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 $12 million. The first car ever to have sold for more than $10 million at public auction was a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider back in 2008.

Black 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster
1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster Photo: Gooding & Co

The $10 to $12 million cars also include the most expensive Mercedes Benz passenger car and the first Porsche and Bugatti to have sold for more than $10 million. The 1968 Ford GT40 Lightweight and 1930 Duesenberg Model J were the first American cars to have sold for more than $10 million at public auction. The 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari is the first 21st-century car to have sold for over $10 million while the 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée is the most expensive new car ever sold at public auction.

Cars Selling for between $10 and $12 Million at Public Auction

The following cars sold at public auction for prices between $10 and $ 12 million:

$10 – $12 millionPrice $Auction HouseAuctionAuction Date
1933Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza11,990,000GoodingPebble Beach2016
1936Mercedes Benz 540K Spezial Roadster11,770,000GoodingPebble Beach2012
1964Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti11,550,000RMMonterey2014
1960Ferrari 250 GT SWB11,440,968H&HDuxford2015
1960Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider11,275,000GoodingPebble Beach2012
1968Ford GT40 Lightweight11,000,000RMMonterey2012
1960Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione10,989,500RM Sotheby’sParis2024
1961Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider10,894,900RMMaranello2008
1959Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione10,840,000GoodingPebble Beach2021
2022Bugatti Chiron Profilée10,677,742RM Sotheby’sParis2023
1937Bugatti Type 57S Atalante10,447,150GoodingLondon2020
1932Bugatti Type 55 Roadster10,400,000GoodingPebble Beach2016
1937Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante10,345,000GoodingPebble Beach2022
1931Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe10,340,000GoodingPebble Beach2011
2002Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster10,235,000RM Sotheby’sLas Vegas2023
1967Ferrari 275 GTB/4 by Scaglietti10,175,000RMMonterey2014
1982Porsche 95610,120,000GoodingPebble Beach2015
2017Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta10,043,000RM Sotheby’sMaranello2017

Note: The list includes only cars sold at standard public auctions. Cars could appear more than once if sold successfully multiple times. It also uses only nominal prices and exchange rates at the time of sale.

These cars are the cheapest of the really expensive cars. 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.

1936 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza

1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza
© Gooding & Co

A 1936 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza achieved $11,990,000 at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2016, as the second-highest result ever for an Alfa Romeo at a public auction. The marque record was set only the day previously at $19,800,000 for a 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider. This Alfa Romeo was extensively raced during the 1930s and 1940s but retained its original Brianza coachwork. It won the 1947 Italian Sports Car Championship when raced by the Balestrero Team.

1936 Mercedes Benz 540K Spezial Roadster

Black 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster
Photo: Gooding & Co

The 1936 Mercedes Benz 540K Spezial Roadster sold for $11,770,000 by Gooding at Pebble Beach was the most expensive car sold at auction in 2012. It was also the first Mercedes Benz car sold for more than $10 million and was the most expensive Mercedes Benz and German car sold at auction until the 1954 Mercedes Benz W196R Formula 1 car increased the record to near $30 million. (Since ballooned to $143 million for the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold in 2022.)

1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster 3/4 Rear View
Photo: Gooding & Co

This 1936 Mercedes Benz 540K Spezial Roadster remains the most expensive road-going car with a three-pointed star. Remarkably, it had only three previous owners before the 2012 auction.

The previous record for a Mercedes Benz was $9,680,000 paid for a 1937 Mercedes Benz 540K Spezial Roadster in 2011 at the RM Auctions Monterey sale.


1964 Ferrari 250 LM

1964 Ferrari 250 LM
Photo: Pawel Litwinski ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions

A 1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti is at $11,550,000 paid at the RM Auctions Monterey 2014 sale only the third most-expensive 250 LM. Chassis 6045 was the 19th of the 32 250 LMs built.

In contrast to the more expensive 250 LMs, this 1964 Ferrari 250 LM was never raced in period. This contributes to its good overall condition but it lacks the historic panache that comes with a competition history.

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB © H&H Classics

The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB selling for $11,440,968 by H&H in Duxford, UK, in 2015 is in more than one way a surprise in this list. It is the most expensive 250 GT Berlinetta without a racing pedigree and is also by far the most expensive car ever sold by the British auction house H & H.

The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB was the second of only nine right-hand drive 250 GT SWB cars imported into the UK. The car had a single owner for the past four decades and is in maintained but unrestored condition with some cosmetic and technical modifications. However, it is a matching numbers example that could be restored back to its original configuration.

1960 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider

Red 1960 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider LWB
1960 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider © Gooding & Co

The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider that Gooding sold for $11,275,000 at the 2012 Pebble Beach sale is the only long-wheelbase California Spider that had achieved more than $10 million at public auction.

This 1960 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider was one of only nine produced with an alloy body by Scaglietti. It was delivered with competition specification. It was the 1960 Chicago Motor Show Car and was part of the Sherman Wolf Collection.

1968 Ford GT40 Lightweight

Blue 1968 Ford GT40
1968 Ford GT40 © Courtesy of RM Auctions

The 1968 Ford GT40 Lightweight that achieved $11,000,000 at the RM Auctions Monterey 2012 sale was the most-expensive American car ever sold at public auction at the time of sale. The record was only increased to $13,750,000 by the 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra sold at Monterey 2016.

This 1968 Ford GT40 Lightweight won its debut race at Spa driven by Jacky Ickx and Dick Thompson. It was later used as a camera car for the Steve McQueen “Le Mans“ movie.

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione

Yellow 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione racing car for sale in the RM Sotheby's Paris 2024
Kevin Van Campenhout ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione by Scaglietti sold for €10,158,125 at the RM Sotheby’s Paris sale, as the most expensive car sold during the Paris Rétromobile Week 2024 auctions.

The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione, chassis number 1773 GT, is a very rare and highly desirable alloy-bodied Competizione version built in 1960, boasting an outstanding period racing history that includes 7th overall and 5th in class at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring as a N.A.R.T. entry, as well as four overall or class victories, including at the famous Nassau Tourist Trophy in 1960, and a total of ten podium finishes from 1960-1961.

1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider

1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder © Courtesy of RM Auctions
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder © Courtesy of RM Auctions

At least seven Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spiders have sold for more than $10 million at public auction but chassis 2377GT, the 13th of 56 built, was the first car ever to have sold for more than $10 million. Its second owner was the film star James Coburn.

When this 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider achieved €7,040,000 ($10,894,900) at the RM Auctions Maranello sale in 2008, it set a new world record for the most expensive car in the world. It took the record from the 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe that Christie’s sold more than two decades earlier in 1987 for $9,800,000 (currently over $20 million in adjusted prices).

1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione

1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione on sale at Gooding Pebble Beach 2021 classic car auction
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione © Gooding

A rare 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione in Italian flag livery sold for $10,840,000 as the second most expensive car sold at Gooding Pebble Beach 2021 and of all the Monterey Car Week 2021 sales. 

Between 1957 and 1962, Ferrari built just 106 California Spiders: 50 examples of the original long-wheelbase (LWB) model, and 56 of the later short-wheelbase (SWB) variant. Further, of the 50 LWB California Spiders built, only about 10 were prepared new from the factory with competition features.

This Competizione version with its distinct Italian flag livery was one of very few originally delivered in Europe and accounted for most of the LWB California Spider in-period racing experience in Europe.

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée on sale at RM Sotheby's Paris 2023
© Courtesy of Bugatti

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 (the previous record was the 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta that sold for $10,043,000 as a charity lot in 2017) and the most-expensive 21th-century passenger car sold at auction. 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. 

1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante
© Gooding

The rare and extremely desirable, 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante sold for $10,447,150 at the Gooding London 2020 sale, as only the third Bugatti to ever have achieved more than $10 million at auction. It set a new model record for any Type 57 version while a new Bugatti marque record was set at $12.7 million in the same sale.

This rich, well-documented 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante was delivered new to famed British racing driver and Bugatti enthusiast Earl Howe. It is one of only 17 fitted with Jean Bugatti’s sensational Atalante coachwork.

1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster

1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster
© Gooding

A 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster sold for $10,400,000 at Gooding Pebble Beach 2016, at the time of sale the most-expensive French car and most-expensive Bugatti ever sold at public auction. In 1987, $9.8 million was paid for the 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe – more than $20 million in current money.

This 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster competed in the 1932 Mille Miglia race driven by Achille Varzi and may have been used as personal car by Jean Bugatti.

1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante 

Top Bugattis 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante on sale at Gooding Pebble Beach 2022
© Gooding

A 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante sold for $10,345,000 as the most expensive car in the Gooding Pebble Beach 2022 classic car sale. It was the fourth Bugatti to achieve over ten million dollars — all were offered in Gooding auctions.

Bugatti built only 42 examples of the Type 57S chassis of which only 17 were fitted with Atalante coachwork. This example early on was returned to Molsheim to receive a Roots-type supercharger to become one of the very first 57SCs.

1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe

1931 Duesenberg Model J Roadster
1931 Duesenberg Model J Roadster © Gooding & Co

The 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe that sold for $10,340,000 at the Gooding 2011 Pebble Beach sale was the first American car ever to have achieved over $10 million. Only the 1968 Ford GT40 Lightweight, 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra, and 1935 Duesenberg SSJ have since sold for more. It is also the oldest car to have broken the $10 million barrier.

The 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe is an early Frank Herseay masterpiece. This one-off with coachwork by Walter M Murphy was built to the specifications demanded by its original owner Captain George Whittel Jr. Many consider it the most elegant American automobile ever made. It was the second-most-expensive car sold in 2011.

2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster

2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster on sale in the RM Sotheby's Las Vegas 2023 car auction
Neil Fraser ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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. However, despite the awesome potential, this roadster has only been driven for 170 km — hardly enough to warrant the use of the fitted luggage set.

1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4

1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4
Darin Schnabel ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions

A 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 by Scaglietti sold for $10,175,000 at the RM Auctions 2014 Monterey sale – around three to four times more than could be expected for a normal 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4. The magic connection for chassis 10621 was having Steve McQueen as its original owner,

McQueen bought the 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 while waiting for his 275 N.A.R.T. Spyder to be repaired after an accident. He wisely had the original Nocciola (metallic gold) color changed to red.

1982 Porsche 956

1982 Porsche 956 with doors open
© Courtesy of Gooding & Co

The 1982 Porsche 956 that Gooding sold for $10,120,000 at the 2015 Pebble Beach sale was only the third German car to have sold for more than $10 million and at the time set a new marque record – since increased to over $14 million for a 1970 Porsche 917K.

This 1982 Porsche 956 is of course a very special car. It was the third of only 10 Works Porsche 956s built but most memorably won the 1983 Le Mans 24 Hours race outright with Al Holbert / Hurley Haywood / Vern Schuppen. The previous year, when it was a Porsche 956 1-2-3 finish, the same car was second overall while driven by Jochen Mass and Vern Schuppen. It also scored victories at Spa, Fuji, Brands Hatch and Kyalami. Further famous drivers racing the car included Jacky Ickx, Derek Bell and John Watson.

The 1982 Porsche 956 was sold, not surprisingly, in the iconic Rothmans livery it wore during the 1983 Le Mans race. (A Le Mans win makes all the difference: The 1982 Porsche 956 that finished third in the 1982 race achieved only €2,352,000 / $3,175,000 at the RM Auctions 2014 Paris sale. Somewhat disappointingly, the record-setting 917K was never raced!)

2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta

210th LaFerrari Aperta
© Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The cheapest of the really expensive cars is a 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta that sold for €8,300,000 ($10,043,000) at the RM Sotheby’s Ferrari Maranello auction in 2017. This car was the final of 210 Aperta models built and was sold as a charity lot with the full amount donated by Ferrari to Save the Children. The LaFerrari Aperta featured a unique paintwork. It was the first Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta offered at auction so naturally set a new model record but more significantly it was the first 21st-century car to have sold for over $10 million.

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