Top Classic Car Auctions

$1 million plus cars

  • Home
  • Record Prices
    • The Most-Expensive Cars of All Time
    • $10 Million Plus
    • Record for Year & Marques
    • Records
  • USA
    • US Auctions
    • Amelia Island, Florida
      • Amelia Island (Florida) Auctions and Concours d’Elegance
      • Amelia Island Results
    • Monterey Week
      • Monterey Classic Car Week
      • Monterey Week Auctions
      • Monterey (RM Sotheby's, Mecum)
      • Pebble Beach (Gooding)
      • Quail Lodge (Bonhams)
    • Scottsdale / Arizona
      • Scottsdale (Arizona) – The First Classic Car Auctions of the Year
      • Results
    • Others
  • Europe
    • European Auctions
    • Goodwood
      • Events
      • Results
    • London
    • Monaco
    • Paris
      • Paris Rétromobile – First European Classic Car Auctions of the Year
      • Results
    • Villa Erba / Este
    • Others
  • News
    • Previews
    • Press Releases
  • Top 10
  • Search 🔎

1935 Duesenberg SSJ – Most-Expensive American and Prewar Car Ever

27 August 2018 in $10 Million Plus, Monterey Week Auctions, Pebble Beach, Records, USA

Gary Cooper’s 1935 Duesenberg SSJ sold for a record $22,000,000 as the most-expensive American car and most-valuable prewar car ever sold at public auction.

1935 Duesenberg SSJ - the Most-Expensive American and Prewar Car Ever sold at public auction
1935 Duesenberg SSJ – the Most-Expensive American Car Ever © Gooding

The 1935 Duesenberg SSJ that originally belonged to Gary Cooper (and later to Briggs Cunningham and Miles Collier) sold for a world-record $22 million at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2018 classic car auction. This result more than doubled the Duesenberg marque record with the Duesenberg SSJ now the most-expensive American car ever sold at public auction. It is also the highest price ever paid for a prewar car in an open sale. The SSJ is one of only 11 cars to ever sell for more than $20 million.

1935 Duesenberg SSJ – Most-Expensive American and Prewar Car Ever Sold

1935 Duesenberg SSJ - the Most-Expensive American and Prewar Car Ever sold at public auction
1935 Duesenberg SSJ © Gooding

The 1935 Duesenberg SSJ, chassis J-563, sold for a marque-record $22 million at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2018 classic car sale during Monterey Week to become the most-expensive American and most-expensive pre-war car ever sold at public auction. It became only the fourth American car to sell for more than $10 million at auction and the first to achieve over $20 million.

This is of course a very special car: Only two Duesenberg SSj models were ever built on a specially shortened 125-inch chassis. The SSJs were fitted with a 400-hp supercharged twin-cam inline 8-cylinder engine – 80 hp more than the standard SJ. The SSJ Speedsters sported a lightweight open-roadster bob-tail body by LaGrande.

As a publicity stunt, chassis J-563 was delivered to Gary Cooper and chassis J-567 was presented to Clark Gable for use for half a year. Remarkably, no photos of either actor with an SSJ survived.

Brigg Cunningham’s Duesenberg SSJ

The SSJ went through several owners before it was acquired by Briggs Cunningham in 1949. Although he kept it mostly in the Cunningham Automotive Museum in Costa Mesa, California, Cunningham reportedly once achieved 126.6 mph in the Duesenberg at the Muroc Dry Lake.

The SSJ, together with Cunningham’s entire museum collection, was sold to Miles Collier in 1986. He displayed the car at the Revs Institute in Naples, Florida, but also participated in Duesenberg Tours and exhibited the car at various concours events.

The Duesenberg SSJ retained its original engine, chassis, and coachwork and has only 20,000 miles on the clock.

1935 Duesenberg SSJ Auction Records – American, Prewar, Duesenberg, Gooding

1962 Shelby 260 Cobra “CSX2000”
Darin Schnabel © Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1935 Duesenberg SSJ sold for $22,000,000 at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2018 sale during Monterey Week in California, USA. This price set several world records including:

Most-Expensive American Car Ever – the previous record was $13,750,000 paid for the 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra CSX2000 at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2016 sale.

1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider by Touring
1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider by Touring – Darin Schnabel ©2016 Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

Most-Expensive Pre-War Car Ever – the previous record for a pre-Second World War car was $19,800,000 paid for a 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider Touring at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2016.

Most-Expensive Duesenberg Ever – the previous Duesenberg marque record was $10,340,000 paid for a 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2011 sale – only the third car ever to have cost more than $10 million.

1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione Sold
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione SOLD! © Gooding

Most-Expensive Car Ever Sold by Gooding (and at Pebble Beach) – the auction house’s previous record price for a single lot was $18,150,000 paid for a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione at Gooding Pebble Beach 2016.

See Also:

  • The Most-Expensive Cars of All Time – $10 Million Plus for a full listing of cars selling for more than $10 million at public auctions.
  • Cars Sold for Over $20 Million – The Most-Expensive Cars Ever
  • share 
  • save 
  • tweet 
  • share 

Filed Under: $10 Million Plus, Monterey Week Auctions, Pebble Beach, Records, USA Tagged With: $10 Million Plus, $20 Million Plus, 2018, Duesenberg, Gooding, Pebble Beach

Cars Sold for $10 Million Plus

Most Expensive car ever sold at auction 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

2022 (June): Ten Most Expensive Cars Sold at Public Auction

June 2022: The most expensive cars sold at public auction thus far in 2022 are a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, a 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe, … [Read More...]

Most Expensive car ever sold at auction 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

The Most Expensive Cars of All Time – $10 Million Plus at Public Auction

Only 56 cars have ever sold for more than $10 million at public auction with the world record for the most expensive car ever $143 million paid for a 1955 … [Read More...]

Most Expensive car ever sold at auction 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Most Expensive Car Ever: 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

The most expensive car ever is a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold for $143 million by RM Sotheby's at a special auction at the Mercedes-Benz … [Read More...]

Side profile of the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Cars Sold for Over $20 Million – The Most-Expensive Cars Ever

Only 14 cars have ever sold for more than $20 million at public auction: seven Ferraris, two Aston Martins, two Mercedes Benz cars, a Duesenberg SSJ, a Le … [Read More...]

Black 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster

Cars Sold for $10 to $12 Million at Public Auction

Several marques including Mercedes Benz, Bugatti, Alfa Romero, Duesenberg, Ferrari, Ford, and Porsche had cars sold at public auction for between $10 and … [Read More...]

1995 McLaren F1 -- Most expensive McLaren ever sold in a public auction

1995 McLaren F1 – The Most Expensive McLaren Ever Sold at Public Auction

A 1995 McLaren F1 sold for $20,465,000 at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2021 sale as the most expensive McLaren car ever sold in a public auction. A … [Read More...]

1962 Shelby 260 Cobra “CSX2000”

Cars Sold for $12 to $15 Million at Public Auction

Aston Martin, Bugatti, McLaren, Porsche, Shelby, and Jaguar mix with Ferraris as marques that have sold classic or collectors cars for between $12 and $15 … [Read More...]

1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider by Touring

Cars Sold for $15 – $20 Million at Public Auction

Two 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900s, ten Ferraris and two McLarens are the only cars ever to have sold for between $15 and $20 million at public auctions. A … [Read More...]

1956 Ferrari 290 MM

1956 Ferrari 290 MM Sold for $22 Million

A 1956 Ferrari 290 MM raced by Scuderia Ferrari sold for $22 million at the RM Sotheby's Petersen Automotive Museum 2018 sale in Los Angeles. A 1956 … [Read More...]

1935 Duesenberg SSJ – Most-Expensive American and Prewar Car Ever

Gary Cooper’s 1935 Duesenberg SSJ sold for a record $22,000,000 as the most-expensive American car and most-valuable prewar car ever sold at public … [Read More...]

« Most-Expensive Car Ever: 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
2018 RM Sotheby’s Monterey Sale (Auction Results) »
Home » Records » 1935 Duesenberg SSJ – Most-Expensive American and Prewar Car Ever

Recent Posts

  • 2022 Bonhams Goodwood Revival Sale (Jolly Green Giant McLaren Announced)
  • 2022 (June): Ten Most Expensive Cars Sold at Public Auction
  • 2022 RM Sotheby’s Monterey Sale (Masterworks of Design Collection Announced)
  • 2022 RM Sotheby’s Monterey Sale (Ferrari 410 Sport Spider Announced)
  • 2022 Gooding London Sale (Silver Ghost, Giulia TZ, Bugatti Ventoux Announced)

Classic Car Auctions

  • Home
  • Record Prices
    • The Most-Expensive Cars of All Time
    • $10 Million Plus
    • Record for Year & Marques
    • Records
  • USA
    • US Auctions
    • Amelia Island, Florida
      • Amelia Island (Florida) Auctions and Concours d’Elegance
      • Amelia Island Results
    • Monterey Week
      • Monterey Classic Car Week
      • Monterey Week Auctions
      • Monterey (RM Sotheby’s, Mecum)
      • Pebble Beach (Gooding)
      • Quail Lodge (Bonhams)
    • Scottsdale / Arizona
      • Scottsdale (Arizona) – The First Classic Car Auctions of the Year
      • Results
    • Others
  • Europe
    • European Auctions
    • Goodwood
      • Events
      • Results
    • London
    • Monaco
    • Paris
      • Paris Rétromobile – First European Classic Car Auctions of the Year
      • Results
    • Villa Erba / Este
    • Others
  • News
    • Previews
    • Press Releases
  • Top 10
  • Search 🔎

Classic Cars on Amazon

Book Monterey Tours and Adventures

Although great care is taken in writing this website, no responsibility is taken for errors or inaccuracies. This website should be considered for entertainment purposes only. Copyright on all photos are with the relevant auction houses - contact them directly for reuse.
Copyright © 2022 - 2010 · Impressum · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Data Protection · Cookie Policy