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2021 (Jan – February): Ten Most-Expensive Cars Sold at Public Auction

20 February 2021 by Henk Bekker in FP, Records

2021 (February): The most-expensive cars sold at public auction in 2021 are a 1972 Matra MS670, a 1955 Jaguar D-Type, and a 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra Roadster.

Matra MS 670 châssis 001, winner of the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours on offer at Artcurial Paris 2021 Auction
Matra MS 670 châssis 001, winner of the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours © Philippe Louzon

The list of the ten most-expensive cars sold at public auction thus far in 2021 is led by a Le-Mans-winning 1972 Matra MS670 and a bright red 1955 Jaguar D-Type. The third-most-expensive car sold thus far in 2021 was the 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra Roadster that belonged to Carroll Shelby. The fourth and fifth highest auction results thus far in 2021 were for 1937 Bugatti Type 57 cars with coachwork by Corsa. A 2020 McLaren Speedtail is the newest car on the top-ten list.

Top-Ten Lists for: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 & all time.

List of the Top Ten Most-Expensive Cars Sold at Auction in 2021

The 10 highest results achieved for cars sold at public auction thus far in 2021 were:

YearCarPrice ($)Auction HouseAuction
11972Matra MS 6706,921,446ArtcurialParis
21955Jaguar D-Type6,000,000RM Sotheby’sArizona
31965Shelby 427 Cobra Roadster5,940,000MecumKissimmee
41937Bugatti Type 57 S by Corsica5,678,842BonhamsLondon
51937Bugatti Type 57 SC Tourer by Corsica4,735,000RM Sotheby’sArizona
61961Aston Martin DB4 GT3,777,280GoodingLondon
72020McLaren Speedtail3,277,500RM Sotheby’sArizona
81971Lamborghini Miura P400 SV2,918,800RM Sotheby’sParis
91960Aston Martin DB4 GT2,771,365BonhamsLondon
101967Ferrari 275 GTB/42,568,550GoodingLondon

Note: Include the auction premium. May include post-hammer deals and charity lots.

Most-Expensive Cars of 2021 Sold at Public Auction

from above 1955 Jaguar D-Type on Offer at RM Sotheby's Scottsdale sale 2021
Patrick Ernzen © 2020 RM Sotheby’s

The most-expensive cars sold at public auction in 2021, achieving at least $3 million, were:

1972 Matra MS670

Matra MS 670 châssis 001, winner of the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours on offer at Artcurial Paris 2021 Auction
Matra MS 670 châssis 001, winner of the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours © Philippe Louzon
The Matra MS 670 chassis 001 Le Mans 1972
The Matra MS 670 chassis 001 at Le Mans 1972 © Matra Automobile / Courtesy of Artcurial

The 1972 Matra MS 670, winner of the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hour Race, sold for a marque record €5,756,525 as the top result at the Artcurial Parisienne 2021 classic car auction in February 2021.

The Matra MS 670, chassis 001, was driven to victory in the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours race by Henri Pescarolo and Graham Hill ahead of a second Matra. Matra, and Pescarolo, would win the race in 1973 and 1974 too.

The car was kept in the Matra Museum but following an “unfavorable ruling” in a court case, 18 years after the company has closed, was offered for sale. It was presented in the configuration used in the 1973 race.

1955 Jaguar D-Type

Red 1955 Jaguar D-Type on Offer at RM Sotheby's Scottsdale sale 2021
Patrick Ernzen © 2020 RM Sotheby’s
Side profile red 1955 Jaguar D-Type on Offer at RM Sotheby's Scottsdale sale 2021
Patrick Ernzen © 2020 RM Sotheby’s

The top result at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona classic car auction in 2021, and the most-expensive car sold during the Scottsdale 2021 auction series, was $6,000,000 paid for the 1955 Jaguar D-Type, XKD 518.

It is one of only two (possibly three) D-Types delivered in a dramatic red livery. The first private owner was British racing driver Peter Blond, who purchased the car from motorsport icon Bernie Ecclestone. Blond raced XKD 518 until 1957, with highlights including a 5th Overall at the Aintree 100, a top 10 finish in the Goodwood Trophy, and a win at the Snetterton National Race. After Blond sold the Jaguar in 1957, XKD 518 had several prominent owners including famed racer Ms. Jean Bloxham and Led Zeppelin band manager Peter Grant.

1965 Shelby 427 Cobra Roadster

1965 SHELBY 427 COBRA ROADSTER CSX3178, Carroll Shelby's Personal 427 Cobra
© Mecum

A 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra Roadster sold for a remarkable $5,940,000, as the top result at the Mecum Kissimmee 2021 collector car auction. The 427 Cobra was Carroll Shelby’s own Cobra Roadster and remained in his possession from new until sold by his estate in 2016. It has since been restored to its original, factory-specification condition.

The Shelby is one of only five 427 Cobras originally finished in charcoal gray but that is really of no significance — it is the long Carroll Shelby ownership record that drove the price. A regular Cobra 427 Roadster in the same sale fetched $1,375,000.

1937 Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica

1937 Bugatti Type 57S with Grand Routier coachwork by Corsa at the London Bonhams 2021 Sale
1937 Bugatti Type 57S © Bonhams

A 1937 Bugatti Type 57S, which had been off the road and out of sight for the past 50 years, sold for £4,047,000 ($5,678,842), as the top result at the Bonhams Legend of the Road Sale 2021 in London. This 57S was built on a special lightweight chassis previously used on one of three Bugatti works 1936 Type 57G streamliner ‘tank’ sports cars which contested Grand Prix in 1936 and set high-speed records.

The Bugatti was presented in an exceptionally original condition with largely intact paintwork and original coachwork. However, it was an unfinished restoration project and although assembled, considerable work will be required to bring the Bugatti back to the road. It still achieved a remarkable million dollars more than the four-seater Tourer sold in Arizona in January.

1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer by Corsica

1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer by Corsica three quarter
Patrick Ernzen © 2020 RM Sotheby’s

The second highest result at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2021 sale was $4,735,000 for a 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer by Corsica. The rare car is one of just over 40 Type 57S chassis produced, of which only 16 were fitted with open coachwork. Corsa fitted coachwork to only eight of which only two were the four-seater tourer bodies.

Adding the available “C” specification Roots-type supercharger early in the car’s life further raised the power output to 200 hp, enabling a top speed of 120-mph and making the 57SC the fastest French production car of the period.

The five most-expensive cars sold at public auction in 2020 were all Bugattis and it appears the classic brand may perform well in 2021 too.

1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT

Aston Martins on offer at Gooding Geared Online European Sporting & Historic Collection, London, Feb 2021
Mathieu Heurtault © Courtesy of Gooding & Company

A 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT sold for $3,777,280 as the top result at the Gooding Geared Online European Sporting & Historic Collection classic car auction based in London, UK. It is one of only 75 DB4 GTs originally built, of which only 30 were specified in left-hand drive.

The DB4 GT at Gooding retained its matching-numbers engine per factory records and benefited from a no-expense-spared restoration by marque specialist RS Williams Ltd. in 2020. The quality of the restoration probably explained most of the price difference to the $1,632,860 paid for a DB4 GT only a few hours earlier at the Artcurial Parisienne sale in Paris, however, an uncompleted restoration-project 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT sold for $2,771,365 at Bonhams in London only two weeks later.

2020 McLaren Speedtail

2020 McLaren Speedtail on offer in the RM Sotheby's Arizona Scottsdale 2021 auction
Ted Seven aka Ted7© 2020 RM Sotheby’s

The 2020 McLaren Speedtail achieved $3,277,500 at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale, as the most-expensive modern hypercar sold thus far in 2021 at auction. This Speedtail was the 36th of only 106 produced. It is fitted with over $170,000 in options, of which almost a third was spent on the bespoke shade of MSO Heritage Atlantic Blue, further enriched by a set of Bespoke Exterior Painted Pinstripes which are color-matched to the lightweight alloy wheels.

The Mclaren Speedtail is the fastest McLaren road car ever built with a top speed of 250 mph. It was only sold to preselect customers and this will be the first example offered in a public sale. It has only 30 miles on the clock.

Million-Dollar-Plus Cars Sold at Public Auctions in 2021

Thus far in 2021, at least* 30 cars were sold at public auctions for over a million dollars. (*Definitions vary, results include auction premium, charity lots, and post-hammer deals announced in first published results.)

  • January – 17: 7 at Kissimmee (Mecum), 10 at Scottsdale / Arizona (Bonhams 1, Gooding 1, RM Sotheby’s 8)
  • February — 12: 6 at Paris (Artcurial 4, RM Sotheby’s 2), 6 at London (Gooding 4, Bonhams 2)

In the battle of the auction houses:

  • 10 – RM Sotheby’s
  • 7 – Mecum
  • 5 – Gooding & Co
  • 3 – Bonhams
  • 4 – Artcurial
  • 0 – Barrett-Jackson
  • 0 – Silverstone
  • 0 – Worldwide Auctioneers
  • 0 – Russo and Steele

The list takes the published results of the following auctions into consideration:

  • January 2021: Kissimmee (Mecum), Scottsdale Arizona (Bonhams, Gooding, RM Sotheby’s, Russo and Steele, Worldwide)
  • February: Paris (Artcurial, RM Sotheby’s), London (Gooding, Bonhams)

The next major classic car auctions include:

  • February: Online-Only: RM Sotheby’s Open Roads
  • March: Paris (Bonhams), Glendale (Mecum), Scottsdale (Barrett-Jackson), Amelia Island — postponed to May (Bonhams, Gooding, RM Sotheby’s)
  • April: Houston (Mecum), Denver (Mecum), Palm Beach (Barrett-Jackson)
  • May: Amelia Island — postponed from March (Bonhams, Gooding, RM Sotheby’s), Indianapolis (Mecum), Goodwood Members (Bonhams)
  • June: Tulsa (Mecum)
  • July: Goodwood Festival of Speed (Bonhams), Harrisburg (Mecum)
  • August: Monterey (Bonhams, Gooding, Mecum, RM Sotheby’s)
  • September: Dallas (Mecum)
  • October: Las Vegas (Mecum), Chicago (Mecum)
  • December: Kansas City (Mecum)

Most-Expensive Cars of the Year

  • Top-Ten Lists for 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 & all time.
  • $10 Million Plus – The Most-Expensive Cars of All Time

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Filed Under: FP, Records Tagged With: 2021, Top Ten

« 2021 Bonhams London Legends of the Road Sale (Auction Results)
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