The top ten most-expensive cars on offer at the Monterey 2018 auctions are seven Ferraris, an Aston Martin, a Duesenberg and a Ford.
After a two-year break, a Ferrari is again likely to be the most-expensive car sold at the annual Monterey Week classic car auctions in August 2018. The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, estimate $45,000,000 to $60,000,000, on offer at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018 is likely to become the most-expensive car ever sold at public auction. The 1963 Aston Martin DP215 Grand Touring Competition Prototype, estimate $18,000,000 to $22,000,000, offered in the same auction is likely to fetch the second highest price. The top cars on offer at Gooding Pebble Beach 2018 are the fabulous 1935 Duesenberg SSJ originally delivered to Gary Cooper and a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C. The lead car for the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018 auction is a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta. The ten most-expensive cars on offer at the Monterey 2018 classic car auction could sell for a combined $150 million.
Top Ten Cars at Monterey 2018
The ten cars likely to achieve the highest results at the various Monterey Week 2018 auctions are:
| Year | Car | Estimate | |
| 1 | 1962 | Ferrari 250 GTO | 45,000,000 – 60,000,000 |
| 2 | 1963 | Aston Martin DP215 Grand Touring Competition Prototype | 18,000,000 – 22,000,000 |
| 3 | 1935 | Duesenberg SSJ | Upon request |
| 4 | 1966 | Ferrari 275 GTB/C | 12,000,000 – 14,000,000 |
| 5 | 1960 | Ferarri 250 GT SWB Alloy Berlinetta Competizione | 9,500,000 – 12,500,000 |
| 6 | 1962 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta | Refer to department |
| 7 | 1966 | Ford GT40 Mk II | 9,000,000 – 12,000,000 |
| 8 | 1953 | Ferrari 250 MM Berlinetta | 7,500,000 – 9,000,000 |
| 9 | 1958 | Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta | 6,500,000 – 7,500,000 |
| 10 | 1950 | Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans | 6,500,000 – 7,500,000 |
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3414, estimate $45,000,000 to $60,000,000, is by far the most-expensive car on offer at the Monterey Week 2018 classic car auctions. If it sells, it will become the most-expensive car ever sold at public auction – it is hard to imagine that the reserve margin could be below the $38,115,000 paid at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2014 auction for the current record holder – a 1962-3 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3851 GT.
This 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3413 GT, was the third of only 36 built and one of only four to have been upgraded in period by Scaglietti with Series II GTO/64 coachwork.
The Ferrari 250 GTO had a successful in-period racing history that contributed to Ferrari’s victory in the 1964 International Championship for GT Manufacturers. It was raced to 15 class and overall wins during the 1962 to 1965 season.
1963 Aston Martin DP215 Grand Touring Competition Prototype
The 1963 Aston Martin DP215 Grand Touring Competition Prototype, chassis DP215, estimate $18,000,000 to $22,000,000, was the works entry for the 1963 Le Mans Prototype Class and the final racing car built by Aston Martin in the period.
The DP215 was phenomenally fast: it was the first car to break the 300 km/h barrier at Le Mans with Phil Hill behind the steering wheel. It lapped the Le Mans circuit 6 seconds faster than the Ferrari 330 LMB and a full 12 seconds faster than the Ferrari 250 GTO. However, this all came to nothing when the gearbox failed after two hours.
1935 Duesenberg SSJ
The headline car for the Gooding Pebble Beach 2018 sale is the 1935 Duesenberg SSJ originally delivered to Gary Cooper. No presale estimate has been released but at the original announcement “in excess of $10 million” was mentioned. The current marque record is $10,340,000 achieved for a 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2011 sale.
The 1935 Duesenberg SSJ, chassis J-563, is one of only two Duesenberg SSJ models ever built. It was originally delivered to Gary Cooper while chassis J-564 went to Clark Gabe in a planned publicity stunt.
The car had various subsequent owners but since 1949 only two: famed racing driver Briggs Swift Cunningham and equally famous car collector Miles Collier. The Duesenberg is highly original, as could be expected for such a car that spent most of its life on display and with only 20,000 miles on the clock.
1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C
The 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C, chassis 09063, estimate $12,000,000 to $14,000,000, is the car with the highest presale estimate in the Gooding Pebble Beach 2018 sale.
The 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C is one of 12 competition cars built by Ferrari for the 1966 season. It was originally owned and raced by Mexican racing driver Pedro Rodriguez but subsequently belonged to Luigi Chinetti Motors that entered it into the 24 Hours of Daytona as a NART entry in 1967 and 1970 but if failed to finish on both occasions.
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Alloy Berlinetta Competizione
The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Alloy Berlinetta Competizione, chassis 2163 GT, is one of 42 alloy-bodies cars completed in 1960. The car was not raced in period and retained its original gearbox but a period correct Tipo 168 engine was fitted in the 1970s. The car was refurbished in 2016 and returned to the original factory rosso chiaro paint scheme. The bodywork and chassis are in a very good state of preservation as the lack of in-period racing contributed to its accident free record.
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
The most-expensive car on offer at the Bonhams sale during Monterey Week 2018 is a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, chassis 3337 GT. It is a superbly restored matching-numbers example. This Ferrari is a multiple awards winning vehicle including a perfect 100 points at the FCA’s international meeting in Monterey in 2015, best in the “Great Ferraris” class at Quail Lodge in 2015 and second in class at Pebble Beach in 2017.
1966 Ford GT 40 Mk II
The 1966 Ford GT 40 Mk II, chassis P/1016, finished the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours race in third overall driven by Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson (behind two Shelby American GT40s. It was the fourth of eight Mark II examples built and was the Holman-Moody / FoMoCo team car for 1966 to 1967. It could become only the second Ford to reach $10 million at auction and even if it just fails, it is likely to be second most-expensive Ford ever after the 1968 Ford GT40 Lightweight that sold for $11 million at the RM Auctions Monterey 2012 sale.
1953 Ferrari 250 MM Berlinetta
The 1953 Ferrari 250 MM Berlinetta, chassis 0244 MM, estimate $7,500,000 – 9,000,000, on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018 classic car auction was the 15th of 18 built by Pinin Farina out of 31 cars built in total on the 250 MM chassis.
The Ferrari 250 MM was extensively raced in period in especially Scandinavia. It spent two decades in the Pierre Bardinon collection during which period it was restored to its original factory specification.
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta
The 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta, chassis 0905 GT, estimate $6,500,000 to $7,500,000, was the fifth of 36 single-louver examples built. It is presented in its original stunning dark grey metallic livery.
The car had a limited in-period racing history including a DNF at the Targa Glorio and a third in class at the Trieste-Opicina Hillclimb in 1958.
Since 1966, Fred Peters owned this Tour de France. He frequently exhibited the car and had it completely returned to its factory appearance in 2014.
1950 Ferrari 166 MM / 195 S Le Mans
The 1950 Ferrari 166 MM / 195 S Berlinetta Le Mans, chassis 0060 M, estimate $6,500,000 to $7,500,000, is one of just six touring berlinettas built on the 166 MM chassis.
The Berlinetta was the display car at the Paris Salon in 1950 before Brigg Cunningham took ownership. He had the car upgraded to 195 S specification before racing it with success in the America for three years.
More on Monterey Week 2018 Auctions
Monterey 2018 Auction Results
- List of the 69 Cars Sold for at Least a Million Dollar at Monterey 2018 (and 47 unsuccessful million-dollar highest bids).
- 2018 RM Sotheby’s Monterey Sale Auction Results
- 2018 Mecum Monterey Sale Auction results
- 2018 Gooding Pebble Beach Sale (Auction Results)
- 2018 Bonhams Quail Lodge Sale (Auction Results)
- 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – Most-Expensive Car Ever Sold at Public Auction
- 1935 Duesenberg SSJ – Most-Expensive American and Most-Valuable Pre-War Car Ever Sold at Public Auction
Auction Previews:
- 2018 Bonhams Quail Lodge Sale (Auction Preview)
- 2018 Gooding Pebble Beach Sale (Auction Preview)
- 2018 RM Sotheby’s Monterey Sale (Auction Preview)
- 2018 Mecum Monterey Sale (Auction Preview)
Pre-Sale Announcements
Bonhams Quail Lodge 2018:
- Golden Age Automobiles: 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport, 1931 Bentley 8-Liter Saloon and 1911 Mercedes 28/60 Tourer
- 1928 “W.O. Model” Bentleys: 6 ½ -Liter Open Sports Tourer by Barker & 4 ½-Liter Open Tourer by Vanden Plas
- 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
Gooding Pebble Beach 2018:
- 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series II: the only Ferrari factory team entry not to have raced in red!
- Unrestored Icons – the first production Bentley R-Type Continental, a Gullwing and garage-find Ferrari Lusso.
- Competition Ferrari Berlinettas: a 275 GTB/C, a 250 GT Tour de France, and a 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans.
- 1935 Duesenberg SSJ – ex-Gary Cooper, ex-Briggs Cunningham
- Porsche Spyders – including a one-off 911 by Bertone.
- Coach-Built Italian Cars – Maserati A6GS/53 Spider, A6G/54 Berlinetta, Ferrari 330 GTC Special, Dino Berlinetta GT Prototype.
Mecum Monterey 2018:
RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2018:
- Pebble Beach Winners – 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Convertible Victoria by Dietrich & 1927 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A S Roadster by Fleetwood
- 1956 Maserati A6G/2000 Zagato Berlinetta
- 1968 Porsche 908 K Works Racer
- 1966 Ford GT40 – third place at Le Mans
- 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – expected to become the most-expensive car ever sold at public auction
- 1963 Aston Martin DP215 Grand Touring Competition Prototype – possibly the most-expensive Aston ever.
- Top Ferraris – 12 of 29 on offer have estimates above a million dollar.
- German racing cars: Mercedes Benz AMG CLK GTR & Porsche 550A