A 1932 Chrysler CG Imperial Custom Roadster topped the results at a new marque record $1,600,000 at the 2023 Gooding Mark Smith Estate auction in Virginia, USA.
The top result in the Gooding Estate of Mark Smith auction 2023 in Virginia was for what is now the most-expensive Chrysler ever sold — $1,600,000 was paid for the unique 1932 Chrysler CG Imperial Custom Roadster. The second-highest result was for a rare 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Offener Tourenwagen, which sold for $857,500. The third-most expensive car also set a new marque record when the 1935 Brewster Coupe Roadster achieved $577,000.
Gooding’s Mark Smith Estate Auction in Virginia, USA
Gooding & Company concluded its Estate of Mark Smith Auction on 7 April 2023 in Lynchburg, Virginia, achieving a 100% sell-through rate and realizing $8,857,040 in total sales. The auction featured 86 personal belongings from the Estate of the late Mark J. Smith, all offered without reserve, and took place at Midland Motors in downtown Lynchburg, a former Chrysler dealership turned into a showcase and museum. The unique and memorable setting for the auction, along with the careful curation and attention lent to the automobiles which Mark prized so greatly, paid homage to the legacy of the respected American collector.
Top Five Results at the Gooding Mark Smith Estate Sale in Virginia
The top five results achieved in the Gooding Estate of Mark Smith classic car auction in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 2023 were:
- Lot 27 – 1932 Chrysler CG Imperial Custom Roadster, sold for $1,600,000
- Lot 36 – 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Offener Tourenwagen, sold for $857,500
- Lot 32 – 1935 Brewster Coupe Roadster, sold for $577,000
- Lot 29 – 1907 Ford Model K Touring, sold for $379,000
- Lot 59 – 1907 White Model G ‘Roi des Belges’ Touring, sold for $324,00
New World Auction Records at Mark Smith Estate Sale in 2023
Three notably auction world records were set at the Gooding Estate of Mark Smith classic car auction in Lynchburg, Virginia, in April 2023:
- Lot 27 – 1932 Chrysler CG Imperial Custom Roadster, sold for $1,600,000 (a world record for the marque)
- Lot 32 – 1935 Brewster Coupe Roadster, sold for $577,000 (a world record for the marque)
- Lot 59 – 1907 White Model G ‘Roi des Belges’ Touring, sold for $324,000 (a world record for a steam-powered White)
Top Car Results at the Gooding Virginia Auction 2023
The top result in the Gooding Estate of Mark Smith auction in Virginia was undoubtedly one of the greatest Chrysler automobiles in existence, the bespoke, one-off 1932 Chrysler CG Imperial Custom Roadster carefully preserved in largely original condition and donning distinctive period modifications. This beautiful Classic Era automobile sold for $1,600,000, setting a new world brand record at auction for the Chrysler marque. The previous most expensive Chrysler was probably the 1933 Chrysler CL Imperial Dual-Windshield Phaeton Ralph Roberts by LeBaron that sold for $1,300,000 at RM Sotheby’s Arizona in 2017.
The second-highest sale of the day was the 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Offener Tourenwagen, which sold for $857,500. This historic 500 K, which survived WWII, is one of only five known examples of this particular style to still exist today.
Several other notable selections from the Estate made world auction history, including the 1935 Brewster Coupe Roadster, which drew the attention of an incredible number of phone bidders that ramped up the final price to an unprecedented $577,000. This sale set a new world record for the rare American marque, with the sale price nearly quadrupling its pre-auction high estimate!
The 1907 White Model G ‘Roi des Belges’ Touring also set a new world auction record for the most valuable steam-powered White automobile when it sold for $324,000.
Additional significant results included several important American models. The 1930 Lincoln Model L Sport Roadster sold for a near-record $246,400, the ex-Henry Austin Clark 1907 Ford Model K Touring achieved $379,000, and the 1953 Mercury Monterey Convertible brought in $89,600, all figures well above the pre-auction estimates.
Prices were all over the place in the auction, as values were hard to estimate given not only the rarity of the models but also as all cars were on stationary display and may require significant further expense to return to a roadworthy condition. While the Mercedes-Benz sold for almost $400,000 below the lower estimate, the Chrysler sold for a similar amount above the upper estimate. The Brewster Coupe sold for over five times the lower estimate and nearly four times the upper estimate. Similar wide variations also occurred at the lower end of the price scale so a few bargains were probably picked up while others might have paid over the odds.
