RM Sotheby’s top result at the 2015 Monterey classic car auctions was $17,600,000 for a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM – the highest price paid for a car thus far this year. Several records were broken including highest grossing classic car auction ever, the largest single-vendor classic car auction and new marque records for McLaren and Jaguar. RM Sotheby’s achieved over a million dollar on 35 cars.
RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015 Classic Car Auctions
RM Sotheby’s bettered the record for the highest grossing classic car auction set in 2014 by increasing earnings by 20% to $172.7 million at the 2015 Monterey auctions. The new record was largely attributed to The Pinnacle Portfolio, which added a third day of auctions and with $75.4 million also the highest single-vendor earnings ever at a classic car sale.
RM Sotheby’s sold four cars for over $10 million (with a fifth bid of $13.25 million falling short of the reserve margin). In the process, new marque records were set for Jaguar and McLaren, in addition to several individual model records.
In 2015, as in 2014, RM Sotheby’s sold 35 cars for a million dollars and as in 2014, 15 of the million-dollar plus cars were Ferraris. At least three further Ferraris were sold for over a million dollar after the auction but at undisclosed prices.
Top Results for RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015 Sale
RM Sotheby’s sold the following 35 cars for more than a million dollar at the three auction days in mid-August 2015 in Monterey:
| Year | Car | Price ($) |
| 1964 | Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti | 17,600,000 |
| 1998 | McLaren F1 “LM-Specification” | 13,750,000 |
| 1953 | Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight | 13,200,000 |
| 1956 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione “Tour de France” by Scaglietti | 13,200,000 |
| 1959 | Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti | 8,500,000 |
| 1950 | Ferrari 275S/340 America Barchetta by Scaglietti | 7,975,000 |
| 2005 | Ferrari Enzo | 6,050,000 |
| 1931 | Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Supecharged Two-Seater Sports | 4,015,000 |
| 1966 | Ferrari 275 GTB / 6C Alloy by Scaglietti | 3,960,000 |
| 1967 | Ferrari 275 GTB/4 by Scaglietti | 3,300,000 |
| 1994 | Ferrari F40 LM | 3,300,000 |
| 1972 | Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti | 2,750,000 |
| 1971 | Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone | 2,475,000 |
| 1985 | Ferrari 288 GTO | 2,420,000 |
| 2012 | Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport “300” | 2,310,000 |
| 2005 | Maserati MC12 | 2,090,000 |
| 1952 | Jaguar XK120 Supersonic by Ghia | 2,062,500 |
| 1995 | Ferrari F50 | 1,980,000 |
| 2015 | McLaren P1 | 1,980,000 |
| 1910 | American Underslung Traveler Toy Tonneau | 1,815,000 |
| 1963 | Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso by Scaglietti | 1,815,000 |
| 2006 | Bugatti Veyron 16.4 “001” | 1,815,000 |
| 1933 | Duesenberg Model SJ “Riviera” Phaeton by Brunn | 1,595,000 |
| 1956 | Ferrari 250 GT Coupe “Boano Prototype” by Pinin Farina | 1,485,000 |
| 2008 | Lamborghini Reventon | 1,375,000 |
| 1959 | Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II Prototype by Pinin Farina | 1,320,000 |
| 1976 | Lamborghini Countach LP 400 “Periscopio” | 1,320,000 |
| 1953 | Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback Spoets Saloon by H J Mulliner | 1,210,000 |
| 1960 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster | 1,210,000 |
| 1966 | Shelby 427 Cobra | 1,210,000 |
| 1988 | Porsche 959 Komfort | 1,210,000 |
| 1940 | Aston Martin Speed Model Type C | 1,155,000 |
| 1956 | Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupe by Park Ward | 1,155,000 |
| 1958 | Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk III Drophead Coupe | 1,072,500 |
| 1970 | Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta US Prototype by Scaglietti | 1,045,000 |
Prices include buyer’s premium. Results exclude cars sold post-auction if at undisclosed prices.
Ten-Million Dollar Cars at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015
Only 25 cars have ever sold at public auction for more than $10 million. Four of these were sold by RM Sotheby’s during the 2015 Monterey classic car auctions in California, USA.
1964 Ferrari 250 LM
The highest result for any car sold during the 2015 Monterey classic car week in mid-August was $17,600,000 for a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM sold by RM Sotheby’s. This is the second-highest price paid thus far in 2015 for any classic car at public auction.
The car comfortably broke the record $12 million set last year for a 250 LM at RM Auctions 2014 Monterey sale. The new model record is held by a car that was actually raced in period by amongst others Ron Fry, David Skailes and Jack Maurice.
1998 McLaren F1 “LM Specification”
A new marque record was set when a 1998 McLaren F1 “LM Specification” car sold for $13,750,000 – the second highest result for RM Sotheby’s at Monterey 2015. This McLaren was the second last of the 63 F1 cars McLaren built with road-specification and one of only two that received an upgrade to LM Specification inspired by
the cars that powered McLaren to victory at Le Mans in 1995.
The previous marque record was $8.5 million paid for a McLaren F1 at Gooding Pebble Beach 2013 sale.
1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight
A 1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight became the most-expensive Jaguar ever when it achieved $13,200,000 at the RM Sotheby’s sale in Monterey in 2015. At recent sales, racing Jaguars have often fallen short of expectations but this car took a Jaguar for the first time ever above $10 million.
The car was the second of only three Works Lightweights C-Types produced. It was fourth overall at Le Mans in 1953 and was subsequently sold to and raced by the famous Ecurie Ecosse team.
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione
A new model record was set when a 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione “Tour de France” by Scaglietti achieved a result of $13.2 million. This car was originally raced by the illustrious Marquis Alfonso de Portago. However, it is most famous for its first place overall in the 1956 Tour de France racing series and the actual car that instituted the Tour de France nomenclature.
A 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Competizione attracted a highest bid of $13.25, which was not accepted. No estimate was published for this car.
Top Results for the Pinnacle Portfolio
Many of RM Sotheby’s top results came from the single-vendor sale described as The Pinnacle Portfolio. This sale added third auction day and saw 25 cars on offer – 14 sold for over a million dollar each.
Million-dollar cars from The Pinnacle Collection included:
- 1964 Ferrari 250 LM
- 1988 McLaren F1 “LM-Specification
- 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider
- 2005 Ferrari Enzo
- 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4
- 1994 Ferrari F40 LM
- 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider
- 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV
- 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO
- 2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport
- 2005 Maserati MC12
- 1995 Ferrari F50
- 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
- 2008 Lamborghini Reventon
- 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort
Many of these cars are fuller described at 2015 RM Monterey Pinnacle Portfolio Results.
Top Results on Pre-War Cars at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Sale 2015
RM Sotheby’s 2015 Monterey sale achieved over a million dollar on four pre-war cars (Gooding had similar success at Pebble Beach 2015):
1910 American Underslung Traveler Toy Tonneau
RM Sotheby’s achieved a remarkable result on the 1910 American Underslung Traveler Toy Tonneau. The car sold for $1,815,000 – double the top pre-auction estimate. This beautifully restored car was a Best in Class winner at the Pebble Beach 2014 Concours d’Elegance.
1940 Aston Martin Speed Model Type C
A 1940 Aston Martin Speed Model Type C sold for $1,155,000 – well above estimate. The year of manufacture is as interesting as the car – it is believed to have been the last Aston Martin built before the Second World War brought production to a halt. This stylish car is one of only 23 full competition-specification Speed Models produced and one of 8 Type C versions.
1931 Bentley 4 ½ Litre Supercharged Two-Seater
A 1931 Bentley 4 ½ Litre Supercharged Two-Seater in the style of Vanden Plas sold for a strong $4 million. It is one of only 50 original supercharged “Blower” Bentleys ever produced.
1933 Duesenberg Model SJ “Riviera” Phaeton
A1933 Duesenberg Model SJ “Riviera” Phaeton by Brunn sold for $1,595,000. Only three of these four-door cabriolet bodies were built by Brunn. This car is the famous “Hot Rod Harry” Riviera Phaeton that after an engine convertion in the 1950s could achieve 140 mph.