A 1953 Jaguar XK120C C-Type Sports Racer sold for $8,220,000 as the highest price paid at the Bonhams 2016 classic car auction. Spirited bidding saw several cars selling well above pre-sale estimate including the 1991/2 Benetton Ford Formula 1 racing car achieving nearly four times its pre-auction estimate with a result of over €1 million.
Bonhams Monaco Classic Car Auction 2016
Bonhams’ 2016 Les Grandes Marques à Monaco classic car auction was held on May 13, 2016 during the Monaco historic formula 1 racing weekend.
The following were the top results achieved at the Bonhams Monaco 2016 classic car sale:
Year | Car | Price ($) | Estimate | Price (€) |
1953 | Jaguar XK120C C-Type Sports-Racing Two-Seater Roadster | 8,221,626 | €4 – 5 million | 7,245,000 |
1985 | Ferrari 288 GTO | 2,061,931 | €1.3 – 1.7 million | 1,817,000 |
1925 | Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Two-Seater | 1,200,618 | €1 – 1.5 million | 1,058,000 |
1991 | Benetton Ford B191/B191B Formula 1 | 1,200,618 | €220,000 -€280,000 | 1,058,000 |
2006 | Porsche Carrera GT Roadster | 809,112 | €650,000 – 750,000 | 713,000 |
1988 | Porsche 959 Komfort | 561,158 | €500,000 – 600,000 | 430,000 |
2011 | Aston Martin One-77 Coupé | HB €1,650,000 | €1.75 – 2.25 million | |
1964 | Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta | HB €1,400,000 | €1.6 – 1.9 million | |
1965 | Ferrari 275 GTS | HB €1,440,000 | €1.5 – 2 million | |
1929 | Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport Supercharged Spider | HB €1,050,000 | €1.8 – 2.4 million | |
Results not official. HB = highest bid (unsuccessful). Auction held in euro, $ prices as stated by Bonhams at time of auction. Results include buyer’s premium.
1953 Jaguar XK120C ‘C-Type’ Sports-Racing Two-Seat Roadster
The top result at the 2016 Bonhams Monaco sale was as expected for the 1953 Jaguar XK120C ‘C-Type’ Sports-Racing Two-Seat Roadster. However, the final result of €7,245,000 ($8,221,626) was well above the pre-auction estimate of €4 – €5 million.
This 1953 Jaguar XK120C ‘C-Type’ Sports-Racing Two-Seat Roadster was offered in an original condition. This car finished ninth overall at the 1953 Le Mans 24 Hours race, as a private entry car by the Belgian Ecurie Francorchamps team.
1985 Ferrari 288 GTO Coupé
With two of the three Ferrari 288 GTO Coupés offered at public auction earlier in 2016 failing to sell, this 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO Coupé entered the Bonhams Monaco 2016 sale with a relatively low €1.3 – 1.7 million estimate. The car sold just over top estimate at €1,817,000 ($2,061,931) – a fair result but still below the exuberant prices paid in 2015.
1991-92 Benetton Ford B191/B191B Formula 1
The surprise top result at the Bonhams Monaco auction was €1,058,000 ($1,200,618) paid for a 1991-92 Benetton Ford B191/B191B Formula 1 racing car. The pre-auction estimate was a somewhat low €220,000 – 280,000.
Three-times world champion Nelson Piquet drove his final Grand Prix – Australia 1991 – in this car. It was subsequently driven by Martin Brundle before a young Michael Schumacher drove it to third place, and his first ever podium finish, at the 1992 Mexican Grand Prix, and to a second third place at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The car is sold in the livery it wore when driven by Schumacher.
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Two-Seater
The same result was achieved by another Grand Prix racing car – the 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Two-Seater, chassis 4450, engine 75C, that sold for €1,058,000 ($1,200,618). This car had an active in-period racing history in England before being sold to an Australian in the late 1930s. Like the Jaguar C-Type, this car has been in single-family ownership since the early 1960s. It was frequently raced and driven in Australia – including a 6,400-km journey in 2014.
Porsches at Bonhams Monaco 2016
No Porsche broke the million-dollar barrier at the Bonhams Monaco 2016 sale but two results are worth noting:
A 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort sold for only €430,000 ($561,158). This was not much off estimate but a good buy for anyone interested in actually driving the supercar. This Porsche 959 has 158,000 km on the clock and the new owner will be able to add more without hurting the value, as would happen on a low mileage example.
A 2006 Porsche Carrera GT Roadster sold for a strong €713,000 ($809,112) – mid-estimate. Although well shy of the illusive million dollars, a better result than most other lots have achieved thus far in 2016 despite this Carrera GT having a relatively high mileage reading of 14,300 km.
Top Ferraris Failing to Sell at Bonhams Monaco 2016
A few cars had highest bids just shy of the lower estimate and although failing to sell during the auction, certainly left plenty of room for deals. The highest bid for the 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS was a mere €60,000 off the lower estimate while the 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta was €200,000 off. RM Sotheby’s are offering similar models in Monaco a day after this Bonhams sale.
Bonhams next major classic car auctions are the Aston Martin Works sale and the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
See also 2016 Bonhams Monaco Classic Car Auction (Preview) for more on these cars.