2019 Bonhams Quail Lodge Sale (Auction Preview)

A 1959 Porsche 718 RSK and a 1951 Ferrari 340 America Coupe Speciale are the lead cars for the Bonhams Quail Lodge sale during Monterey Week 2019.

The top car on offer a the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2019 sale is a rare 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center-Seat Spyder that was successfully raced in period in Africa, Europe and South America. A high result is also expected for the 1951 Ferrari 340 America Coupe Speciale with unique coachwork by Vignale. Other top cars includes a rare 1937 Delahaye 135M Competition Court Roadster and a 1931 Bentley 4½ Liter Supercharged Birkin Le Mans Replica. Bonhams hopes to achieve million-dollar results on 16 cars during Monterey Week 2019.

Bonhams Quail Lodge 2019 Sale

Bonhams Quail Lodge 2019 classic car auction: 15 & 16 August 2019 in Carmel during the Monterey Motor Week in California, USA.

In 2019, Bonhams earned $32 million with a sell-through rate of 76% of the 217 cars on offer.

In 2018, Bonhams earned $37.7 million with a sell-through rate of 82% with 110 of 135 lots sold. Ten cars sold for over a million dollar each. The average sale price was $343,694.

At the 2017 Quail Lodge auction, Bonhams earned $56,430,000 with a sell-through rate of 80% of the 105 cars on offer. The average sale price was $641,685. The top result was a marque-record $15,620,000 for a 1995 McLaren F1 sports car.

Million-Dollar Cars at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2019

The following 16 cars are on offer with upper estimates exceeding a million dollar at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2019 classic car auction:

	Year	Car	Estimate ($)
1	1959	Porsche 718 RSK Center-Seat Spyder	Refer to department
2	1951	Ferrari 340 America Coupe Speciale	Refer to department
3	1937	Delahaye 135M Competition Court Roadster	3,250,000 – 3,750,000
4	1931	Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Supercharged Birkin Le Mans Replica	2,750,000 – 3,750,000
5	1965	Shelby / De Tomaso P70 Can-Am Sports Racer	2,000,000 – 3,000,000
6	1932	Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster	1,800,000 – 2,400,000
7	1953	Fiat 8V Supersonic by Ghia	1,750,000 – 1,950,000
8	2015	Porsche 918 Weissach Spyder	1,600,000 – 1,900,000
9	1955	Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing	1,350,000 – 1,550,000
10	1965	Shelby 427 Cobra	1,275,000 – 1,475,000
11	2017	Ford GT ’66 Heritage Series	1,250,000 – 1,900,000
12	1989	Ferrari F40	1,200,000 – 1,500,000
13	1965	Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon	1,000,000 – 1,300,000
14	1965	Iso Grifo A3 Competizione	1,000,000 – 1,300,000
15	1930	Bentley Speed Six Le Mans Replica Tourer	1,000,000 – 1,300,000
16	2017	Ferrari F12TdF	975,000 – 1,100,000

1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center-Seat Spyder

The 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center-Seat Spyder, chassis 718-028, estimate: “Refer to Department”, is the catalogue cover car for the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2019 sale. Porsche produced around 35 RSK Spiders – a Works racer is offered at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2019 – but only six are believed to be center-seat versions with the car on offer one of four adaptable to either use central or off-set steering.

This 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center-Seat Spyder was originally raced by Belgian driver Christian Goethals. In its first race, the 718 RSK outraced amongst other an ex-Works Jaguar D-Type, a Ferrari 250 TR and a Aston Martin DB3S to take overall victory in the Leopoldville sports cars Grand Prix in 1959.

The 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center-Seat Spyder was also successfully raced in Europe, Angola and Argentina but disappeared from public view for three decades. It was rediscovered in the 1990s and now restored is a highly original example with its original engine, drivetrain and coachwork by Wendler.

Porsche 718 RSK cars are rare and the few that were offered at public auction in recent years sold for between $2,750,00 and the $3,740,000 that Gooding achieved at Pebble Beach 2018. Bonhams probably hopes for slightly more but perhaps not as much as the $5.750,000 to $$7,750,000 that RM Sotheby’s estimates for a 1960 Porsche 718 RS 60 Werks racer.

1951 Ferrari 340 America Coupe Speciale

Bonhams has also failed to provide a presale estimate for the 1951 Ferrari 340 America Coupe Speciale, chassis 0132A, that retained its original unique Vignale coachwork and matching numbers engine. Only five 340 America Coupes were fitted with Vignale coachwork – each with unique features.

The 1951 Ferrari 340 America Coupe Speciale is sold from five decades of single-family ownership but will require some restoration work to bring it back on the road.

1937 Delahaye 135 M Competition Court Roadster

The 1937 Delahaye 135 M Competition Court Roadster, estimate $3,250,000 – $3,750,000, is one of only around 30 special order versions built of which few are believed to have survived. It features its original chassis, engine and coachwork by Guillore. The beautifully restored car won the People’s Choice award at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance in 2017.

It is the first time ever that the car is offered at public auction and similar models a rarely offered for sale. The last Delahaye Competition Roadster sold at auction wore extravagant Court Torpedo Roadster coachwork by Figoni et Falaschi and achieved a marque-record $6,600,000 at the RM Auctions Amelia Island 2014 sale.

1931 Bentley 4½ Liter Supercharged Birkin Le Mans Replica

Several classic Bentleys will be on offer at the various Monterey Week 2019 classic car auctions but the best one is arguably the 1931 Bentley 4½ Liter Supercharged Birkin Le Mans Replica, chassis MS3942, with coachwork in the style of Vanden Plas at Bonhams Quail Lodge. Here “replica” is in no way negative – it is not a later copy but rather one of 50 special versions produced by Bentley with specification similar to the 1928 Le Mans-winning Bentley.

One of the three original Le Mans cars – chassis MS3944 – sold for $4,647,500 at the Bonhams Quail Lodge 2013 sale.

See also Bonhams Quail Lodge 2019 Bentleys Announcement for more this and other classic Bentleys on offer.