A 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider sold for $9,905,000 as the top result at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 classic car auction.
The top four results at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 sale during Monterey week were all for Ferraris: a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider sold for $9,905,000; a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet sold for $6,800,000; Niki Lauda’s championship winning 1975 Ferrari 312T Formula 1 racing car sold for $6,000,000; while a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta achieved $5,100,000. Gooding sold 17 cars for more than a million dollar each at Pebble Beach 2019.
Gooding Pebble Beach Classic Car Auction 2019
Gooding and Company scheduled its 16th annual Pebble Beach classic car auction for 16 & 17 August 2019 at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center on the Monterey Peninsula in California, USA.
In 2019, Gooding earned $76,824,740 with a sell-through rate of 77% – 108 of 140 lots offered were sold. The average price was $711,340 per car with 17 cars sold for over a million dollar each.
In 2018, Gooding earned $116.5 million with an 84% sell-through rate with 123 of the 147 lots sold. The average price per car was $947,174 with 25 cars selling for above a million dollar and 23 world auction records set for models, including a new Duesenberg marque record.
In 2017, Gooding earned $91.5 million with sell-through rate of 81% – 110 of the 135 lots on offer sold. 22 cars achieved a million dollar with two of these over $10 million. A new marque record of $14,080,000 was set by a 1970 Porsche 917K that was used in the filming of Steve McQueen’s Le Mans.
In 2016, Gooding set a company record when $129.8 million was earned by selling 115 of 138 lots (83%). 26 cars achieved over a million dollar with four selling for over $10 million.
Million-Dollar-Plus Cars at Gooding Pebble Beach 2019
The following 17 cars sold for more than a million dollar at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 classic car auction during Monterey Week:
| Year | Car | Price ($) | Estimate | |
| 1 | 1958 | Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider | 9,905,000 | 11,000,000 – 13,000,000 |
| 2 | 1958 | Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet | 6,800,000 | 7,000,000 – 8,000,000 |
| 3 | 1975 | Ferrari 312T | 6,000,000 | 6,000,000 – 7,000,000 |
| 4 | 1958 | Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta | 5,100,000 | 5,500,000 – 6,000,000 |
| 5 | 1961 | Aston Martin DB4 GT | 3,600,000 | 4,000,000 – 4,500,000 |
| 6 | 1939 | Alfa Romeo Tipo 256 Coupe | 2,755,000 | 2,750,000 – 3,500,000 |
| 7 | 1913 | Isotta Fraschi Tipo IM | 2,645,000 | 3,000,000 – 4,000,000 |
| 8 | 1930 | Duesenberg Model J Sport Berline | 2,040,000 | 2,000,000 – 2,500,000 |
| 9 | 1967 | Ferrari 330 GTS | 1,765,000 | 2,000,000 – 2,400,000 |
| 10 | 1993 | Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8 | 1,710,000 | 1,600,000 – 2,000,000 |
| 11 | 1952 | Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe | 1,600,000 | 1,700,000 – 2,000,000 |
| 12 | 1965 | Ferrari 275 GTB | 1,572,500 | 1,500,000 – 1,800,000 |
| 13 | 1955 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,435,000 | 1,300,000 – 1,600,000 |
| 14 | 1936 | Bugatti Type 57 Atalante | 1,325,000 | 1,750,000 – 2,250,000 |
| 15 | 1941 | Mercedes Benz 540 K Cabriolet A | 1,297,500 | 1,500,000 – 2,200,000 |
| 16 | 1977 | Porsche 934/S | 1,187,500 | 1,200,000 – 1,500,000 |
| 17 | 1931 | Studebaker Special Indy Car | 1,105,000 | 500,000 – 750,000 |
Top Results at Gooding Pebble Beach Sale 2019
The top two results at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 classic car auction were as expected for two very special open-roof Ferraris:
The highest price paid for a car at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 sale was $9,905,000 for a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider. The car just missed the $10 million mark and although selling for well below estimate, was still the second highest result achieved at all the Monterey 2019 collector car auctions. The car was only the 11th of 50 first series California Spiders LWB built. It was lightly raced in the early 1960s in SCCA events to class victories.
Although more expensive originally than the presently more lauded California Spiders, the 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet sold for a more affordable $6,800,000. Only 40 were ever produced with Pinin Farina bodywork. This one was the 13th built and one of only five with factory fitted side vents. The car is currently finished in black lacquer over olive green and was offered for sale for the first time in two decades.
The third highest result at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 sale was for a 1975 Ferrari 312T Formula 1 Single-Seat racing car that achieved $6,000,000. Niki Lauda drove this car in five Grand Prix races en route to his first driver’s world championship in 1975. He places the car on pole in all five races and drove it to victory in the French Grand Prix and to podium finishes in the Dutch and German races.
This was the first time ever that a 312T was sold at public auction with the result between the modern F1 auction record $7.5 million paid for Michael Schumacher’s Grand Prix-winning 2001 Ferrari F2001 at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Auction in New York in 2017 and the $5 million paid at the Bonhams Monaco 2018 sale for the 1993 McLaren MP4 that Ayrton Senna drove to his record sixth Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix victory. (A further Schumacher championship-winning Ferrari – an F2002 – is on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi 2019 sale.)
Gooding’s fourth best result was also for a car from Maranello, a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta that sold for $5,100,000. It is one of 78 examples produced but the fourth of only 36 single-louver versions. The car originally belonged to Swedish racing drivers.
The top result at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 sale also included to noteable marque world records for early Indy 500 participants:
A 1913 Isotta Frachi Tipo IM sold for $2,645,000. This Tipo IM, one of only two in existence, was part of a team of racing cars that participated in the Indianapolis 500 in 1913 and 1914.
The 1931 Studebaker Special Indy Car – a three-time Indy 500 entrant and winner of the 1931 Pikes Peak Hill Climb – sold for $1,105,000. This result was more than double lower presale estimate.
Top Cars Not Sold at Gooding Pebble Beach 2019
Despite the highest sell-through rate of any auctioneer during the Monterey 2019 classic car auction series, Gooding also failed to sell several high end cars. Gooding brought 40 cars to the auction with pre-sale upper estimates of a million dollar. The following failed to sell during the auction with highest bids as reported by Hagerty:
| Year | Car | Highest Bid ($) | Estimate |
| 1953 | Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM Superflow IV | HB 4,300,000 | 6,000,000 – 8,000,000 |
| 1965 | Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy | HB 2,500,000 | 3,500,000 – 4,000,000 |
| 2014 | Ferrari LaFerrari | HB 2,500,000 | 2,800,000 – 3,200,000 |
| 1997 | Ferrari F50 | HB 2,400,000 | 2,800,000 – 3,200,000 |
| 1962 | Ferrari 400 Superamerica Series I Coupe Aerodinamico | HB 2,300,000 | 2,800,000 – 3,400,000 |
| 2014 | Ferrari Sergio | HB 1,900,000 | 2,500,000 – 3,000,000 |
| 1988 | Porsche 959 Sport | HB 1,700,000 | 2,000,000 – 2,400,000 |
| 2015 | Aston Martin Vulcan | HB 1,600,000 | 2,000,000 – 2,500,000 |
| 1955 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing | HB 1,300,000 | 1,500,000 – 1,800,000 |
| 1990 | Ferrari F40 | HB 1,100,000 | 1,200,000 – 1,400,000 |
| 2019 | McLaren Senna | HB 1,100,000 | 1,400,000 – 1,600,000 |
| 1989 | Jaguar XJR-10 | HB 950,000 | 1,500,000 – 2,000,000 |
| 1925 | Renault 40 CV Torpedo Skiff | HB 830,000 | 900,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 1955 | Alfa Romeo 1900C SS Coupe | HB 820,000 | 1,000,000 – 1,300,000 |
| 1958 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster | HB 800,000 | 1,000,000 – 1,250,000 |
| 1928 | Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Sports Tourer | HB 800,000 | 1,000,000 – 1,300,000 |
| 1939 | Lagonda V-12 Rapide Drophead Coupe | HB 700,000 | 900,000 – 1,200,000 |
| 1959 | Lister-Jaguar Sports Racer | HB 680,000 | 1,000,000 – 1,400,000 |
| 1936 | Mercedes Benz 500 K Cabriolet C | HB 620,000 | 800,000 – 1,000,000 |
The spread between the reported highest bids and presale lower estimates were in most cases fairly vast showing a marked difference between buyers and sellers expectations – the opportunities for deals were limited with very few cars listed as still available after the auction seeming to find buyers post-hammer.
Modern supercars, such as the F40, F50 and LaFerrari, which were often the money makers at recent auctions failed to sell both at Gooding and many other Monterey 2019 auctions. The failure of the 2019 McLaren Senna to be flipped for a quick profit both at Gooding and RM Sotheby’s is particularly heartening.
Although Gooding achieved the highest 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing result of the three that sold during the week, the better Gullwing on offer failed to sell. Also no 300 SL Roadster sold for more than a million during Monterey 2019 – a year or two ago the easier-to-enjoy Roadsters usually achieved higher results than the more iconic Gullwings.
Monterey Week 2019 Car Auctions News
Auction Results
- Bonhams Quail Lodge 2019 Auction Results
- Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 Auction Results
- RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2019 Auction Results
Auction Previews:
- Bonhams Quail Lodge 2019 Auction Preview
- Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 Auction Preview
- RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2019 Auction Preview
Pre-Sale Auction Announcements:
- RM Sotheby’s: 1939 Porsche Type 64
- RM Sotheby’s: McLaren F1 LM-Specification
- RM Sotheby’s: Top Ferraris (incl. LWB California Spider & 196 SP)
- RM Sotheby’s: Aston Martin DB3S
- RM Sotheby’s: James Bond Aston Martin DB5
- RM Sotheby’s: Low-Mileage Hypercars (incl. an FXX)
- RM Sotheby’s: Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype
- RM Sotheby’s: Works 1954 Maserati A6GCS
- RM Sotheby’s: 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
- Gooding: Pre-War Classics (incl. 1913 Isotta Fraschini)
- Gooding: 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta
- Gooding: Niki Lauda’s 1975 Ferrari 312T F1 Racing Car
- Gooding: Four Pininfarina Coachbuilt Cars
- Gooding: Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider
- Bonhams: Classic Pre-War Bentleys