2022 RM Sotheby’s Paris Sale (Auction Preview)

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Ferraris, including an F50, 288 GTO, 550 GTC, and 275 GTB/4, are the lead cars for the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2022 classic car auction.

A 1996 Ferrari F50 is the lead car in the RM Sotheby's Paris 2022 classic car auction
Keno Zache ©2021 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s Paris 2022 classic car auction will have several Ferraris as the lead cars. In recent years, top Ferraris were remarkably absent in large numbers at auctions but the four most expensive cars on offer, and six of the ten million-dollar cars, in the RM Sotheby’s sale are Ferraris. The most expensive cars on offer are a 1996 Ferrari F50, estimate €2,800,000 to €3,200,000, a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO (estimate €2,400,000 – €2,600,000), and a track-only 2003 Ferrari 550 GTC, estimate €2,000,000 to €2,500,000. Just over half of the around 70 cars in the sale are Ferraris including 28 road cars from The Petitjean Collection ‘Part II’ offered without reserve.

RM Sotheby’s Paris 2022 Classic Car Auction

RM Sotheby’s Paris 2022 classic car auction: 2 February 2022 at Place Vauban as part of the Paris Rétromobile Week 2022. In 2021, RM Sotheby’s sold two cars for over a million dollar in the online auction that replaced the regular Paris February sales.

In 2020, RM Sotheby’s earned €16.5 million at its Paris sale with a sell-through rate of 75%. In 2019, RM Sotheby’s earned more than €32.4 million with a sell-through rate of 79%. In 2018, RM Sotheby’s earned €23,745,335 with a fairly strong 83% sell-through rate. In 2017, RM Sotheby’s achieved a gross sale total of €27,576,400 ($29,451,595) with a sell-through rate of 78%. In 2016, RM Sotheby’s grossed €19 million with a sell-through rate of 79%.

Top Cars on Offer at RM Sotheby’s Paris 2022 Auction

The top ten cars with estimates of at least a million-dollar on offer in the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2022 classic car auction are:

YearCarEstimate (€)
11996Ferrari F502,800,000 – 3,200,000
21985Ferrari 288 GTO2,400,000 – 2,600,000
32003Ferrari 550 GTC2,000,000 – 2,500,000
41966Ferrari 275 GTB/41,700,000 – 2,000,000
51963Aston Martin DB4 Convertible1,250,000 – 1,500,000
61994Bugatti EB110 GT1,000,000 – 1,200,000
71964Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso900,000 – 1,100,000
81959Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet850,000 – 1,100,000
91954Fiat 8V Coupe825,000 – 925,000
101958Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster800,000 – 1,000,000

Top Ferraris at RM Sotheby’s Paris Sale 2022

Petitjean Ferraris Collection on sale in the RM Sotheby's Paris 2022 classic car auction
Alex Penfold ©2021 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Ferraris played a surprisingly low-key role at classic car auctions in the previous two years. Few outstanding Ferraris were on offer and rarely were several million-dollar Ferraris seen in the same sale. However, in the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2022 sale, more than half of the cars on offer are Ferraris, including the four most expensive cars in the auction. The 28 road-going Ferraris from The Petitjean Collection ‘Part II’ are sold without reserve.

The most expensive car on offer in the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2022 sale is a 1996 Ferrari F50, estimate €2,800,000 to €3,200,000. It was the 140th of 349 F50s built and has 12,722 km on the clock. It has no other special features or history. The yellow 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari on offer at Bonhams two days earlier has an estimate of only €2,000,000 – 2,500,000 as proof that the wrong provenance could certainly hurt the sale price of collector cars. 

1985 Ferrari 288 GTO on sale in the RM Sotheby's Paris 2022 classic car auction
Alex Penfold ©2021 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The top car from The Petitjean Collection is a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO (estimate €2,400,000 – €2,600,000), one of only 272 produced. It was originally owned by German racing driver Bepp Mayer, who specified a considerable number of options, including air conditioning, power windows, and radio, to complement the classic Rosso Corsa paintwork and Nero leather interior. The only other owner was Mr Petitjean. The 288 GTO has done only 9,559 km from new.

2003 Ferrari 550 GTC on sale in the RM Sotheby's Paris 2022 auction
Remi Dargegen ©2021 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The track-only 2003 Ferrari 550 GTC, chassis 2102, (Estimate: €2,000,000 – €2,500,000) was owned by the Ferrari factory from 2003 to 2005 and supplied by them for evaluation and development into GT1 racing specification by famed Italian independent race team, N-Technology. Boasting a mighty 6.0 litre V12 engine producing just under 600bhp, JMB Racing was entrusted to run the car in selected rounds of the FIA GT championship in 2003. The car’s competition highlight was the 2003 Spa 24 Hours which it led overall for the first 6 hours, leading the Prodrive 550s before retiring from the race. The car was sold in 2005 via AF Corse to Napoli-based Gentleman driver Pierro Nappi and went on to be a dominant contender in the Italian Hillclimb Championship.

1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 on sale in the RM Sotheby's Paris 2022 classic car auction
Alex Penfold ©2021 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (estimate €1,700,000 – €2,000,000), chassis no. 09021, was first-ever production ‘four cam’ 275 GTB/4 of only 330 examples built. It was displayed at the 1966 Paris Salon de l’Automobile and later used as the demonstrator prior to sale to renowned Parisian fashion designer Charles Jourdan. Monsieur Petitjean became its second owner in 1969 and kept the car for the past 52 years. Ferrari 275 GTBs generally sell well at auction and cars with such provenance particularly so.

Silver 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta on sale in the RM Sotheby's Paris 2022 classic car auction
Alex Penfold ©2021 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta or “Lusso”, (estimate €900,000 – €1,100,000) is on of 350 examples built of arguably one of the most successful and visually appealing grand tourer cars ever manufactured. It has been on static display since joining the Petitjean Collection in 1986.

Red 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet  on sale in the RM Sotheby's Paris 2022 classic car auction
Alex Penfold ©2021 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet (estimate €850,000 – €1,100,000) is one of only 201 examples made. It retains its matching-numbers engine and rear axle and has been part of the Petitjean Collection for 26 years.

Other Million-Dollar Cars at RM Sotheby’s Paris Auction 2022

1954 Fiat 8V Coupe on offer at the RM Sotheby's Paris 2022 Auction
Tom Gidden ©2021 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The other four non-Ferrari million-dollar cars on offer in the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2022 sale are a mixed bunch:

The 1963 Aston Marin DB4 Convertible is one of only 70 DB4 Convertibles built and one of 12 originally sold in the USA. Little is known of the car’s history and it is currently physically in Dubai, which may hinder or help depending on the location of potential buyers.

The 1994 Bugatti EB 110 GT, in desirable silver with dual-tone blue/light grey interior, has been owned by a single owner since new and has 25,000 km on the clock. As often happens with rare cars — only 95 were built — at auction, Bonhams has a blue one on offer two days earlier with half the mileage but triple the number of owners.

The 1954 Fiat 8V Coupe is a good-looking car from any angle. It is one of only 144 Fiat 8Vs built and one of the 29 second-series cars produced in-house by Fiat.

The most anticipated result being awaited is probably for the 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster. Originally delivered to Switzerland and one of 267 produced in 1958 but little else is known about its history until a restoration in 1995. However, six Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs sold for well over a million dollars at US auctions in January 2022 (2 at Kissimme and 6 at Scottsdale, including a new $6,825,000 model record for a Gullwing Alloy at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2022). A strong result in Paris is likely to encourage endless owners to test the market again.

Paris Rétromobile Week Auctions 2022

Classic Car Auctions

The traditional Paris Rétromobile Week was postponed from early February to 16 – 20 March 2022. The Artcurial auction was postponed too but currently, Bonhams and RM Sotheby’s are maintaining the early February dates.

  • Bonhams: Les Grandes Marques à Paris Sale on 3 February 2022.
  • Artcurial: Rétromobile Sale on 18 – 20 March 2022.
  • RM Sotheby’s: Paris Auction 2 February 2022.

Paris Auctions 2022 Results

Paris Auctions 2022 Previews

Paris Auctions 2022 Announcements

Previous Paris Rétromobile Week Auction Results