A 1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/100/180 S-Type Sports Tourer and a 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Décapotable were the top results at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021 sale at the Monterey Car Week auctions.
A prewar supercharged 1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/100/180 S-Type Sports Tourer sold for a very strong $5,395,000 as the top result at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021 sale at the Monterey Car Week auctions. The second most expensive car sold by Bonhams was an elegant 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Décapotable for $1,875,000. Seven cars sold for over $1 million.
Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021 Sale
Bonhams held its 24th Quail Lodge Sale in Carmel during the annual Pebble Beach / Monterey Motor Week on 13 August 2021 in California, USA.
In 2021, Bonhams earned $36,877,800 with a sell-through rate of 89% — 124 lots sold, 15 unsold.
In 2020, with most of Monterey Week events canceled, Bonhams held a live online auction behind closed doors to earn just below $13 million with a sell-through rate of 63%.
In 2019, Bonhams earned $32 million with a sell-through rate of 76% of the 217 cars on offer. In 2018, Bonhams earned $37.7 million with a sell-through rate of 82% with 110 of 135 lots sold. 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 Quail Lodge auction record was set in 2014 when Bonhams sold a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO for $38,115,000 — still the second most expensive car ever sold at public auction.
Top Results at Bonhams Quail Lodge Sale 2021
The top results at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021 classic car auction, and a few high profile cars failing to sell were:
| Year | Car | Price ($) | Estimate | |
| 1 | 1928 | Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 S-Type Supercharged Sports Tourer | 5,395,000 | 3,000,000 – 4,000,000 |
| 2 | 1948 | Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Decapotable | 1,875,000 | 1,800,000 – 2,300,000 |
| 3 | 1952 | Ferrari 212 Europa Cabriolet | 1,820,000 | 1,700,000 – 2,100,000 |
| 4 | 1955 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,710,000 | 1,250,000 – 1,500,000 |
| 5 | 1974 | Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 TT 12 | 1,677,000 | 1,700,000 – 2,200,000 |
| 6 | 1992 | Ferrari F40 | 1,600,000 | 1,500,000 – 1,800,000 |
| 7 | 1966 | Shelby Cobra 427 | 1,050,000 | 1,000,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 8 | 1966 | Shelby Cobra 427 | 995,000 | 900,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 9 | 1964 | AC Cobra 289 | 995,000 | 900,000 – 1,100,000 |
| 10 | 1934 | Riley MPH Sports Two Seater | 967,500 | 800,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 11 | 2018 | Aston Martin DB4GT Continuation | Sold | 1,200,000 – 1,600,000 |
| Year | Cars Not Sold | Highest Bid $ | Estimate | |
| 1930 | Bucciali TAV30 La Marie Torpedo Sport Types Cannes | HB 2,800,000 | Refer to Department | |
| 1967 | Ford GT40 Mk IV | HB 2,400,000 | 3,000,000 – 3,500,000 | |
| 1955 | Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America | HB 1,050,000 | 1,100,000 – 1,300,000 |
Note: The Aston-Martin DB4GT Continuation was announced sold after the auction at an undisclosed amount.
Million-Dollar Results at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021 Auction
Seven cars sold for over a million dollars at the Bonhams Quail Lodge classic car auction during Monterey Car Week 2021:
1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 S-Type Supercharged Sports Tourer
The most expensive car sold in the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021 classic car auction was as expected the prewar 1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 S-Type Supercharged Sports Tourer. It achieved $5,395,000 — over a million above upper estimate. It was the highest Mercedes-Benz auction result since January 2017 when RM Sotheby’s sold a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster for $6.6 million at Arizona. Bonhams previously sold a similar 1928 Mercedes Benz Typ S 26/120/180 Supercharged Sports Tourer for $4,812,500 at the Scottsdale 2017 auction.
The 1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 S-Type Supercharged Sports Tourer was one of just 146 examples of the firm’s flagship automobile built and described as the ‘acme of motor car perfection’ and the car for kings.
Created in a golden age for Mercedes-Benz, the model was engineered by Ferdinand Porsche who built a powerful, yet versatile automobile, equally at home on the racetrack, at hill climbs, indeed winning its class on its debut race at the Nürburgring, or for providing spirited driving on the road. Its signature ‘on demand’ Roots Supercharger would boost power from its 6.8-litre engine from 120bhp to 180bhp in a matter of seconds.
This Mercedes-Benz was owned for the past 57 years by the same family and over this time being pressed into service for the ‘school run’ as well as winning prestigious concours and competing in road rallies, most recently the Colorado Grand in 2015.
1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Décapotable
The second most expensive car in the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021 auction was a concours-standard 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Décapotable. This glamorous Art Deco era automobile sold for $1,875,000 — just within estimate but still slightly disappointing as it is one of only two survivors. However, the result was still four and a half times the price it fetched fifteen years ago when previously sold by Bonhams in 2006.
The 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Décapotable was one of only four examples fitted with bodywork created by celebrated carrossier Figoni et Falaschi. The flamboyant lines were based on the distinctive whale-like Narval design, during what is recognized as Figoni et Falaschi’s last great period of creativity. This powerful styling was matched by the performance from the 4.5-litre, 175hp engine and the sporting handling afforded by the all-new Talbot-Lago chassis.
More Top Results at Bonhams Quail Lodge Sale 2021
Further top results at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021 classic car auction included:
- A 1952 Ferrari 212 Europa Cabriolet with coachwork by Carrozzeria Ghia sold within estimate for $1,820,000. This 1952 Geneva and Torino Auto Show car is Ferrari-Classiche Red Book certified and retains matching numbers.
- A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing sold for above estimate $1,710,000 — by far the most expensive of the three Gullwings sold at Monterey Car Week auctions in 2021.
- A 1974 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 TT 12 sold for a model record $1,677,000 shortly after the original highest bid was rejected. This Alfa was raced by Derek Bell and Henri Pescarolo to wins at Spa, Zeltweg and the Glen
- A 1992 Ferrari F40 similarly sold for $1.6 million after the highest bid of $1,350,000 was rejected. It was by far the cheapest of the three F40s sold during Monterey Week 2021.
- A 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra sold for just over a million while a similar car just missed the million dollar marque. A 1964 AC Cobra 289 similarly just missed the million-dollar mark by $5000.
The 2018 Aston Martin DB4GT Continuation failed to sell with a highest bid of $975,000 but was later listed as “sold” but at an undisclosed price. This was unfortunate as this was certainly the first auction week ever where a DB4GT Zagato, a DB4GT LIghtweight, a DB4GT, and a DB4GT Sanction II were offered within the space of three days.
Top Cars Not Sold at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021
Only three million-dollar cars failed to sell at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2021 sale:
- The 1930 Bucciali TAV30 La Marie Torpedo Sport Types Cannes was an experimental vehicle to demonstrate the inventor’s technology work including front-wheel-drive technology that were copied by others but never fully paid for.
- Bidding for the 1967 Ford GT40 Mk IV stopped well short of estimate. This GT40, as the Alan Mann car at Gooding lacked any real racing history, and furthermore required significant bodywork replacement to bring it back to it original appearance.
- The 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America with coachwork by Pinin Farina is a beautiful spider but frequently fail to sell for over a million dollar. Bidding for a similar car at Gooding stopped also below a million and a bit of reserve adjustment might have been sensible.
Bonhams’ next American auction will be the new Audrain Newport Auction taking place on October 1 in Newport, Rhode Island. This sale will offer an exclusive boutique selection of collectors’ motorcars, reflecting Motor Week’s theme of History, Luxury & Sport.
Monterey Motoring Week 2021
Most of the traditional Monterey Motoring Week events returned in mid-August 2021 after the cancellations in 2020. Top classic car auctioneers with sales during Monterey Week 2021 included Gooding (Pebble Beach), Bonhams (Quail Lodge), RM Sotheby’s, and Mecum.
Monterey 2021 Auction Results:
- Monterey 2021 All Auctions: Auction Results General Overview, Top Ten Results, List of Million-Dollar Cars
- Bonhams: Quail Lodge Sale Results
- Gooding: Pebble Beach Sale Results, McLaren F1
- RM Sotheby’s: Monterey Sale Results, Andrews Estate Collection Sale
- Mecum: Monterey Sale Results
Monterey 2021 Auction Announcements:
- Bonhams: Mercedes-Benz 26/100/180
- Bonhams: Talbot-Lago T26 Décapotable
- Gooding: Ferrari California Spider Competizione
- Gooding: Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR Strassenversion
- Gooding: Prewar British Cars
- Gooding: Prewar American Cars
- Gooding: Bugatti Type 35B
- Gooding: Ford GT40 Alan Mann Lightweight
- Gooding: Neil Peart’s Silver Surfers Collection
- Gooding: American Racing Cars
- Gooding: Porsche 934 & 935
- Gooding: McLaren F1
- Gooding: Italian Coachbuilt Cars
- RM Sotheby’s: Porsche 917K
- RM Sotheby’s: Le Mans Racing Cars
- RM Sotheby’s: Andrews Estate Collection (Aston Martin DB4GTs)
- RM Sotheby’s: Top Ferraris
Previous Monterey Week Auction Results