A 1953 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider and a 1954 Maserati A6G/2000 Spider by Frua are the leading cars for the Bonhams Scottsdale 2019 classic car auction in Arizona.
The leading car for the Bonhams Scottsdale 2019 classic car auction is a 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider finished in a magnificent blue rather than the more traditional Ferrari red. The 1952 Maserati A6G/2000 Spider is one of only three produced with coachwork by Frua on a shortened chassis. A 2018 Bugatti Chiron may become only the third of the model to sell at public auction. Further top cars on offer include an ex-Team Cunningham 1959 Lister Jaguar Sports Racer, a 1964 Porsche 906 GTS and a 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV. Bonhams will also offer a 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing but the more interesting car is the 1934 Mercedes Benz 500 K Four Passenger Tourer in right-hand drive with unique Mayfair coachwork.
Bonhams Scottsdale Classic Car Auction 2019
Bonhams scheduled its eighth annual Scottsdale, Arizona, sale on 17 January 2019 at the Westin Kierland Resort.
In 2019, Bonhams earned $16.1 million at Scottsdale from selling 107 of 120 lots on offer for a high 90% sell-through rate. Hagerty calculated an average sale price of $144,762.
In 2018, Bonhams earned $25.2 million at Scottsdale with 94 of 108 lots offered sold – a sell-through rate of 87% and an average price of $267,649 per car. In 2017, Bonhams earned $36 million from just over 100 cars with sell-through rate of 82%.
The top result at Bonhams Scottsdale 2018 was a new model-record $5,170,000 paid for a 1958 Porsche 550A Spyder that finished Le Mans fifth overall.
Million-Dollar Cars at Bonhams Scottsdale 2019
The following are the top cars with presale estimates exceeding a million dollar at the Bonhams Scottsdale 2019 classic car auction:
| – | Year | Car | Estimate |
| 1 | 1954 | Ferrari 500 Mondial Series I Spider | 5,000,000 – 6,000,000 |
| 2 | 1951 | Maserati A6G / 2000 Spider by Frua | 2,800,000 – 3,400,000 |
| 3 | 2018 | Bugatti Chiron | 2,800,000 – 3,300,000 |
| 4 | 1959 | Lister-Jaguar Sports Racer | 2,000,000 – 2,600,000 |
| 5 | 1971 | Lamborghini Miura SV | 1,700,000 – 2,100,000 |
| 6 | 1964 | Porsche 904 GTS | 1,400,000 – 1,600,000 |
| 7 | 1955 | Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing | 1,150,000 – 1,350,000 |
| 8 | 1963 | Porsche 356B Carrera 2 GS Cabriolet | 1,100,000 – 1,300,000 |
| 9 | 1934 | Mercedes Benz 500 K Four Passenger Tourer | 1,000,000 – 1,400,000 |
| 10 | 1993 | Bugatti EB110 GT | 800,000 – 1,000,000 |
| 11 | 1931 | Bugatti Type 46 Superprofilee Coupe | 750,000 – 1,000,000 |
Top Cars at Bonhams Scottsdale 2019
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series I Spider
A 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider, chassis 0438MD, estimate $5,000,000 – $6,000,000, is top car at the the Bonhams Scottsdale 2019 classic car auction. Ferrari produced only 27 Mondials with this Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider the eleventh of only twelve Series I Spiders produced with Pinin Farina coachwork.
0438 MD was first owned by Porforio Rubirosa – a diplomat and famous international playboy – who specified the blue color. He raced the car in the USA with Zsa Zsa Gabor in the paddock.
Rubirosa soon sold the car to Johnny von Neumann – a Porsche dealer at the time – who extensively raced the Ferrari driven by amongst others Phil Hill.
It was at one of these races that James Dean was photographed in the Ferrari, although he remained faithful to Porsche.
In recent years, the car was restored to its original condition by Ferrari Classiche at a cost of around $500,000. The body work was in remarkably good condition but a reproduction engine was fitted – Phil Hill blew the original during a race in the 1950s.
Although Mondials are rare, two were sold by Gooding in 2018: a Series 1 at Scottsdale for $4,455,000 and Series II for an even stronger $5,005,000 at Pebble Beach. The latter Ferrari incidentally blue too.
1952 Maserati A6G/2000 Spider by Frua
The 1952 Maserati A6G/2000 Spider, chassis 2017, is one of only three produced with coachwork by Frua on a shortened chassis. In all only 16 of the A6G/2000 were produced: nine with bodywork by Pinin Farina, six by Frua and one by Vignale.
The car was fully restored in recent years and fitted with the engine used by an A6GCS in the 1948 Mille Miglia. (The original 2017 engine is apparently installed in an A6 1500 in Italy.)
The restored car was shown at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2006, Quail Concours in 2010, and Pebble Beach 2014.
Top Bugattis at Bonhams Scottsdale 2019
Three million-dollar Bugattis are on offer at Bonhams Scottsdale 2019:
The 2018 Bugatti Chiron is a US-specification car and offered with only delivery mileage on the clock. Only 500 Chirons will be built and this car is one of the first 100 delivered. It is finished in a rare Nocturne dark body with electric blue effects. Only two Chirons have ever sold at public auction at $3.8 and $4 million – well above the auction estimate for this car. RM Sotheby’s is offering a 2017 Bugatti Chiron in European specification with a similar estimate at its Paris Rétromobile 2019 sale.
The 1993 Bugatti EB110 GT is one of only 139 produced. It was the 1993 Frankfurt International Motor Show car and sold on a US title. It has only 17,200 km on the clock and was recently serviced at a cost of $30,000. A similar car is available at Gooding Scottsdale 2019.
The 1931 Bugatti Type 46 Superprofilée Coupe was sometimes referred to as the last new Bugatti. Although the chassis was produced in 1931, it was only fitted with a body in the 1950s.
Other Million-Dollar Cars at Bonhams Scottsdale 2019
The other million-dollar cars on offer at the Bonhams Scottsdale 2019 classic car auction include:
The 1959 Lister-Jaguar Sports Racer is an ex-Team Cunningham car with extensive racing history. It was driven in period by amongst others Stirling Moss and Bob Grossman and was the 1959 SCCA C-Modified National Championship winner. However, Jaguar racing cars have struggled at recent auctions: not only the two Jaguar D-types that failed to sell at Scottsdale 2018 but also more modern racers at other auctions including two at Bonhams Bond Street sale end 2018.
The 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV is one only 13 factory split-sump, US-specification cars produced. (In total, only 142 SVs were built.) This Miura has only 18,300 miles on the clock and is in a highly original, unmolested condition. Miura SV cars have mostly sold for over $2 million at auctions in recent years.
The 1964 Porsche 906 GTS was raced in period by team Otto Zipper Precision Motor Cars and retains its original bodywork, chassis, transaxle and suspension. The Porsche was formerly owned by Robert Redford, award-winning actor and director, and Steve Earl, celebrated founder of the Monterey Historic Races. At least six Porsche 904 cars were sold at public auction since 2014 with prices ranging from $1.5 to $2.3 million.
The 1963 Porsche 365 Carrera 2 GS Cabriolet is one of only 64 produced with coachwork by Reuter of the top-line Porsche at the time. It is a matching numbers example and has been in its current ownership for the last three decades.
The 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing is one of three Gullwings (plus a further three Roadsters) that will be on offer at the various Scottsdale, Arizona, sales in 2019. It is a highly original original car with matching numbers and its factory-original interior. The exterior was changed from ivory to metallic silver
The 1934 Mercedes Benz 500 K Four-Passenger Tourer is one of only eight produced with right-hand drive for the British market (out of a total of 342 produced). It is believed to be the only 500K ever fitted with coachwork by Mayfair – it received the aluminum body that is still wears today in the late 1930s. The car failed to sell with a highest bid of $850,000 at Bonhams Amelia Island 2015 – at the time it was finished in red rather than the current British racing green.
More on Scottsdale 2019 Collector Car Auctions
The first major collector car auction series of the year is traditionally the Scottsdale and Phoenix auctions in Arizona, USA, in mid-January.
Most major car auctioneers have sales in Arizona including Barrett-Jackson, Bonhams, Gooding and RM Sotheby’s. A notable exception is Mecum that start the auction year a few weeks earlier at Kissimmee in Florida.
Scottsdale, Arizona, 2019 Auctions Sale Results
- Scottsdale Arizona 2019 Classic Car Sales – Auctions Results Overview
- Bonhams – 2019 Scottsdale Auction Results
- Gooding – 2019 Scottsdale Auction Results
- RM Sotheby’s – 2019 Arizona Auction Results
- Barrett-Jackson – 2019 Scottsdale Auction Results
- Barrett-Jackson – 2019 Scottsdale Auction Charity Lots Results
Scottsdale, Arizona, 2019 Auctions Sale Previews:
- Top Ten Ferraris at Scottsdale, Arizona 2019
- Bonhams – 2019 Scottsdale Auction Preview
- Gooding – 2019 Scottsdale Auction Preview
- RM Sotheby’s – 2019 Arizona Auction Preview
Scottsdale, Arizona, 2019 Auctions Pre-Sale Announcements:
- Bonhams – Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider
- Bonhams – Team Cunningham 1959 Lister-Jaguar Sports Racer
- Bonhams – Miura, Porsche 904 & 356 Carrera Cabriolet
- Gooding – Four Mercedes Benz 300 Classics
- Gooding – Top 1960s Ferraris – including a 275 Prototype & 250 GTB SWB
- Gooding – Top 1950s Ferraris – including a 250 GT Tour de France, 250 MM Spider & 212 Europa Cabriolet
- Gooding – American Muscle Cars – including three Shelby Cobras
- Barrett Jackson – 2019 Ford GT Heritage Edition VIN001
- Barrett-Jackson – 2020 Toyota Supra VIN20201
- Barrett-Jackson – 14 Charity Lots, including four Bumblebee Camaros.
- RM Sotheby’s – Top Ferraris