RM Sotheby’s announced two further Le Mans 24 Hours race participants for the Monterey 2021 sale: a 1983 Porsche 956 Group C and a 1981 Ferrari 512 BB/LM will join the previously announced 1970 Porsche 917K Coupe.
The 1970 Porsche 917K Coupe in Gulf livery is likely to be the star car at the various Monterey motoring week auctions in mid-August 2021 but for the smaller budget RM Sotheby’s announced two further iconic Le Mans and enduring racing legends for its Monterey sale: the 1983 Porsche 956 Group C, estimate $4,500,000 – $6,000,000, is the only 956 with a victory on American soil while the 1981 Ferrari 512 BB/LM, estimate $3,000,000 – $3,500,000, ran third overall for the N.A.R.T. team before retiring at Le Mans. In contrast, the 1970 Porche 917 K Coupe, of which racing footage featured heavily in the Steve McQueen Le Mans movies, is expecting to sell for a marque record $16,000,000 — $18,500,000.
RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2021 Classic Car Auction
RM Sotheby’s flagship Monterey classic car auction during the annual Monterey / Pebble Beach motoring week in mid-August will be extended to three days in 2021 with auctions on 12, 13 & 14 August 2021 at the Monterey Conference Center in California, USA. A regular live auction with bidders at the venue in addition to telephone and internet bidding.
The Monterey sale is traditionally the most important car auction of the year. 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 auction, a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, and in 2017 $133 million.
RM Sotheby’s three-day Monterey 2016 auction remains the highest-grossing classic car auction ever with $173 million earned and 35 million-dollar cars sold.
Le Mans Racing Cars at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2021 Sale
At least three racing cars with Le Mans participating history will be on offer in the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2021 classic car auction. The most exciting of these endurance race cars is the previously announced 1970 Porsche 917K Coupe. Footage of this 917K racing in the Le Mans 24 Hours rage featured heavily in the Steve McQueen Le Mans movie. The current Porsche marque record is $14,080,000 paid at Gooding Pebble Beach 2017 for a 1970 Porsche 917K used as a camera car in the Le Mans movie.
1983 Porsche 956 Group C
The Porsche 956 is for many the definitive group C racing car, and the 1983 Porsche 956 Group C, chassis no. 956 110, is certainly one of the most significant and original examples to survive. It is offered at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2021 auction with a presale estimate of $4,500,000 – $6,000,000.
This race car was one of nine prepared by the Porsche factory for privateer racing in the World Endurance Championship and Le Mans. It was driven by David Hobbs, Derek Warwick, Dieter Quester, and John Fitzpatrick. Furthermore, it was one of just two privateer-delivered 956 cars to beat the Rothmans Porsche factory team 956s: it scored podium place finishes at Imola, Mosport, Silverstone, and an outright victory at the Brands Hatch 1,000 KM, as well as securing first place at Road America Can-Am and contesting Le Mans.
Chassis no. 956 110 is also the only 956 that can claim a victory on American soil, partly by being the sole example to race in the United States in-period.
Two IMSA racing Porsches will be on offer at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2021 sale: the Interscope Racing 1980 Porsche 935 K3 (Estimate: $2,500,000 – $3,000,000) and a Brumos Racing 1977 Porsche 934/5 (Estimate: $1,300,000 – $1,600,000).
1981 Ferrari 512 BB/LM
A further racing car with Le Mans participating history is the 1981 Ferrari 512 BB/LM chassis no. 35527, (Estimate: $3,000,000 – $3,500,000). This competition great from Maranello was campaigned by Luigi Chinetti’s N.A.R.T. team in the 1981 Le Mans 24hrs race where it was driven by John Morton, Alain Cudini, and Philippe Gurdjian. It ran 3rd overall before retiring, at the fastest pace achieved by any BB/LM at Le Mans.
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