7,400,736)). The sell-through rate was a relatively weak 62%.
Top Ten Results at RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2019
The ten top results at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2019 sale were:
- Lot 148 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider €3,717,500
- Lot 140 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder €3,380,000
- Lot 135 1965 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante €1,805,000
- Lot 125 1955 Fiat 8V Coupé €1,771,250
- Lot 137 1931 Bugatti Type 50 Roadster €1,411,250
- Lot 155 2016 Ferrari F12tdf €792,500
- Lot 132 1961 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder €663,125
- Lot 161 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC €556,250
- Lot 120 2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake €511,250
- Lot 140 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring €477,500
Million-Dollar Results at RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2019 Sale
Five cars sold for more than a million euro each at the 2019 RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba classic car auction:
The top result a the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2019 sale was €3,717,500 ($4,203,320) paid for an original, matching-numbers 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider, chassis no. 0448 MD. This 500 Mondial was the 12th of just 13 Pinin Farina Spiders built. The car boasts extensive period racing history and is an exceptionally eligible car for historic racing and concours events. The car is fully restored and Ferrari Classiche certified. The result was slightly lower than achieved on two 500 Mondial Spiders sold at auction in 2018.
A 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder sold for achieved €3,380,000 ($3,821,713) – not far off recent results for similar cars. Few cars exemplifies the appeal of a 1950s sports racing car more than a 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder, providing exceptional usability and ultimate eligibility for historic events. The car sold at Villa Erba is one of only 40 cars made and benefits from a well-known and highly documented history. Chassis no. 550A-0121 was first delivered to Denmark in 1957 and enjoyed competition history there as well as in Africa where it went on to be sold. The car has undergone a complete, body-off restoration by leading Porsche specialists and has only covered 100km on the road since returning from the workshop.
Although Aston Martin prices have been weaker at recent auctions, the 1960s Aston Martins are always desirable with rare and special versions still demanding premium prices. The rare 1965 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante, achieved €1,805,000 (2,040,900) – well above the $1.7 million achieved on a similar car at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017. The car is one of the final examples of a mere 37 built. Offered after a period of long-term ownership and beautifully restored in Switzerland by renowned experts, the car is matching numbers and features a rare and desirable hardtop.
The RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2019 sale featured a large selection of rare Zagato-bodied cars in celebration of the coachbuilder’s 100th anniversary. The leading car in this group was a 1955 Fiat 8V Coupé by Zagato, chassis no. 000076, that sold for €1,771,250 ($2,002,720) – a strong result for an 8V. It is one of only 26 coupes built by Zagato.
The absolutely stunning 1931 Bugatti Type 50 Roadster rounded out the top five sellers on the night. The pre-war great achieved €1,411,250 ($1,595,680). This incredible supercharged, eight-cylinder engined touring car, is one of two remaining examples with original Jean Bugatti-designed factory coachwork and was offered in beautiful restored condition. The lot included factory records and the original bill of sale.
For the smaller budget, a modern recreation Bugatti Type 35 Junior sold for €10,800.
To achieve nearly €20 million in gross sales is a great result, and it’s testament to the high-quality cars that were on offer at Villa Erba. We have once again demonstrated that the best 1950s sports racing cars with strong provenance remain the most highly prized collector cars in this hobby-driven market, while cars such as the Aston Martin Volante and Fiat 8V Coupe demonstrate how the appeal of timeless design and low production numbers are key factors in driving demand among enthusiasts and collectors.”
Augustin Sabatié-Garat, Car Specialist and the Villa Erba Auction Manager, RM Sotheby’s
Top Cars Not Sold at RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2019
Three further cars received unsuccessful bids of over a million dollar at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale. The highest unsuccessful bid was €2,780,000 for a 1955 Maserati A6G/2000 Berlinetta – not far off the estimate of €3-3.5 million).
A highest bid of €1,280,000 for a 1963 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster was similarly not far off the estimate of €1.4-1.6 million and well within range of recent results for the model.
A 2015 McLaren P1 failed to sell with a highest bid of €1,000,000 – the estimate of €1.1-1.3 million already reflected how the value of these models has dropped since $2 million were achieved on several cars in 2017.
