2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge Classic Car Auction Results

Bonhams achieved over a million dollars for 19 cars including the Ferrari 250 GTO selling for a world record $38 million, the most-expensive car ever.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – the most-expensive car at public auction ever © Bonhams

The highlight of the 2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge sale in Carmel during the Monterey classic car week was the $38,115,000 achieved for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – the highest price ever paid for a car at public auction. In addition to the world’s most expensive car, Bonhams sold 19 cars for more than a million dollars each. Ferraris led the results table with 11 Ferraris breaking the million-dollar mark with the top 8 positions taken by Ferraris. Three Mercedes 300 SL models also sold for more than a million dollars each.The Bonhams Auctions Quail Lodge 2014 sale grossed $108 million.

The 2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge Classic Car Auction in Carmel

The Bonhams Quail Lodge classic car auction was held on August 14 and 15, 2014 in Carmel during the Monterey classic car week. Bonhams achieved more than a million dollars for 19 cars.

The first auction day was only for ten Ferrari cars from the famed Maranello Rosso Collection. This exclusive collection included a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, which was as soon as it announcement, almost guaranteed to be the top result for the Monterey week and no surprise that it achieved the world auction record for a car sold at public auction. The ten cars of the Maranello Rosso Collection alone grossed $65,945,000.

On the second day of the Bonhams Quail Lodge auction, a further 107 cars, as well as further collection of automobilia were on offer.

The 117 cars on offer at the Bonhams Quail Lodge auction, with a sell-through rate of 92%, grossed $108 million. In 2013, the Quail Lodge sale earned less than $33 million.

Top Results from the 2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction

The top-19 results exceeding a million dollar per car at the 2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge classic car auction in Carmel on the Monterey Peninsula in California were as follows:

Position	Year	Car	Price
1	1962	Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta	38’115’000
2	1953	Ferrari 250 MM Berlinetta	7’260’000
3	1962	Ferrari 250 GT SWB Speciale Aerodinamica	6’875’000
4	1958	Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet	6’820’000
5	1966	Ferrari 275 GTB	3’850’000
6	1973	Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider	2’640’000
7	1978	Ferrari 312 T3 Formula 1 Racing	2’310’000
8	1993	Ferrari F40 LM	2’200’000
9	1963	Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster	1’897’500
10	1948	Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport Coupe	1’485’000
11	1991	Ferrari F40	1’430’000
12	1954	Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe	1’347’500
13	1968	Ferrari Dino 166/246T Formula 2 Racing Single-Seater	1’210’000
14	1957	Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster	1’210’000
15	1960	Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet	1’193’500
16	1955	Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America	1’100’000
17	1908	Napier Type 23A Seven Seater Touring Car	1’034’000
18	1970	Brabham Cosworth Ford BT33 Formaul 1 Racing Single Seater	1’034’000
19	1967	Ferrari 330 GTC	1’017’500

*Prices include auction premiums.

Top Prices at the Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction 2014

Ferraris totally dominated the results of the 2014 Bonhams Quail Lodge auction. Not only was the world record achieved for the most-expensive car ever at public auction for the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, but eleven of the million-dollar plus cars were Ferraris. Ferraris took the top eight positions with very different Ferrari 250s taking the top four places.

Bonhams claimed nine Ferrari model records at the Quail Lodge 2014 auction (Ferrari models are rather narrowly defined!):

1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Bonhamd — 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB © Bonhams

1962-63 Ferrari 250 GTO – $18,115,000 – the most-expensive car and Ferrari ever sold at public auction.
1966 Ferrari 275 GTB – $3,850,000
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet – $6,820,000
1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider – $2,640,000
1993 Ferrari F40 LM – $2,200,000
1967 Ferrari 330 GTC – $1,017,500
1969 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 – $375,500
1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta – $946,000
1991 Ferrari F40 – $1,430,000

Despite the domination of the table by Ferraris, the actual mix of the cars on offer was quite diverse: it included racing cars, GTs, and sports cars. The oldest car on the list is a 1908 Napier (also a new record) with the 1993 Ferrari F40 LM the newest. The majority of the cars are from the 1950s and 1960s.

Four Ferrari 250s at the Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction 2014

The top four results at the Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction in Carmel were achieved by Ferrari 250s from the Marinello Rosso Collection:

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – World Record $38 million

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold by Bonhams — 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO © Bonhams

The top result at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2014 auction, and overall for the 2014 Monterey classic car week was the world record $38,115,000 paid for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. This was the highest price ever paid at public auction for a car – $8 million more than the previous record set by the 1954 Mercedes Benz W196R Formula 1 car only a year ago at the Bonhams 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed sale. In recent years, Ferrari 250 GTOs have been rumored to sell for up to $50 million privately but this was the first time in almost 25 years that a GTO was sold at public auction. Bonham’s pre-auction estimate of $30 to 40 million was spot on.

See the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO for more details on this remarkable car.

1953 Ferrari 250 MM Berlinetta – $7,260,000

The second highest price paid for a car at the Bonhams Quail Lodge sale was $7,260,000 for a 1953 Ferrari 250 Mille Miglia Berlinetta.

These Ferrari 250s were specifically designed for long-distance races with this specific car being driven to a race victory on its debut by a young Phil Hill driving for Bill Devin, which explains the car’s white and dark blue color scheme.

1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Special Aerodinamica – $6,875,000

The 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Special Aerodinamica is quite a different car from the two top-selling 250s. It has the racing genes of the 250 combined with a special luxury aerodynamic body by Pininfarina.

Only four of these “Speciale Aerodinamica” bodies were ever combined with the short-wheelbase 250 GT making this one of the rarest Ferrari cars ever built.

1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet – $6,820,000

The beautiful 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet sold for slightly less than the Speciale Aerodinamica when it achieved $6,820,000.

This early Pininfarina-styled cabriolet was the eighth of only around 40 ever built. It spent its early years in Venezuela before bought into the Marinello Rosso Collection during the 1980s.

Racing Single-Seat Cars at the Bonhams Carmel Auction 2014

Several single-seat racing cars were on offer at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2014 sale. The top result was for the 1978 Ferrari 312 T3 Formula 1 car – this car won the 1978 British Grand Prix driven by Carlos Reutemann and the 1978 Race of Champions driven by Gilles Villeneuve.

The 1968-69 Ferrari Dino Formula 2 / Tasman Formula 2 racing single-seater also achieved over a million dollars. This car won the championship back-to-back in 1969 and 1970. It was raced by Chris Amon, Brian Redman, ‘Tino’ Brambilla, and Graeme Lawrence.

The 1970 Brabham-Cosworth Ford BT33 Formula 1 racing single-seater also beat the million-dollar mark. Sir Jack Brabham achieved his last Grand Prix victory (South Africa 1970) in this car.

Mercedes Benz 300 SLs at Quail Lodge 2014

1954 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing ex Pat Boone — 1954 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing © Bonhams

Every major auction house active during the 2014 Monterey classic car week had a Mercedes Benz 300SL, or several, on offer. Bonhams sold three for over a million dollar.

The highest result was for the 1963 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster – a recently restored car in excellent condition. Also on offer was a 1954 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing, originally owned by the musician Pat Boone and a 1957 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster.