Sotheby's Topic Hub

Subtlest RUF Ever? 1990 Porsche RUF BTR Carrera 4 Turbo – RM Amelia 2019 Preview

Who says RUF can’t make some refined and restrained posh models along with their wild bodykits and slantnoses of the same era. This 1990 model was a classy AF upgrade in its day. So much so that the inhouse name for the 425HP stunner was The Ultimate. This beauty’s condition today more than two decades later is nearly as good — and surely a drive feel that is a lot more rare. 1990 Porsche RUF BTR Carrera 4 Turbo RM | Sotheby’s – AMELIA ISLAND 2019 Full RUF BTR conversion with 425 hp; dubbed the “Ultimate” Built at …

Feb 05, 2019 Read more

2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta Expected to Earn $8 Mil at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2019

1500 miles and the value of this machine has more than doubled since originally delivered less than two years ago. It’s as if the universe is paying you to own and drive these hypercars, and not the other way around! The Aperta is clearly the LaFerrari to own. Its electronic roof panel flips and tucks so discreetly that there would be no reason now to even go for the coupe. That is perhaps a slight down-side to the Aperta versus other ultra-exotics that have popped their tops — notably any from Pagani — and have a totally different style and appeal …

Dec 22, 2018 Read more

1977 International Scout II Traveler Custom – RM Sotheby’s AZ 2018 Preview

What if your zombie apocalypse truck …. also likes to party? Possibly this lovely army-green Scout II. Estimate is about $80k and the auction is in January. Further details here. 1977 International Scout II Traveler Custom

Dec 08, 2017 Read more

RM Paris 2018 – 2005 Maserati MC12

The MC12 is such a special hypercar that it rarely hangs out with mere supercars. This example is flawlessly original and expects to collect at least two million Euros when sold by RM Sotheby’s Paris auction in early 2018. The MC12 was not originally intended as a road car at all. This is what let Maserati get away with such wild wings and bodywork atop a humble Enzo Ferrari basis. MC12 took a different, high-speed aero approach to the longtail design of a midengine exotic, with less drag than the Enzo. A bit less downforce as well, in theory, and a …

Nov 29, 2017 Read more

2018 Bugatti CHIRON Headlines RM Sotheby’s 2017 New York Icons [33 Photos]

Imagine having a Chiron. Not in 18 months. Or even three months. Now. This week! That is how the new owner of this never-register Bugatti Chiron will feel in NYC at Rm Sotheby’s 2017 Icons auction. No word on who this original orderer was. The Chiron’s exact color shades are not shared, but it is black on black with red accents. The red stripe wraps the C-shaped door intake and then sweeps around the nose. The vehicle comes with an extra rear bumper in crate that meets US road specs. Fitted is the slightly slimmer world-export-spec rear bumper. Pricing is …

Nov 26, 2017 Read more

1926 Ford Model T Speedster – 2017 RM Sotheby’s Hershey PA

So much nostalgia today. But hey, this is a street tuning origin story! Stripped-down, shorn of bodywork and back seats. Even doors take a pass for this open cockpit road racer. The drum fuel tank is upsized for cross-country treks – and mounted alarmingly close to the passenger’s ears! “T for Two” is an appropriate little name for this cutie. The T Speedster is updated with a three-speed manual and slightly modded motor details (Rajo cylinder head?) to keep it humming hard in 2017 and beyond. With a Speedster like this, the typical top speed of the Model T would …

Sep 28, 2017 Read more

2011 Morgan AeroMax LHD Tall-Boy Special – RM London 2017

Just 100 of these AeroMaxes were produced for sale! Seems a small quantity compared to the outsized reputation this machine has for its Top Gear and UK car-mag popularity. The AeroMax is sure to be collectible thanks to its well-known teardrop hardtop design, split rear window and somewhat cross-eyed appearance from certain angles. This edition to be sold by RM Sotheby’s London sale this week is a delicious metallic blue over lipstick red inside. It has less than 2000 miles from new and was originally sold to a member of the British royal family. A coupe special features of this …

Sep 04, 2017 Read more

2014 Pagani Huayra Tempesta – RM Sotheby’s 2017 Preview

It is easy to lump the Huayra into the LaFerrari and McLaren P1 competitive set. But in actuality, the only vehicle with a similar price/performance quotient is the Bugatti Chiron. (As well as Koenigsegg and perhaps W Motors if we’re generous.) Pricing for Pagani’s never leaves much change from a $3-million cashier’s check. While its delivery timeframes are easily 18 months or longer. So whenever one comes up for sale, particularly a US-legal model, it is newsworthy. This Huayra Tempesta was the first-ever customer car in the states and one of only 100 made in total. It is equipped with …

Aug 16, 2017 Read more

1955 Ferrari 121LM Spider by Scaglietti – RM Sotheby’s Monterey Preview

Only in Monterey would crummy roadside motels be filled with Ferrari’s and Lambo’s! And even around the corner from Pebble Beach, these special cars (and people!) only come out once a year. RM Sotheby’s auction this week will be action-packed. A favorite presale machine that deserves all the spotligght in the car world? This 1955 Ferrari 121LM Spider. It is the third of four ever made. It is a shrouded-cockpit, single-seat racer in iconic French Blue. A shrouded roll hoop behind the RHD steering setup is glamourous, as is the tiny perspex wind deflector. Helmet or at least goggles definitely …

Aug 15, 2017 Read more

Supercar for Civic Cash? Meet the $22k Daytona Coupe

What’s the catch? How can this 390HP, mid-front V8 powered legend be so cheap and so clean? If an original racing Shelby Daytona Coupe, this machine would be one of a handful of survivors and carry a price into the millions. This core design’s handling brilliance, speed and reliability are what won it its Daytona nickname, after all. So this raspberry beret is a replica. So what? The advantage of being a good, semi-authorized replica is that it is (nearly) brand new. And built by Factory Five versus an individual kitter. Imagine rumbling up to your local cars n’ coffee …

Jul 06, 2017 Read more

1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS Coupé by Figoni et Falaschi – RM Villa Erba Highlight

Here is a stunning example of peak car design. Timeless and enchanting lines from every angle. Unbelievable finesse and shape to every panel — courtesy of the era’s best coachwork masters. But special even before that point. This short-wheelbase, competition model has the lightweight sports-racing chassis and race engine. It is also one of only two worldwide with fully enclosed front fenders. These were a difficult feat then and are similarly hard to achieve now. Certainly they are impossible for any volume-produced machine. The idea that they would help with aerodynamics is charming considering the top speeds of this car …

Jul 04, 2017 Read more

1950 Ferrari 166 MM/212 Export “Uovo” by Fontana – RM Monterey 2017

Nothing will ever — ever — beat a Uovo Ferrari for its origin-story gravitas. This, ladies and gentleman, is where it all began. Where engineering and racing success started to propel road car sales. And those road car sales eventually funding the most successful, most desired car brand in the world. This stunner will go across the auction block this August in Monterey, California adjacent to the Pebble Beach concours extravaganza. Estimates of what the sale price will be? We’d predict in the 2-4 million dollar mark. Far less that the peak Ferrari values, but also far more original. The …

Apr 25, 2017 Read more

Road-Legal 2016 McLaren P1 GTR Heads to RM Villa Erba 2017 Auctions

Oh, the whims of the ultra rich. Who can predict what they will want in 12 months time? This P1 GTR is perfect evidence of a gift-from-God hypercar available for an eager second owner. The question now: price. Of course. Will it have appreciated in its short time on this earth? Or will its current owner take a $100k bath for the privilege of being one of the lucky few. This GTR has something extra in its quiver, however, atop its one-of-58 exclusivity worldwide. That is a road-legal conversion applied to only half the cars produced. Here you have a …

Apr 25, 2017 Read more

1957 BMW 507 Roadster Series I – RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba 2017

Sea green over red leather is a color combo perfect for the most stylish 1950s bon-vivants of the world. This original 507 Series I is offered unrestored and with original patina throughout. The factory wheels and bumpers are included with the sale – set for late May 2017 in Villa Erba, Italy. The black hardtop and hood-mounted mirrors are perfect details for this iconic BMW. This color is not a factory shade, as it was added early in the car’s life by its orignal owner. Just four lucky individuals have called this car their own, however, and its originality is …

Apr 25, 2017 Read more

1957 Fiat-Stanguellini 1200 SPIDER AMERICA [24 Photos]

I promise you have never tripped over something so lovely. This TINY Fiat Stanguellini is even tinier than a doorstop. Its ultra rounded nosecone/intake is a joyous production version of the rocket/jetage themes in high auto design of the era. 1957 but conceived in the hearts and minds of the world’s car-designers together about 1953. Tailfins, streamlined aero and UFO-like body shaping. Without advanced CAD-CAM there was no way to know what truly worked in wind tunnels. So if it looked right, it would fly right was the old adage. This 1200 Spider America flies right. A bite-sized dream. Is …

Mar 21, 2017 Read more

1962 Ferrari 268 SP by Fantuzzi – RM Monterey 2016 Highlight

One of the first-ever midengine Ferrari racers went across the block in Cali this August. Looks like it was a no-sale, curiously. A high bar was surely set: we’d estimating the reserve was around $25-million. Perhaps 35. So it is still seeking a new home. Home for its freaky beauty, snarky nose intakes and special-prototype LMP1 provenance. Sold or not, we’re elated to see this 1962 268SP in the sunlight in all its glory. RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2016 Lot 240 1962 Ferrari 268 SP by Fantuzzi Chassis no. 0798 Engine no. 0798 Gearbox no. 6 Estimate Available Upon Request Please note that Internet …

Oct 18, 2016 Read more

1961 Chaparral 1 Prototype – RM Sothebys Monterey 2016 Highlight

Here is a car that might be one of the most important American racers of all time. Not for its winning record or legendary value… but simply for its rarity and inspired engineering clarity. This was Chaparral’s answer to the Shelby Cobra, but faster and lighter and far more aerodynamic. Looks like the Chaparral Prototype 1 was a no-sale in Monterey/Pebble Beach auctions this year, for unknown reasons. Perhaps just too much of an insiders-only type of machine versus the sure-to-appreciate vehicles who are able to successfully command a million plus. Check out the official RM bio of the car …

Oct 16, 2016 Read more

1994 Bugatti EB110 GT – RM Sothebys Duemila Ruote 2016

Here is a very extensive collection of four and two-wheelers that will go on the block in Milan late November of 2016. RM promises 750-plus lots with no reserve — so this is a prime chance to grab some rare collectibles at fairly decent rates. A first favorite? Obviously this EB110 GT in signature French blue. Duemila Ruote 25-27 November 2016 1994 Bugatti EB110 GT

Oct 16, 2016 Read more

RM Monaco 2016 – 1971 March 711 F1 Car – Scored Second-Place in Monaco Gran Prix

What March lacks today in brand recognition, it more than made up for in its prime via engineering brilliance. You even get that sense looking at this F1 racer today. Its aero is intense, but not a defining element of the car. The glory in the March 711 would be mostly left to driver skill. Massive rubber all around was the key to rapid corner exits for this car, much more than its primitive wings in the nose and tail. The oval aero plane in front earned the nickname Spitfire as well as ‘tea tray’ out on the GP circuit. While …

Apr 11, 2016 Read more

RM Monaco 2016 – 1969 MG MGC GTS Sebring

Generally speaking, the more acronyms after a car’s name the better. It usually means it is some rare, high-performance variant that may or may not have even been road-legal. And the best possible indication that speed is a sure thing? If that long name ends with a famous racetrack! Think 599 GTB Fiorano, 365GTB/4 Daytona… This MGC GTS Sebring is the most intense MG we’ve ever laid eyes on! The black and gold livery is lovely, as is the widebody, wide rubber and wide-open throttle in this featherweight slugger. 1969 MG MGC GTS Sebring RM Sotheby’s Monaco 14 …

Apr 11, 2016 Read more

RM Monaco 2016 – 1993 Alfa Romeo RZ by Zagato

The Roadster Zagato is perhaps even more unique and special than its SZ (Sprint Zagato) hardtop sibling! The styling is truly otherworldly for a production model. Performance was pretty brisk, too. A 210HP V6 drove the back wheels via a five-speed transaxle, ensuring good traction and weight distribution. 1993 Alfa Romeo RZ by Zagato RM Sotheby’s Monaco 14 May 2016 1993 Alfa Romeo RZ by Zagato Without Reserve Chassis no. ZAR16200003002164 Serial no. 145 Engine no. AK5150100138 Photo Credit: Tim Scott ©2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s Type ES-30. 210 bhp, 2,959 cc DOHC V-6 engine with electronic fuel injection, five-speed …

Apr 11, 2016 Read more

RM Monaco 2016 – 1965 Fiat 600 Multipla – First 7-Seat Minivan?

No reserve for the auction of this delightful Fiat Multipla in cobalt blue over white. The origins of the minivan are widely debated, but this three-row machine is damn close to nailing the template. Albeit with rear-engine, rear-drive layout. That engine in the trunk would be a godsend for summer vacations — where a front-engine car’s tremendous heat would have the cabin near-boiling after a few hours on the autostrada. 1965 Fiat 600 Multipla RM Sotheby’s Monaco 14 May 2016 1965 Fiat 600 Multipla Without Reserve Chassis no. 100D.108 126736 Engine no. 100D.008 4541 Photo Credit: Tim Scott ©2016 Courtesy …

Apr 11, 2016 Read more

12-Million-Dollar Merc? 1937 540K Special Is Longtail, Highdoor Roadster with 7k Original Miles

Mercedes Benz 540K’s are some of the most-collectible cars in history. They are one of the few non-Ferrari marques to clear the $10-million hurdle nearly every time they come up for auction air. This example will be one of the all-time greats for RM Sotheby’s. A long-tail, high-door configuration with left-hand-drive and virtually no miles…. the car is a dream in red silk. What will really seal the obscene price estimates for this car? Its condition and originality. Not a re-do — this is the original item. Proof is just the 7k total miles ever travelled in this straight-eight stunner. …

Jan 29, 2016 Read more

1995 Ferrari F512 Modificata – Last Flat-12 Fezza Updated Testarossa Details for 1990s

Here is a deeply bizarre Ferrari — a one-year special that even tifosi will have trouble naming. The F512M was a run-out special for the Testarossa and 512TR, which dated to the mid 1980s, or earlier, mechanically. This superficial update brought the 512 into the new Ferrari name scheme: starting with F for the names, and ending in M for modificata. The nose dropped the very-tired flip lamp look for the 1990s vogue of flush-mounted clear lamps, plus a rounded grille to mirror the smiley droop of the 456 and F355’s faces. A fresh tail treatment also brought more rounded …

Jan 03, 2016 Read more

This 1955 Porsche 550 SPYDER Is Worth $4k per Pound

This is the real deal folks! One of just 75 factory-made 550 Spyders, the premier race-winner of a generation and a timeless icon still today. As such, there is a healthy business in replica models. None will exude the raw genius of this 550 Spyder’s endurance fuel-tank wrapping the entire nose, nor its single-piece frame with strategic lightweighting to the monocoque. The 550 Spyder is the supreme Porsche, and this one will fetch quite a bit. The pre-sale estimate is about $4-million, but we can see double that from someone in love with its delicate curves and blue topaz contrast …

Dec 28, 2015 Read more

1965 Alfa Romeo GIULIA Tubolare ZAGATO Brings Racing Patina to RM Sotheby’s Paris 2016

This Giulia TZ is sublime. The car is delightfully compact yet fearsome in its aggressive motorsport details. That applies well below the featherlight alloy body panels: the chassis with a tubular space-frame formed an exceptionally brilliant way to make a racecar exceptionally strong, yet also super-light. 155 ponies mean you will work hard to squeeze every last drop of power from up front — but that is all part of the Giulia Tubolare Zagato’s authenticity. 1965 Alfa Romeo GIULIA Tubolare ZAGATO RM Sotheby’s Paris 2016 Feb 3, 2016 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato Chassis no. AR10511 750087 Engine no. AR0511 …

Dec 28, 2015 Read more

RM Monaco 2016 Preview – 1990 Riva Ferrari 32

Image a gorgeous Italian speedboat with not one Ferrari V8 screaming out 400-horsepower, but a pair of them! Derestricted and barely muffled, these growling engines form a very enticing basis for famed ski and surf boatmaker Riva. The collabo was between Riva and Ferrari Engineering, as close to the F1 and Groupe B skunkworks as it got in Maranello and the greater Emilia-Romagna home base of Ferrari. Vmax is said to be around 60 knots, or about 75-mph at full chat across the marble-like Lake Cuomo surface? LIke a dream come true, really, with a dashing design and carbon-fiber racing …

Dec 27, 2015 Read more

RM Paris 2016 Preview – 1963 Buick Riviera

This Riviera had to be a very curious sight thrumming around France, and its namesake golden coastline. 1963 Buick Riviera RM Sotheby’s Paris 3 February 2016 1963 Buick Riviera Without Reserve Chassis no. 7J1105700 Engine no. 7J1105700

Dec 27, 2015 Read more

RM Paris 2016 – 1974 Maserati Bora 4.9

Ahh, the Bora. Giugiaro’s dream wedge was approaching production from various marques by the mid-1970s, and for Maserati, represented a swing for the fences. Big leagues. Long story short? It ended badly. But the car? Still quite a fetching design icon from the past — yet lively today and ready for the future. 1974 Maserati Bora 4.9 RM Sotheby’s Paris 3 February 2016 1974 Maserati Bora 4.9 Chassis no. AM117/49-US 0720 Engine no. 2132 Body no. 300 482 320 bhp, 4,930 cc mid-mounted V-8 engine with four Weber 42 DCNF twin-choke carburettors, five-speed ZF manual transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension with unequal-length …

Dec 27, 2015 Read more

RM Paris 2016 Preview – 1997 Ferrari F50

RM Sotheby’s is on a major roll lately — establishing classic cars as a true luxury auction staple, along with fine art of all kinds. The 2016 calendar is filling up fast. Some very exciting recent additions to the Paris auction on February 3rd, 2016…. 1997 Ferrari F50 RM Sotheby’s Paris 3 February 2016 1997 Ferrari F50 Chassis no. ZFFTA46B000106825 Engine no. 45134 Body no. 210 Gearbox no. 380 520 bhp, 4,698 cc V-12 engine with Bosch Motronic 2.7 engine management, six-speed manual transmission, four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs and unequal-length wishbones, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: …

Dec 27, 2015 Read more

RM Paris 2016 Preview – 1954 Kaiser-Darrin Roadster

RM Sotheby’s is on a major roll lately — establishing classic cars as a true luxury auction staple, along with fine art of all kinds. The 2016 calendar is filling up fast — with some exciting new additions to the Paris auction on February 3rd, 2016. To kick off the preview, let’s feature this stunningly original and fabulous Kaiser-Darrin Roadster. Brave and innovative, the car was a massive super-GT car with power and prestige unlike its contemporaries. 1954 Kaiser-Darrin Roadster RM Sotheby’s Paris 3 February 2016 1954 Kaiser-Darrin Roadster Chassis no. 161-001031 Body no. 161-1031

Dec 27, 2015 Read more

1955/56 Mercedes-Benz 300SC and 300S Roadster Set To Stun RM NYC 2015

The RM Sotheby’s auction this week is actually a pretty select group. The total list of items is barely 100 pieces, with actual cars about a third of that! But what a group of cars. Some trading carports locally, and some coming and going from abroad. This duo is most likely to head home to Germany. An exceptional 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SC Coupe, plus its roadster sister from 1956. The pre-sale estimates for these two could not be further apart. Care to guess which will earn double? $1.2M vs $600K? It is the roadster. De facto classic car auction rules definitely …

Dec 06, 2015 Read more

RM NYC 2015 – 1959 BMW 507 Roadster Series II May Be Most-Valuable BMW with $3M Highball Estimate

If this absolutely magnificent BMW 507 clears its pre-sale estimate of between 2.3 and 2.6 million, it will become one of — if not the — most valuable BMW of all time. The top five list from premier auction house RM Sotheby’s is exclusively 507 Roadsters, with the top sale earning $2.42M at Amelia Island 2014. With the presentation and provenance of this rare cabrio, we’d be surprised if the total sale was under $3-million. Top 5 BMWs of all Time from RM Auctions Lot 152 | 2014 – Amelia Island – The Pray Collection 1958 BMW 507 …

Nov 10, 2015 Read more

RM NYC 2015 – 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Sportabteilung Gullwing Seeks $7M

One of the rarest Gullwings in the world? One of only four race-prepped W198 300SLs, featuring the upgraded NSL engine with 240HP? A surviving competition car that placed second in the 1956 Tour de France, and driven by Sir Striling Moss? Oh yes. For the first time in more than 25 years, an authentic ‘Sports Department’ Sportabteilung seeks a new home. RM Sotheby’s will sell the special Merc at their December event in Manhattan. No internet bids, riffraff! 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Sportabteilung Gullwing RM Sotheby’s New York – Driven By Disruption 10 December 2015 Lot 223 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL …

Nov 10, 2015 Read more

Supercar FACE-OFF! 1976 Porsche 911 Turbo vs 1991 Ferrari Testarossa

A bit of a motley and fun collection in the short list of entrants to the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2016 auction so far. But there is an undeniable charm to the cars offered so far. These two, for example, are separated by 25 years. Yet they feel like kindred spirits all the same. Similarly, they are supercars you could imagine taking to the beach, grocery store and everywhere in between. Though both appear ruthlessly original and OEM inside and out, they could be quickly updated to modern styles via trim and wheel color tweaks. Painting up the 512 TR’s black …

Oct 19, 2015 Read more

1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super POLIZIA SQUADRA VOLANTE – RM Arizona 2016 Preview

1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super POLIZIA SQUADRA VOLANTE

Oct 18, 2015 Read more

1962 APAL-Porsche 1600 GT Coupe – RM Arizona 2016 Preview

Smooth. Seductive. Tuscan? Look at this stunning 1962 Porsche heading for auction at the RM Arizona 2016 event. Rally-perfect bumper with sunken 901/911 proportions, this machine is a stunning bespoke prototype from APAL studio in 1962. No estimate or description is yet available for the1600 GT Coupe, but it will go without reserve. We’d bring at least $350,000, and perhaps significantly more. 1962 APAL-Porsche 1600 GT Coupe Photo Credit: David Gooley ©2015 Courtesy of RM Sothebys

Oct 18, 2015 Read more

3.2s, 216MPH 1995 Bugatti EB110 SS in Famous Schumi Livery – RM London 2015 Preview

Thought we had a real scoop here: Michael Schumacher famously bought one of these hypercar heroes in so-called ‘p***y magnet yellow’ in 1994, but this exact car is not his, nor was it ever. The EB110 registry confirms that his chassis number ends in 39020, while this car was built 18 units later as 39038. The performance stats of the EB110 SuperSport are still competitive today, which is a testament to its performance benchmark 20 years ago. This SS is far more than a production “unit” in terms of most vehicle factories. This car sunk more bucks into R&D that …

Aug 04, 2015 Read more

RM Monterey 2015 – 1940 Aston Martin Speed Model Type C

Very special Aston Martin to see on the market! This Speed C streamliner was engineered and built as a LM-ready race prototype. Just eight of this C spec were produced, with this exact car thought to be the last Aston delivered before WWII. Army green paintwork is fitting, then, and quite fetching on the exotic shapes of the speedster fenders and bobtail trunk. 1940 Aston Martin Speed Model Type C RM Monterey 13-15 August 2015 1940 Aston Martin Speed Model Type C $750,000 – $950,000 Chassis no. G40/718/U 125 bhp, 1,949 cc SOHC inline four-cylinder engine with twin SU carburetors, …

Jul 23, 2015 Read more

Jet-Age 1952 Jaguar XK120 SuperSonic by Ghia to Cross Block at RM Monterey 2015

Here is a vehicle that would have fit right in to the Atlanta High Museum of Art’s ‘Dream Cars’ exhibit along with the Stratos HF Lancia, Ferrari 512 Modulo, GM rocket cars, and nearly a dozen others. The XK120 SuperSonic was Ghia’s special application of their design aesthetic atop a Jaguar. Freed from the limits of mass production, the panels of the SuperSonic could be as wild as imaginable. Just three were ever completed — and helped inform the eventual look of the E-Type by the end of the 1950s — where they apply some of these ideas in a …

Jul 09, 2015 Read more

2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta Doubles Price at RM Villa Erba Auction

Here is a curious one! A 2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta crossed the block the other week at the RM Sotheby’s auction in Villa Erba, Italy — earning its first owner a handy 90-percent profit margin along the way. True story. The 458 SA is available to order now with pricing from $330,000. Yet this barely-driven 2015 model just raked in $580k at auction. What is the deal? Should we all get in the supercar speculation business? Get rich quick, drive quick cars?! Sounds perf. But there is a reason this is so unusual: new supercars are not frequently seen …

Jun 09, 2015 Read more

Musclecar Origin Story – 1960 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe

There is some debate as to what was the first American Musclecar. The Mustang certainly takes most of the glory in launching this new segment, but a few important machines paved that road first with big, affordable power. The Bonneville launched in 1958 but really became unique and special in 1959 and 1960 – with a wide-track design that stood apart from similar cars from the GM R&D trenches. And though it looks huge today, this 1960 is actually a drastic lightweight-ing of the previous models, like this 1958 example below. In fact, the Bonneville became the blue-collar hero of …

Jun 09, 2015 Read more

RM Monterey 2015 Preview – 2013 Ferrari 458 Challenge Evoluzione

Ferrari Challenge cars are brutal, hardcore and seriously extreme. If your senses have been dulled by supercars as daily drivers, these cars are a harsh wakeup call to the terror and glory of a true racecar. It is extremely rare to see one with the most current technology come up for sale, and this 458 Challenge Evo is basically brand new. It just returned to the US from Maranello, where it was upgraded to the quickest ‘Evo’ form with new mechanicals and aero updates via all-new nose and tail. Before that voyage, it only had a few hours of total …

Jun 08, 2015 Read more

RM Monterey 2015 – Pinnacle Portfolio: Up Close With 21 Exotic-Car Icons

Get ready to move some funds around! RM Sotheby’s just revealed a new entry into the 2015 Monterey classic auction: the Pinnacle Portfolio. 20 of the most desirable and collectible modern and classic supercars. Maserati MC12, McLaren F1 LM Road Car, Ferrari F40 LM and regular, 250GT’s, CCXR Koenigsegg…. the list really is drool-worthy. Each is likely to draw a unique type of buyer, despite them all coming from one very large home before. Check out the high-res preview photos of 21 Pinnacle cars below. RM Monterey 2015 – Pinnacle Portfolio 2015 – Monterey – The Pinnacle Portfolio 1994 Ferrari …

Jun 04, 2015 Read more

Record Prices Expected at This Week’s 2013 RM Auctions and Sotheby’s NY Gala

Record Prices Expected at This Week’s 2013 RM Auctions/Sotheby’s NY Gala The art world is in a frenzy. From Gurlitt to Rothko to Warhol, checks are being cut in denominations so large they might need an official escort. This certainly extends to cars. Beautiful dry weather brought out the big spenders all spring an summer. Even versus a three-pack of masters, the $50-million-plus recent Ferrari total is unbelievably huge. It is particularly interesting that such a sale was so public, in some regards. Typically, buyers in that type of market are not browsing the night of the auction. Closed-doors deals …

Nov 16, 2013 Read more

Record Prices Expected at This Week’s 2013 RM Auctions and Sotheby’s NY Gala

Record Prices Expected at This Week’s 2013 RM Auctions/Sotheby’s NY Gala The art world is in a frenzy. From Gurlitt to Rothko to Warhol, checks are being cut in denominations so large they might need an official escort. This certainly extends to cars. Beautiful dry weather brought out the big spenders all spring an summer. Even versus a three-pack of masters, the $50-million-plus recent Ferrari total is unbelievably huge. It is particularly interesting that such a sale was so public, in some regards. Typically, buyers in that type of market are not browsing the night of the auction. Closed-doors deals …

Nov 16, 2013 Read more