2023 (Full Year): The most expensive cars sold at auction in 2023 were a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO / 330 LM, a 1967 Ferrari 412P, and a 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronis F1 racing car.
The list of the ten most expensive cars sold at public auction in 2023 was mostly classic Ferraris from the 1950s and 1960s but also includes the brand-new, unique 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée and a 1957 Jaguar XKSS. The ten most expensive cars in 2023 included six Ferraris.
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List of the Top Ten Most Expensive Cars Sold at Auction in 2023
The 10 highest results achieved for the most expensive cars sold at public auction in 2023:
| Year | Car | Price ($) | Auction House | Auction | |
| 1 | 1962 | Ferrari 250 GTO / 330 LM | 51,705,00 | RM Sotheby’s | New York |
| 2 | 1967 | Ferrari 412P | 30,255,000 | Bonhams | Quail Lodge |
| 3 | 2013 | Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 | 18,815,000 | RM Sotheby’s | Las Vegas |
| 4 | 1962 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider | 18,045,000 | Gooding | Amelia Island |
| 5 | 1964 | Ferrari 250 LM | 17,164,664 | Artcurial | Paris |
| 6 | 1957 | Jaguar XKSS | 13,205,000 | RM Sotheby’s | Monterey |
| 7 | 1972 | Ferrari 312 PB | 13,033,720 | RM Sotheby’s | Villa Erba |
| 8 | 2002 | Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster | 10,235,000 | RM Sotheby’s | Las Vegas |
| 9* | 2022 | Bugatti Chiron Profilée | 10,677,742 | RM Sotheby’s | Paris |
| 10 | 1962 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta | 9,465,000 | Gooding | Pebble Beach |
| 11 | 1961 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta | 7,128,360 | RM Sotheby’s | Villa Erba |
Note: Prices include the auction premium. May include post-hammer deals and charity lots if the price was disclosed publicly. *New car.
Most Expensive Cars of 2023 Sold at Public Auction
The most expensive cars sold at public auction in 2023 were:
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO / 330 LM
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO / 330 LM sold for $51,705,000 at the special RM Sotheby’s sale in New York on 13 November 2023 to take the marque record as the most expensive Ferrari ever, the most expensive Italian car ever sold, and the highest price paid for any car at auction in 2023. It achieved the second-highest price ever paid for a car at a public auction. It was only the third 250 GTO sold at auction in the past decade.
The 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO, Chassis 3765, was the only Series 1 GTO originally fitted with a 4.0-liter engine and raced by the official Scuderia Ferrari works team. It attained a class win and second overall in its debut race, the 1962 Nürnberg 1,000 KM. It qualified fourth for Le Mans but retired due to overheating.
1967 Ferrari 412P by Fantuzzi
The 1967 Ferrari 412P, Chassis 0854, sold for $30,255,000 at the Bonhams The Quail Auction as the most expensive car result at any of the 2023 Monterey / Pebble Beach car auction. In dollar nominal terms, the 1967 Ferrari 412P was the fifth most expensive car ever sold in a public auction. It is only the fifth car ever to achieve above $30 million in an auction and is the fourth most expensive Ferrari ever.
The 1967 Ferrari 412P, Chassis 0854, was delivered new to Colonel Ronnie Hoare’s British Ferrari agency, Maranello Concessionaires Ltd, and liveried in Italian racing red with a Cambridge blue nose flash. It was driven in period by among other Richard Attwood, Piers Courage, Lucien Bianchi, Jo Siffert, and prominent privateer David Piper. Upon its racing debut, the Belgian Spa 1000 Kilometers, the 412P finished 3rd overall.
0854 contested in the 1967 Le Mans 24-Hours, and the Brands Hatch 6-Hour race in the UK, before changing hands to David Piper who completed that year in it at the Paris 1000 Kilometers, Kyalami (South Africa) 9-Hours, and the Cape Town 3-Hours. Piper campaigned the car around Europe and South Africa over 1968-1969, winning at the 1968 Nuremberg 200 Kilometers at the Norisring, the Solituderennen at Hockenheim, and the Swedish Grand Prix.
The 1967 Ferrari 412P, chassis 0854 is believed to be the sole car of this prototype Ferrari era that retains its original chassis, engine, gearbox, and bodywork.
2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas — Most Expensive Modern-Era Formula 1 Racing Car
The 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04-04, driven by Lewis Hamilton, sold for a new record $18,815,000 as the top result in the RM Sotheby’s Las Vegas 2023 collector car auction. It became the most expensive Formula 1 racing car from the modern era and second only to the 1954 Mercedes Benz W196R ($29,650,000) and ahead of the 2003 Ferrari F2003-GA F1 ($14,880,000).
Although Hamilton won only one race (Hungary GP 2013) in this Mercedes, this is the only Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 car ever sold outside the company sphere and the first to be offered for sale in a public auction. Only one other Hamilton-winning F1 car was ever sold at auction — a 2010 McLaren ($6.5 million).
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider
The most expensive car sold in the Gooding Amelia Island 2023 was a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider that achieved $18,045,000 — the second-highest result for a California Spider ever but still setting a new Amelia Island auction week record.
This short-wheel-based California Spider is one of only 37 finished with covered headlights and the only one delivered in a color scheme of an aquamarine-hued Azzurro Metallizzato (MM 16240) exterior with Naturale Connolly Vaumol leather upholstery.
1964 Ferrari 250 LM
The 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, chassis 5901, was sold in a special Artcurial auction in Paris in July 2023 for €15,771,200 ($17,164,664). The car was the 10th of 32 examples to leave the Maranello factory and considered one of only two not to have been severely damaged in racing.
Although a similar model Ferrari won the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours race, this LM had a limited racing history. Chassis 5901 was entered by NART as a reserve car in the Daytona 24 Hours in 1966 but not having suffered the rigors of active competition, it retained all its original elements (chassis, engine, gearbox, body).
The same car was offered at the Artcurial Paris Rétromobile auction in February 2023 and failed to sell at a reported highest bid of near €20 million. The $17 million result was close to previous LM prices but showed no increase since 2015.
1957 Jaguar XKSS
The 1957 Jaguar XKSS, chassis 707, sold for a model record $13,205,000 as the top result at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey classic car auction after the 1964 Ferrari 250 LM failed to sell despite a highest bid of $17 million. This is the first Jaguar XKSS to achieve over $10 million and only the third Jaguar in this exclusive group.
The 1957 Jaguar XKSS was one of the 16 cars Jaguar produced for street use on surplus D-Type chassis — for this car originally XKD 564. With an odometer reading of 25,535 miles, this remarkable 1957 Jaguar XKSS retains its originality and showcases its authenticity. The car displays its original serial number plate, chassis number stamping, gearbox, engine block, head, and rear axle.
1972 Ferarri 312 PB
A 1972 Ferrari 312 PB, chassis 0886, sold for €12,042,500 ($13,033,720) as the most-expensive car at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2023 Sale in Italy. This Scuderia Ferrari Works car was campaigned by the factory to the landslide win in the 1972 World Sportscar Championship of Makes — the last time Ferrari sports prototypes competed and won the championship.
The 1972 Ferrari 312 PB, chassis 0886, won its debut race — 1972 Buenos Aires 1,000 KM — as well as the 1972 Nürburgring 1,000 KM race. In the same year, it achieved second place at the 1972 12 Hours of Sebring and third at the 1972 Monzo 1,000 KM race.
2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster
The 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster sold for $10,235,000 as the second most expensive car in the RM Sotheby’s Las Vegas 2023 collector car auction. It set an astonishing new model record — the only other CLK GTR Roadster ever sold at auction achieved only $2.3 million at Bonhams Goodwood 2015.
This 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster was the third of only six produced by Mercedes as an open-top variant of the homologation special built to allow participation in the 1990s FIA GT Championship. Its 6.9-liter V12 engine produces 604 horsepower, which allows this roadster to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds and reach over 200 mph.
2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée
The unique 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée sold for €9,792,5000 (US $10,677,74) as the most expensive car in the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2023 classic car auction. This was the highest price ever paid in a public auction for a new car and also set the new Chiron model record. It is the second-most-expensive Bugatti ever in nominal terms and only the fifth Buggati ever to achieve over $10 million at a public auction.
The 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée was developed as a less radical interpretation of the Chiron Pur Sport but as production slots for all 500 Bugatti Chirons were already filled, only this one example was ever produced. The Profilée, with a top speed of 380 km/h, integrated aspects of the Pur Sport character, while maintaining the elegance of models like Chiron or Chiron Sport. The Profilée is the last Bugatti to be sold with the iconic W-16 quad-turbo engine and has a European single-type approval.
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta sold for $9,465,000 at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2023 classic car auction.
This Ferrari, chassis 3507 GT, was one of only 165 SWB Berlinettas of all types built. Delivered new to Italian industrialist Giovanni Renato Scalabrin, 3507 GT was finished in the color scheme of Grigio Metallizzatto (Metallic Gray) with beige leather upholstery.
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta GT had only four previous owners. Unlike most 250-series Ferraris, this example has never been restored; instead, it has been regularly exercised and maintained in good working order. This SWB retains its original beige leather upholstery, complemented by the car’s mottled gray paintwork, and its original details throughout – original glass, period Irvin seat belts, and proper Borrani RW3690 wire wheels. The SWB Berlinetta has only covered approximately 53,000 km (33,000 miles) from new.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta by Scaglietti sold for €6,586,250 ($7,128,360) as the second-highest result at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2023 classic car auction in Italy.
This 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta was the 62nd of 165 built and was the last SWB built in the 1960 body style. First delivered new to US West Coast Ferrari dealer MCM Modern Classic Motors of Reno, the car later featured in the 1968 film The Love Bug. The SWB was Ferrari Classiche certified in October 2008 and retained its matching-numbers chassis and engine according to factory records.
Million-Dollar-Plus Cars Sold at Public Auctions in 2023
In 2023, at least* 283 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 35 — 13 at Kissimmee (13 – Mecum), 22 at Scottsdale / Arizona (12 – RM Sotheby’s, 6 – Bonhams, 4 – Barrett-Jackson)
- February 28 — 28 at Paris (14 – RM Sotheby’s, 8 – Artcurial, 6 – Bonhams)
- March 45 — 44 at Amelia Island (20 RM Sotheby’s, 15 — Gooding, 8 – Broad Arrow, 1 – Bonhams), 1 at Glendale (Mecum).
- April 3 — 1 at Virginia (1 – Gooding), 2 at Palm Beach (2 – Barrett-Jackson)
- May 20 — 17 at Villa Erba (17 – RM Sotheby’s), 3 at Indianapolis (3 – Mecum)
- June 10 — 9 at Le Mans (7 – RM Sotheby’s, 2 – Artcurial), 1 at Bonmont-Geneva (Bonhams)
- July 2 — 1 at Goodwood Festival of Speed (Bonhams), 1 at Paris (Artcurial)
- August 95: 95 at Monterey Week (7 – Bonhams at Quail Lodge, 13 – Broad Arrow, 24 – Gooding at Pebble Beach, 6 – Mecum, 45 – RM Sotheby’s).
- September 5: 4 at London (4 – Gooding), 1 at Audrain (Bonhams)
- October 5: 5 at The Zoute (Bonhams)
- November 22: 4 at London (4 – RM Sotheby’s), 1 at New York (RM Sotheby’s), 11 at Las Vegas (11 – RM Sotheby’s), 3 at F1 Abu Dhabi (Bonhams), 3 at Munich (RM Sotheby’s).
- December 13: 7 at Texas-Porsches (RM Sotheby’s), 6 at New York (RM Sotheby’s).
In the battle of the auction houses:
- 148 – RM Sotheby’s
- 44 – Gooding & Co
- 23 – Mecum
- 31 – Bonhams
- 11 – Artcurial
- 21 — Broad Arrow
- 6 – Barrett-Jackson
Most Expensive Cars Auction Series in 2023
The list takes the published results of the following 2023 auctions into consideration:
- January: Kissimmee (Mecum), Scottsdale / Arizona (Barrett-Jackson, Bonhams, RM Sotheby’s)
- February: Paris (RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams, Artcurial)
- March: Amelia Island (Bonhams, Broad Arrows, Gooding, RM Sotheby’s), Glendale (Mecum)
- April: Mark Smith Estate in Lynchburg, Virginia (Gooding), Goodwood Members (Bonhams), Houston (Mecum), Palm Beach (Barrett-Jackson)
- May: Villa Erba (RM Sotheby’s), Indianapolis (Mecum).
- June: Greenwich (Bonhams), Le Mans (RM Sotheby’s and Artcurial), Bonmont-Geneva (Bonhams)
- July: Goodwood Festival of Speed (Bonhams), Kissimmee (Mecum), Carrera Collection (RM Sotheby’s), Harrisburg (Mecum).
- August: Monterey Week (Bonhams at Quail Lodge, Broad Arrow, Gooding at Pebble Beach, Mecum, RM Sotheby’s).
- September: London (Gooding), Goodwood Revival (Bonhams), Dallas (Mecum), Audrain-Newport (Bonhams), New Orleans (Barrett-Jackson), St Moritz (RM Sotheby’s)
- October: Indianapolis (Mecum), The Zoute (Bonhams), Hershey (RM Sotheby’s).
- November: London (Bonhams, RM Sotheby’s), New York (RM Sotheby’s), Las Vegas (RM Sotheby’s), F1 Abu Dhabi (Bonhams), Munich (RM Sotheby’s), Las Vegas (Mecum).
- December: Texas-Porsches (RM Sotheby’s), Kansas City (Mecum), London (Bonhams), New York (RM Sotheby’s).
Major classic car auctions in early 2024 include:
- January: Kissimmee (Mecum), Scottsdale / Arizona (Barret-Jackson, Bonhams, RM Sotheby’s)
- February: Paris (Artcurial, Bonhams, RM Sotheby’s)
- March: Miami (RM Sotheby’s), Amelia Island (Bonhams, Broad Arrow, Gooding), Dubai (RM Sotheby’s)