A classic 1927 Bugatti Type 35B and 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet are the lead cars for the Bonhams Monaco 2022 classic car auction.
A 1927 Bugatti Type 35B, estimate €2,000,000 – €3,000,000, and a 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet with coachwork by Vignale, estimate €1,900,000 – €2,300,000, are the most expensive cars on offer in the Bonham ‘Les Grandes Marques à Monaco’ sale on 13 May 2022 at the Fairmont Hotel in Monte Carlo. Other interesting cars include the first Brabham Formula 1 racing car and further classic Ferraris, Porsches, and Mercedes-Benz cars.
Bonhams Monaco 2022 Classic Car Auction
Bonhams Monaco Sale ‘Les Grandes Marques à Monaco’ on 13 May 2022 at the Fairmont Hotel in Monte Carlo.
The biennial Bonhams Monaco classic car auction is held during the Monaco Historic Grand Prix weekend. In 2021, a 1936 Delahaye 135 S Competition Court was the top lot. In 2018 Bonhams sold the 1993 McLaren MP4 that Ayrton Senna drove to his record sixth Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix victory sold for $5 million. Senna’s first Monaco racer – a 1984 Toleman-Hart – sold for a sensational $1.9 million in the same sale.
Most Expensive Cars in the Bonhams Monaco 2022 Sale
The ten most expensive cars on sale in the Bonhams Monaco 2022 classic car auction are:
| Year | Car | Estimate (€) | |
| 1 | 1927 | Bugatti Type 35 B | 2,000,000 – 3,000,000 |
| 2 | 1951 | Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet | 1,900,000 – 2,300,000 |
| 3 | 1988 | Porsche 959 Komfort | 1,400,000 – 1,600,000 |
| 4 | 1965 | Ferrari 275 GTS Convertible | 1,200,000 – 1,600,000 |
| 5 | 1959 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster | 950,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 6 | 1997 | Porsche 911 GT2 Coupe | 850,000 – 1,150,000 |
| 7 | 1929 | Bugatti Type 37 | 800,000 – 1,100,000 |
| 8 | 1955 | Mercedes-Benz 300S Cabriolet | 470,000 – 530,000 |
| 9 | 1962 | Brabham BT3 F1 | 450,000 – 650,000 |
| 10 | 1953 | Alfa Romeo 1900 C Cabriolet | 400,000 – 480,000 |
Top Cars in the Bonhams Monaco 2022 Classic Car Auction
Classic Bugattis at Bonhams Monaco Sale 2022
A 1927 Bugatti Type 35B – an example of the model which won the very first Monaco Grand Prix – is the top car on offer in the Bonhams Monaco Sale 2022.
One of only circa 45 Type 35Bs produced, it is a rare survivor, largely thanks to the fact that its first pre-war owners were, unusually, not professional racing drivers. It has a known ownership history from new, which included several returns and resales from the Bugatti factory. The Bugatti is now offered from 47 years of ownership by its vendor, a Belgian gentleman racing driver, who raced it in the 1990s.
For the smaller budget, Bonhams will also offer a 1929 Bugatti Type 37, estimate €800,000 – €1,100,000. This Bugatti also comes from long-term ownership – of 63 years in the same family – and is being offered publicly for the first time. The three-owner Bugatti was raced extensively by its second owner, campaigning Grand Prix in 1931 and 1932, achieving a podium (3rd) place at the Grand Prix de Chimay. Offered with matching numbers, the car was extensively restored in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
1962 Brabham 1 1/2-litre Brabham-Climax BT3 Formula 1
Another motorsport marvel crossing the block in Monaco is truly historic – the first Formula 1 car constructed by three-times world champion Jack Brabham to take a Formula 1 chequered flag – the 1962 Brabham 1 1/2-litre Brabham-Climax BT3 Formula 1 Racing Single-Seater (estimate €450,000 – €650,000 – no reserve).
Following his two Formula 1 world championship successes – in 1959, when he also won the Monaco Grand Prix, and 1960 – Australian Sir Jack Brabham returned to his engineering roots to form Motor Racing Developments, in partnership with his talented compatriot Ron Tauranac.
In 1962, the BT3 – the third Tauranac-designed prototype – became the first Formula 1 car to carry the Brabham name. A double F1 race winner with its namesake at the wheel, it was also the first car constructed by its driver to take a Formula 1 chequered flag. The BT3 was the forerunner of the 1966 incarnation in which Sir Jack added his third World Championship title – becoming the first and (still) only driver to win the Formula 1 world championship in a car of his own make.
Several interesting Formula 1 cars will also be offered at Monaco 2022 in the RM Sotheby’s auction.
Classic Ferraris at Bonhams Monaco 2022 Car Auction
The most expensive Ferrari in the Bonhams Monaco 2022 sale is a 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet with coachwork by Vignale, estimate €1,900,000 – 2,300,000. This outstandingly-restored early cabriolet claims a number of noteworthy attributes, including coach-built rarity, very few owners, Ferrari Classiche certification – vouching for its authenticity – and a successful visit to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Élegance in 2014 where it was 2nd-in-class and runner-up only to Best of Show winner.
The 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS, estimate €1,200,000 – 1,600,000, is considered one of the most elegant Ferraris. Only 200 of the Pininfarina designed and built 275 GTS were ever produced. This V12-powered Ferrari was formerly owned by former Motorcycle Grand Prix rider of Jean-Pierre Beltoise, who swapped two wheels for four to win the 1972 Monaco F1 Grand Prix. The luxury grand tourer is Ferrari Classiche Certified, its authenticity therefore officially rubber-stamped by Ferrari.
Top German Cars at Bonhams Monaco 2022
The red 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort is offered with a relatively low 26,000 km on the clock. Originally delivered to the royal family in Qatar, it is currently registered in Germany.
The 1997 Porsche 911 GT2 Coupe is similarly a low-mileage car with less than 9,000 km on the clock. Although primarily intended for racing, the GT2 was road legal. This Porsche was originally sold in Japan but is currently on German registration.
The 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was recently recommissioned and finished in an attractive light metallic blue over cream. The original red car was sold in the USA but ownership history prior to 1987, when it was registered in the UK, is unknown.
Monaco Historic Grand Prix Week Classic Car Auctions in May 2022
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