2020 RM Sotheby's Arizona Sale (Auction Preview)

A 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I is the lead car for the RM Sotheby’s Arizona classic car auction during Scottsdale 2020.

1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I by Pinin Farina on offer at RM Sotheby's Arizona Auction 2020 — Robin Adams © 2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

A 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I by Pinin Farina, estimate $6,000,000 – $7,800,000, is the lead car at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2020 sale and the most expensive car on offer at any of the Scottsdale 2020 classic car auctions. Other top cars include a 2018 Pagani Huyara Roadster, a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C, 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS, and 1954 Ferrari 250 Europa GT Coupe. The 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K has a rare Coupe hardtop fitted to an original Cabriolet A body.

RM Sotheby’s Arizona Sale 2020

1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen — Darin Schnabel ©2015 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s Arizona classic car auction: 16 & 17 January 2020 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix during the Scottsdale collector car auction series in Arizona, USA.

In 2020, RM Sotheby’s earned $30.4 million at Arizona with a 90% sell-through rate. According to Hagerty, the average sale price was down to $238,507.

In 2019, RM Sotheby’s earned $37 million with a sell-through rate of 85% of 154 lots on offer. According to Hagerty, the average sale price was $273,710 per car.

In 2018, RM Sotheby’s grossed $35.8 million by selling 109 cars of 127 offered for a sell-through rate of 86% and an average $328,404 per car. (Hagerty calculations)

In 2017, RM Sotheby’s earned $54 million from 141 cars offered with a sell-through rate of 89%. RM Sotheby’s sold 15 cars for more than a million dollars.

The Arizona / Scottsdale auction record is $9,900,000 paid for a 1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen at the RM Sothebys Arizona 2016 sale.

Top 20 Cars Offered at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2020

The 20 most-expensive cars on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale during the Scottsdale 2020 classic car auction week are:

	Year	Car	Estimate ($)
1	1958	Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I	6,000,000 – 7,800,000
2	2018	Pagani Huyara Roadster	2,500,000 – 2,700,000
3	1965	Ferrari 275 GTB/6C	1,800,000 – 2,200,000
4	1967	Ferrari 330 GTS	1,800,000 – 2,200,000
5	1954	Ferrari 250 Europa GT Coupe by Pinin Farina	1,500,000 – 1,700,000
6	1971	Lamborghini Miura P400 SV	1,400,000 – 1,600,000
7	1955	Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing	1,150,000 – 1,300,000
8	2019	McLaren Senna	1,100,000 – 1,250,000
9	1937	Mercedes Benz 540 K Coupe by Hebmüller	1,000,000 – 1,500,000
10	2008	Bugatti Veyron 16.4	950,000 – 1,100,000
11	1957	Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster	950,000 – 1,150,000
12	1930	Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood	900,000 – 1,200,000
13	2017	Ford GT	750,000 – 1,000,000
14	2005	Porsche GT	750,000 – 850,000
15	1963	Shelby 260 Cobra	650,000 – 750,000
16	1935	Cadillac V-16 Imperial Convertibly by Fleetwood	600,000 – 750,000
17	1966	Lamborghini 400 GT Interim by Touring	575,000 – 650,000
18	2015	Ferrari 458 Speciale A	550,000 – 650,000
19	1963	Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Z06	500,000 – 600,000
20	1967	Ferrari 330 GTC	500,000 – 600,000

Top Ferraris on Offer at RM Sotheby’s Arizona Sale 2020

Four Ferraris are on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2020 sale with presale estimates exceeding a million dollar:

1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I

An elegant 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I by Pinin Farina, chassis 0913 GT, is the leading car on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2020 classic car auction. It was the 25th of only 40 ever built. New, it was more expensive than the California Spider but nowadays usually sell for around half the price of the even more desirable spider.

The 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I retained its original chassis, engine, gearbox and body. It completed over 10 touring events during the two-decade ownership of the seller including the Quail Rally, the Colorado Grand, the California Classic, and the California Mille. It was also shown at amongst others the Concorso Italiano, the Quail Motorsports Gathering, the Art Center Car Classic, and the Ferrari North America 60th Anniversary celebration.

Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I cars sold at auction in the previous five years mostly around the RM Sotheby’s estimate. The most recent result was $6,800,000 at Gooding Pebble Beach 2019.

1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C

The 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C by Scaglietti at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2020 is offered by the race-driving school owner Skip Barber. It is a steel-bodied car rather than the more praised alloy but also in rare specification. It is one of 454 cars produced with twin-cams, only one of 248 short-nose examples and one of only 59 originally optioned with six carburetors that explains the /6C in the name.

The restored 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C is Ferrari Classiche certified and retained its original engine and chassis. It is a European specification model and has 57,000 km on the clock.

1967 Ferrari 330 GTS

The Classiche-certified 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS by Pininfarina is one of 99 produced. It was recently refinished in Grigio Ferro and winner of the Cavallino Platinum Award in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The car has 60,000 miles on the clock.

Rare cars often come to auction in bunches – a similar yellow 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS will be on offer at Gooding with a slightly higher price guidance.

1954 Ferrari 250 Europa GT Coupe

The 1954 Ferrari 250 Europa GT Coupe by Pinin Farina was the 11^th of 43 built. It was originally delivered to early NART sponsor Jan de Vroom, who kept it in the South of France.

The Ferrari is equipped with its original engine and was recently refinished in its original two-tone combination of Azzurro with a Grigio roof and beige leather interior. The odometer shows on 4,236 miles.

Supercars at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2020

Several top supercars will be on offer at the RM Sotheby’s 2020 Arizona collector car auction:

2018 Pagani Huayra Roadster

The 2018 Pagani Huayra Roadster was the 42^nd of only 100 that will ever be built. This Huayara is finished in Blue TriColore with exposed carbon weave trim throughout and having accrued less than 200 miles.

Paganis are rare and seldom come to auction. At least five had sold at auction in the last three years, mostly slightly cheaper than the pre-sale estimate. The highest auction result was $2,420,000 but some are rumored to have sold for more privately.

1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV

The 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone, one of 150 Miura SVs produced, of which only 70 were built in 1971, the first production year. Offered from just three owners since new and under the care of its current owner for the last 40 years, this Miura is one of few upgraded with a rare dry sump system.

Many consider the Lamborghini Miura as the first real supercar. These cars are rare but strong prices in recent years entice owners to test the market – Miuras will also be available during Scottsdale 2020 a both Gooding and Bonhams.

2019 McLaren Senna

The 2019 McLaren Senna is one of 500 examples and finished in a render-matched MSO Gulf livery and boasting optional Bowers & Wilkins audio system, ultra-lightweight wheels, and track telemetry app. It has less than 200 miles on the clock.

Recent limited-edition hypercars sold well when the first examples reached the auctions but prices, for example, the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 fell fast after the first few sold at auction. Barrett-Jackson sold a McLaren Senna for almost $1.5 million at Scottsdale 2019 but not other Senna sold at auction since.

2008 Bugatti Veyron

The 2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 has only 720 miles on the clock and received a $51,000 service in 2018. It is one of 450 Veyrons built, of which 300 are fixed-roof coupes. It is furthermore one of the 252 examples built to the original 16.4 production configuration and one of only 76 built to US specifications.

The estimate reflects that many Veyron’s struggled at auction in the last couple of years and that a standard Veyron is not automatically a million-dollar car.

2017 Ford GT

2017 Ford GTs have sold for $1.8 million but the general trend has been downwards, especially as many more are expected to reach the auction market as the two-year selling limits come to an end for more cars. Ford plans to build 1,350 of the GT with production due to continue until 2023.

This example is believed the only 2017 car finished in Riviera Blue. The serial number H040 is considered “desirable” in homage to the GT40. Gooding has a white one on offer while Barrett-Jackson has a green and a red one.

Mercedes-Benz Cars at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2020

Two Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs will be available at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2020 but the more interesting car is a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Coupe.

The 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Coupe was originally one of 32 second-generation Cabriolet A cars but the convertible top was removed in 1951 and replaced by a fixed coupe roof by Hebmüller. This unique bodied car was sold into the US during the 1950s.

The unrestored car is sold from a single-family ownership of five decades. The late-owner parked the car in a garage in 1980, after the 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Coupe lost Best of Show to a restored John Deere antique tractor in Nebraska. Although running, the car will need both mechanical and cosmetic work.

Silver 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing — Jasen Delgado ©2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Six Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs will be on offer at the RM Sotheby’s, Gooding, and Bonhams auctions during Scottsdale 2020. The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing at RM Sotheby’s is arguably the best of the bunch. It is a matching numbers example that was comprehensively restored in 2013. It sold at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2015 sale when 300 SL prices were still booming for $1,485,000 – well above the current presale estimate that more reflect the present market.

Red 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster — Robin Admas ©2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster is also an interesting car. It had only two owners and has only 25,700 miles on the clock. It is a highly original, well-preserved car finished in its original color scheme of Strawberry Red Metallic over a cream interior and fitted with an ivory hardtop.

The further three 300 SL Roadsters at other auctions are priced even lower and several may sell for less than a million dollar.

Scottsdale and Arizona Car Auctions 2020

Scottsdale & Arizona Auctions 2020

Many auction houses have sales during the annual Scottsdale week in mid-November, including amongst others:

Barett-Jackson: 11 – 19 January 2020 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Bonhams: 16 January 2020 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Gooding & Company: 17 & 18 January 2020 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
RM Sotheby’s: 16 & 17 January 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Worldwide Auctioneers: 15 January 2020 at Singh Meadows, Tempe, Arizona.

Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2020 – Auction Results

Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2020 – Auction Previews

Scottsdale & Arizona Press Announcements 2020

Barrett-Jackson: Charity Lots Results ($7.625 million!)
Barrett-Jackson: Charity Lots
Gooding: Ferraris (including F50 and Daytona Spider)
Gooding: Prewar 1930s Open-Top Classics
Gooding: Ferrari 500 Superfast & 330 GTS
Gooding: 1948 Tucker 48
RM Sotheby’s: Prewar Cadillac V-16s
RM Sotheby’s: Mercedes Benz 540 K and 300 SLs
RM Sotheby’s: Top Ferraris, (including 250 GT Cabriolet Series I)

Scottsdale, Arizona, 2019 Auctions Sale Results