A 1959 BMW 507 Series II Roadster and a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sc Roadster were the top results at the Bonhams Scottsdale 2021 classic car auction.
A 1959 BMW 507 Series II Roadster sold for $1,809,00 as the top result at the Bonhams Scottsdale 2021 classic car auction. With the 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Cabriolet A with coachwork by Sindelfingen failing to sell, the BMW was the only million-dollar result in the sale. The second highest result was $698,000 paid for a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sc Roadster.
Bonhams Scottsdale Classic Car Auction 2021
Bonhams scheduled its tenth annual Scottsdale, Arizona, sale on 21 January 2021 at the Westin Kierland Resort, as a live auction with bidding possible on-site by registered bidders, online, by phone, or commission bidding. Most cars could be inspected on-site by appointment on the days prior to the auction.
In 2021, Bonhams earned $5,896,400 with a sell-through rate of 78%.
In 2020, Bonhams’ top result was $1,93 million for a 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Cabriolet.
In 2019, Bonhams earned $16.1 million at Scottsdale from selling 107 of 120 lots on offer for a high 90% sell-through rate. Hagerty calculated an average sale price of $144,762.
In 2018, Bonhams earned $25.2 million at Scottsdale with 94 of 108 lots offered sold – a sell-through rate of 87% and an average price of $267,649 per car. In 2017, Bonhams earned $36 million from just over 100 cars with a sell-through rate of 82%.
Top Results at Bonhams Scottsdale 2021 Auction
The top-ten results at the Bonhams Scottsdale 2021 classic car auction were:
1959 BMW 507 Series II Roadster at Bonhams Scottsdale 2021 Auction
The top result at the Bonhams Scottsdale 2021 classic car auction was $1,809,000 paid for a black 1959 BMW 507 Series II Roadster, estimate $1,900,000 – 2,300,000. The roadster was probably originally silver-blue metallic but has been finished in black since is at least the 1980s. The engine is probably a factory replacement but the rare Becker Mexico Radio is original.
Designed to rival the Mercedes Benz 300SL, the 507 was BMW’s flagship sports car of the 1950s and, at the time, the most expensive produced by the Bavarian firm. BMW was reported selling the cars at a loss, which kept production numbers to a low total of just 253. (Mercedes-Benz produced 1858 of the competing 300 SL cars.) Its exclusivity and price tag appealed to celebrities and car aficionados with Elvis Presley, Ursula Andress and the Aga Khan among its owners.
The BMW has been in the USA since new, with previous owners including the grandson of RKO studios founder Shane O’Neil. It has been kept by its vendor, a prominent private collector, for more than 30 years.
The BMW marque record is $5,031,683 paid for the 1957 BMW 507 of John Surtees at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018 sale.
1956 Mercedes-Benz 300Sc Roadster
The second highest result in the auction was $698,000 paid for a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300Sc Roadster, estimate $775,000 – 875,000. This a matching numbers example that was extensively restored 25 years ago and has covered a mere 500 miles since.
The 300 Sc was the epitome of luxury in the mid-1950s and more expensive than the 300SL. Furthermore, with only 200 examples of the range-topping fuel-injected Sc model produced, of which only 53 were in the most desirable Roadster configuration, these cars are far more exclusive than the SL Gullwing or Roadster.
The model record is $1,100,000 paid for a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sc sold by RM Auctions at Amelia Island 2015. Further assaults at the million-dollar mark have failed but a few good results were achieved at recent auctions, so it is probably not surprising that RM Sotheby’s will offer another one of the 53 at the Arizona 2021 sale a day after the Bonhams auction.
Further Top Results at Bonhams Scottsdale 2021 Auction
Further highlights in the sale that in 2021 included only 37 collectors’ cars included:
A 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante, the very first of the 99 Zagato Volantes produced, sold for US$538,500.
A Alfa Romeo-based 6C 2300 Monza Replica, a recreation of the 1930s racing legend, which was four years in the making, sold for an above estimate US$406,500.
A Rünge RS010 sold for US$240,800. This one-off aluminum mid-engined sports racer was inspired by sports cars and aircraft of the 1950s.
A 1992 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione 1 – a well-preserved, low mileage example of this recognized modern classic, with desirable Martini 6 livery — sold for US$182,000.
A 1993 Land Rover Defender 110 NAS doubled its low estimate to sell for $123,200.
The two top cars failing to sell were:
A rare 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Cabriolet A, estimate upon request, failed to sell with a highest bid of $1.9 million.
A 1958 Porsche 356A 1600 T2 Speedster, estimate $475,000 – 550,000, failed to sell with the highest bid of $380,000.
Meanwhile, Bonhams New York’s Fine Motoring Mascot Online Auction concluded with a 100 percent sell-through rate and a total exceeding the pre-sale estimate by 25 percent. The top lot, a 1920s nickel-plated bronze ‘A girl in a Cape’ mascot achieved US$5,100, ten times its pre-sale estimate.
The Bonhams US motors team is now actively consigning for The Amelia Island Auction which has been rescheduled to May 20, 2021, in line with the deferred Amelia Island Concours d’Elégance. A 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was recently announced for this sale.
The Bonhams motor sales will continue in Europe with the London Legends of the Road sale in February and the Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris Sale in March.
Scottsdale and Arizona Car Auctions 2021
Scottsdale & Arizona Auctions 2021
Many auction houses have sales (live, online, or a combination) during the annual Scottsdale week in mid-January (and end March 2021), including amongst others:
- Barett-Jackson: Postponed until the week of 22 March 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona — live auction.
- Bonhams: 21 January 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona — live auction.
- Gooding & Company: 22 January 2021 — online only.
- RM Sotheby’s: 22 January 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona — live auction.
- Russo and Steele: 23 January 2021 in Scottsdale, live but private event with restricted admission.
- Worldwide Auctioneers: 23 January 2021 in Auburn, Indiana (but keeping the Scottsdale auction name!)
Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2021 — Auction Results
- Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale March 2021 Auction Results
- Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale March 2021 Charity Lots Auction Results
- 2021 Scottsdale, Arizona, January Auctions Results Overview
- Bonhams Scottsdale 2021 Auction Results
- Gooding Scottsdale 2021 Auction Results
- RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2021 Auction Results
Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2021 — Auction Previews
Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2021 — Pre-Auction Announcements:
- Barrett-Jackson: Carroll Shelby’s Personal Cobra 427 Super Snake
- Barrett-Jackson: Reschedule Announcement
- Barrett-Jackson: First Cars Announced
- Bonhams: Early Highlights
- Gooding: Ferrari 275 GTB
- RM Sotheby’s: Early Highlights
Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2020 – Auction Results
