RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023 classic car auction will offer over 200 cars for sale, half are without reserve, 57 are Ferraris, and 59 cars have lower estimates exceeding a million dollars.
Over 200 cars are on offer at the RM Sotbeby’s Monterey 2023 classic car auction. A remarkable 59 have lower estimates exceeding a million dollar, of which eight are expected to sell for at least $5 million. The most expensive cars on offer are the 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, 1957 Jaguar XKSS, and 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider.
RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023 Classic Car Auction
RM Sotheby’s flagship Monterey classic car auction during the annual Monterey / Pebble Beach motoring week: 17 to 19 August 2023 at the Monterey Conference Center in California, USA.
The Monterey sale is traditionally the most important car auction of the year:
- In 2023, RM Sotheby’s achieved $164 million with an 86% sell-through rate and selling 45 million-dollar cars.
- In 2022, RM Sotheby’s set a new auction total record of $239,258,340 selling 52 cars for over a million dollar and a 95% sell-through rate.
- In 2021, RM Sotheby’s earned $148.5 million at Monterey selling 43 cars for over a million dollar and an impressive 90% sell-through rate.
- RM Sotheby’s earned $30,412,810 from the Shift / Monterey 2020 online-only sale.
- In 2019, RM Sotheby’s earned $107 million, in 2018 $158 million (including $48,405,000 for the most expensive car ever sold at a Monterey auction, a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO), in 2017 $133 million, and in 2016 $173 million.
RM Sotheby’s Monterey Classic Car Auction 2023 by the Numbers
A summary of the cars on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023 sale confirms the wide range of cars at the auction and although half will be offered without a reserve, most will still be fairly expensive:
- 202 cars to be offered
- Cars span 96 years, from 1926 – 2022
- 45 different car makes are in the sale but
- 57 are Ferraris
- 104 cars offered without reserve
- 8 cars with a low estimate of $5M or higher
- 59 cars with a low estimate of $1M or higher
- 96 cars with a low estimate of $500K or higher
Top Ten Cars at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Car Auction 2023
The ten most expensive cars on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023 classic car auction in California, USA, are:
| Year | Car | Estimate | |
| 1 | 1964 | Ferrari 250 LM | 18,000,000 – 20,000,000 |
| 2 | 1957 | Jaguar XKSS | 12,000,000 – 14,000,000 |
| 3 | 1960 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider | 9,500,000 – 11,500,000 |
| 4 | 2001 | Ferrari 550 Maranello Prodrive | 8,000,000 – 9,500,000 |
| 5 | 1959 | Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series III | 5,750,000 – 6,750,000 |
| 6 | 1956 | Porsche 550A Prototype ‘Le Mans’ Werks Coupe | 5,500,000 – 7,500,000 |
| 7 | 1937 | Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer by Corsica | 5,500,000 – 7,000,000 |
| 8 | 1967 | Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (Steve McQueen) | 5,000,000 – 7,000,000 |
| 9 | 1955 | Jaguar D-Type | 4,500,000 – 5,500,000 |
| 10 | 1967 | Ferrari 275 GTB/4 ‘Del Rio’ | 4,000,000 – 5,000,000 |
Most-Expensive Cars on Sale at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023
Six of the ten most-expensive cars on offer at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023 are Ferraris:
Top Ferraris at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023
The most expensive car on offer in the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023 classic car auction is a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, chassis 6053. In contrast to the 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, chassis 5901, which sold in a special Artcurial auction in Paris in July 2023 for €15,771,200 ($17,164,664), the car on offer at Monterey has a successful in-period racing history. Chassis 5901 received an unaccepted highest bid of €20 million earlier in 2023, so RM Sotheby’s valuation for #6053 might be spot on. The 1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti has the highest published estimate of any car on offer at the 2023 Monterey Week car auctions although the 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta by Fantuzzi (estimate: Refer to Department) at the Bonhams Quail Lodge Sale 2023 is expected to sell for more.
The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider was the second of 56 short-wheelbase examples built. It was exhibited at the 1960 Turin motor show and holds the unique distinction of being the only Ferrari 250 GT California Spider (Long or Short Wheelbase) to have raced in the legendary Targa Florio.
The 2001 Ferrari 550 Maranello Prodrive is a five-time Le Mans 24 Hours participant. It is offered in its 2004 Le Mans livery, which saw team drivers Darren Turner, Rickard Rydell, and renowned World Rally Champion Colin McRae secure an impressive GTS class podium finish.
The 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series III by Pinin Farina was the fourth of 12 Series III examples built and one of only seven cars factory-equipped with covered headlights. The recently restored Ferrari was a Platinum Award-winner at the 2021 Cavallino Classic, class-winner at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, and best of show-winner at the 2023 Cavallino Modena and the 2023 Concours d’Elegance Suisse.
Steve McQueen’s 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 by Scaglietti has an estimate near double what a similar car without special provenance would sell for. It is offered from the estate of British collector David Moore, who paid $10,175,000 at the RM Auctions 2014 Monterey sale, and presumably priced to sell.
The 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 ‘Del Rio’ represents a rare factory configuration with a paint-to-sample finish making it one of the most significant road-going 275 examples in existence.
With 57 Ferraris on offer in the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023 classic car auction, it is not entirely surprising that six of the ten most expensive cars on offer in the sale are from Maranello. See also Top Ten Ferraris at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023 for more on the most-expensive Ferraris in the sale.
Other Top Cars on Offer at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023
Top-ten cars from other marques on sale in the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2023 classic car auction are:
The 1957 Jaguar XKSS, chassis 707, was one of the 16 cars Jaguar produced for street use on surplus D-Type chassis — for this car originally XKD 564. With an odometer reading of 25,535 miles, this remarkable 1957 Jaguar XKSS retains its originality and showcases its authenticity. The car proudly displays its original serial number plate, chassis number stamping, gearbox, engine block, head, and rear axle.
The 1956 Porsche 550A Prototype ‘Le Mans’ Werks Coupe was the last of four produced. It finished 1st in class and 5th overall at the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans as a Porsche Werks factory entry driven by Richard von Frankenberg and Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips.
The 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer by Corsica is one of only two 57S chassis originally provided with four-seat tourer bodies by Corsica. It was originally owned by Maurice Fox-Pitt Lubbock, who had to sell it when he became Vice-Chairman of Rolls-Royce in 1947. The car was bought at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2021 for $4.7 million and has been completely restored since with invoices totalling around $700,000 on file.
The 1955 Jaguar D-Type is one of 54 produced and raced in period at mostly US events. The consignor bought the D-Type in 2002 when sold at Amelia Island by Nicolas Cage, who reportedly previously displayed the car in his billiard room.
Monterey Week 2023 Classic Car Auctions
Top classic car auctioneers with sales during Monterey Week 2023 include Gooding (Pebble Beach), Bonhams (Quail Lodge), RM Sotheby’s, Broad Arrow, and Mecum.
Monterey Week 2023 Auction Results
- Top Ten Monterey Week Auction Results
- Bonhams: Quail Lodge Sale Results, 1967 Ferrari 412P
- Gooding: Pebble Beach Sale Results
- Mecum: Monterey Sale Results
- RM Sotheby’s: Monterey Sale Results, Lost & Found Ferrari Results
Monterey Week 2023 Auction Previews
Monterey Week 2023 Pre-Auction Announcements
- Bonhams: 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta
- Gooding: 1933 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster
- Gooding: Top Ten Ferraris (including a 250 GT SWB Berlinetta)
- Gooding: Top American Brass-Era Cars (including a Simplex and Mercer)
- RM Sotheby’s: Top Ten Ferraris (including a 250 LM and California Spider)
- RM Sotheby’s: The Lost and Found Collection of 20 Ferraris
- RM Sotheby’s: Steve McQeen’s 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4
- RM Sotheby’s: 1938 BMW 328 ‘Special Competition’ Roadster
Previous Monterey Week Auction Results