2018 Bonhams Quail Lodge Sale (Auction Results)

A 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione Coupe sold for $3,525,000 as the top result at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 classic car auction.

1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione
© Bonhams

The top results at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 sale during the Monterey Motor Week in California were mostly for true classic cars. A 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione Coupe that participated in four Mille Miglia races with a third-placed finish in 1949 was the top result at $3,525,000. A 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Sports Roadster with one-off coachwork by Mayfair sold for $3,277,500 while a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe achieved $1,875,000 – the highest Gullwing result in four years. A 2015 Porsche 918 was the only top modern hypercar result with a Bugatti Chiron failing to sell. The highest bid at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 sale was $8.7 million, which failed to buy the 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta.

Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 Sale

The Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 classic car auction was held on 24 August 2018 in Carmel during the Monterey Motor Week in California, USA.

In 2018, Bonhams earned $37.7 million with a sell-through rate of 82% with 110 of 135 lots sold. Ten cars sold for over a million dollar each. The average sale price was $343,694.

At the 2017 Quail Lodge auction, Bonhams earned $56,430,000 with a sell-through rate of 80% of the 105 cars on offer. The average sale price was $641,685. The top result was a marque-record $15,620,000 for a 1995 McLaren F1 sports car.

Million-Dollar Cars at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018

The following ten cars sold for more than a million dollar each at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 classic car auction:

Year Car Price ($) Estimate ($)
1 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione 3,525,000 3,000,000 – 3,500,000
2 1937 Mercedes Benz 540K Sports Roadster 3,277,500 3,500,000 – 4,500,000
3 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe 1,875,000 1,250,000 – 1,500,000
4 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet 1,682,500 1,500,000 – 1,800,000
5 1928 Bentley 6 1/2 Liter Open Sports Tourer 1,655,000 2,000,000 – 3,000,000
6 1953 Siata 208S Spider 1,655,000 1,500,000 – 1,800,000
7 1929 Bentley 4 1/2 Liter Sports Tourer 1,435,000 1,250,000 – 1,500,000
8 2015 Porsche 918 Weissach Spyder 1,407,500 1,350,000 – 1,750,000
9 1936 Mercedes Benz 500K Touring Phaeton 1,215,000 1,400,000 – 1,600,000
10 1996 Porsche 911 GT2 Club Sport 1,105,000 1,500,000 – 2,000,000

Top Results at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018

1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione Coupe

1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione Berlinetta
© Bonhams

A 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione Coupe sold for $3,525,000 as the top result at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 classic car auction. This car is one of three built with the specific aim of winning the Mille Miglia. This target was missed but a privateer – Franco Rol – raced the Alfa to a class win and third place overall behind two Ferraris at the 1949 Mille Miglia.

This Alfa Romeo finished second overall at Targa Florio 1949. It was extensively raced in especially Italy and Switzerland and participated in four Mille Miglia races.

The 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione Coupe scored 100 points at the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance but brake light failure at a critical moment robbed it from first in class.

Top Mercedes-Benz Results at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018

Three Mercedes Benz cars sold for more than a million dollar at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 sale:

  • A 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Sports Roadster with one-off coachwork by Mayfair sold for $3,277,500. The car was extensively damaged in a garage fire in 1960 and although restored of course lost some authenticity.
  • A less sporty 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Touring Phaeton sold for $1,215,000. It is one of only 16 produced in this version.
  • A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe sold for $1,875,000 – well above presale estimate and the highest Gullwing result since 2014. This well-maintained Gullwing is highly authentic and still has its original paint and interior. It had only two owners in the past seven decades.

Top Bentleys at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018

1928 Bentley 6 ½ -Liter Open Sports Tourer by Barker
1928 Bentley 6 ½ -Liter Open Sports Tourer by Barker © Bonhams

Several classic prewar Bentleys were on offer at the Monterey Week 2018 classic car auctions but the two at Bonhams performed best:

A 1928 Bentley 6 1/2 Liter Open Sports Tourer sold for $1,655,000. This car is the sole survivor with this Barker body style and has a known history from new. The Bentley spent around 70 years in South Africa.

1928 Bentley 4 ½-Liter Open Tourer by Vanden Plas
© Bonhams

The smaller 1929 Bentley 4 1/2 Liter Sports Tourer sold for $1,435,000. It is a very original and unmodified car.

The larger 1931 Bentley 8-Liter Saloon with coachwork by Vanden Plas failed to sell despite a highest bid less than 10% below lower estimate.

Top Porsche Results at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018

Two Porsches sold for over a million dollar at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 auction:

  • A 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach sold for $1,407,500. The bidding was somewhat tempered by the 8,000 miles on the clock – relatively high compared to other 918s offered at auction.
  • A 1996 Porsche 911 GT2 Coupe sold for $1,105,000 – a new model record and one of only a handful of top 911s on offer at the Monterey Week 2018 auction.

Top Ferrari at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018

With the 250 GT SWB Berlinetta failing to sell, the top Ferrari result at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 sale was a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II that achieved $1,682,500. Although only 202 Series II cabriolets were produced, four were on offer at the Monterey Week auctions with the Bonhams car achieving the second highest result.

1953 Siata 208S Spider at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018

© Bonhams

A 1953 Siata 208S Spider sold for a model-record $1,655,000. Only 37 examples of this Siata were ever built. The first owner replaced the Fiat engine with a Chevrolet V8 – a similar fate befell 15 of the 37 cars built.

The restored car, fitted with a correct Fiat engine from a different Siata, received a class reward at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and at the 2016 Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza.

Top Cars Not Sold at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018

The following were the highest bids, as reported by Hagerty, not accepted at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 sale:

Year Car Price ($) Estimate ($)
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta HB 8,700,000 Refer to department
2018 Bugatti Chiron HB 3,100,000 3,300,000 – 3,900,000
1964 Shelby 289 Cobra HB 950,000 1,100,000 – 1,300,000
1931 Bentley 8 Liter Silent Bloc Saloon HB 920,000 1,000,000 – 1,600,000
1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider America HB 900,000 1,000,000 – 1,300,000
1913 Mercedes 28/60 HP Phaeton HB 720,000 800,000 – 1,000,000
1913 Rolls Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost London-Edinburgh Tourer HB 690,000 750,000 – 850,000
1934 Horch 780 B Cabriolet HB 520,000 600,000 – 775,000
1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona HB 520,000 600,000 – 800,000
1913 Pierce Arrow Model 66 Seven-Passenger Touring HB 500,000 600,000 – 800,000
1962 Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheel Base (SWB) Berlinetta, chassis 3337 GT
1962 Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheel Base (SWB) Berlinetta © Bonhams

The top unsuccessful bid at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 sale was $8,700,000 on a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta. A similar bid at RM Sotheby’s also failed to a similar car.

Probably more significant was the failure of $3.1 million to buy the 2018 Bugatti Chiron. It was the only Chiron at Monterey but the six Veyrons at the various Monterey also failed to sell.

More on Monterey Week 2018 Auctions

Monterey 2018 Auction Results

Auction Previews:

Pre-Sale Announcements

1911 Mercedes 28/60 Tourer
© Bonhams

Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018:

Gooding Pebble Beach 2018:

Mecum  Monterey 2018:

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3413 GT
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3413 GT – Patrick Ernzen © 2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018: