Ferrari still king at auctions
CLASSIC CARS: Italian carmaker led the way for top-tier auto sales again in 2015
The recent sale of a 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti for a stunning $31.2 million (all figures US) has us thinking about the insane money of top-tier classic car sales.
Last year was a big one for topdollar car auctions; although nothing eclipsed the 2014 sale of a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO for an outlandish $38,115,000, there were still some record breakers last year. Nearly all the cars on this list sold for more than 35 times the price of the average Canadian home. In 2014, the 10 most expensive cars were solely Ferraris but for 2015, they only account for six spots on our list.
1. 1956 Ferrari 290 MM
Sold for: $28,050,000 Auctioneer: RM Sotheby’s Location: New York The single most expensive car sold in 2015 was the third most expensive car of all time. This 1956 Ferrari had expansive competition history, a connection with legendary driver Juan Manuel Fangio, and a gorgeous handmade aluminum body by Scaglietti. It actually finished fourth in the 1956 Mille Miglia. Any 1950s competition Ferrari is guaranteed to sell for simply cartoonish amounts of money. But which of these 10 would you most rather have?
2. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider
Sold for: $18,210,080 Auctioneer: Artcurial Location: Paris Interestingly, this unrestored example sold for $1.7M more than the shiny red version in the #3 spot. We commented earlier on the evolving trend toward original and unrestored vs. concours prepared cars and this is a prime example. This black California Spider is one of just 37 made and is believed to be the most original example left. We think it looks fantastic in its current tatty state.
3. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM
Sold for: $17,600,000 Auctioneer: RM Sotheby’s The 250 LM is the lesser known successor to the famous 250 GTO. These mid-engined street-legal race cars were powered by 330 series V12s and did battle on race tracks around the world. But the wily Enzo couldn’t convince sanctioning bodies that the mid-engined LM was merely an evolution model of the front-engined GTO. That meant the LM had to race against full-on prototypes instead of sports cars.
4. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider
Sold for: $16,830,000 Auctioneer: Gooding & Co. Location: Pebble Beach The value of Cameron’s dad’s car just keeps rising (think Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ). This one has never been fully restored and, as far as we know, has never driven through a glass window in reverse and landed upside down. This incredibly rare car is one of the prettiest and most desirable open-topped Ferraris ever made.
5. 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale
Sold for: $16,500,000 Auctioneer: Gooding & Co. Location: Pebble Beach The year 1962 was undoubtedly a good one for cars because this Ferrari shares a year and an eye-watering price with the previous Aston. This car’s bodywork was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and its odd shark nose bears resemblance to racing Ferraris of the period. The car was used by Nuccio Bertone as his personal car but never translated into a production order from Ferrari.
6. 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
Sold for: $14,300,000 Auctioneer: RM Sotheby’s Location: New York The most expensive Aston Martin ever sold, this particular car had a brief but successful racing history but the real reason for the car’s immense value is its lightweight and beautiful bespoke Zagato body. This car is one of just 19 made with this particular bodywork.
7. 1998 McLaren F1 LM
Sold for: $13,750,000 Auctioneer: RM Sotheby’s This is easily the newest car on this list and one of several with connections to LeMans. This orange McLaren was the second last of 63 road cars made and one of just two upgraded to LM spec. The body modifications to the “standard” F1 mirror those of the LeMans competition cars that drove to victory in 1995.
8. 1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight
Sold for: $13,200,000 Auctioneer: RM Sotheby’s Location: Monterey This Jaguar actually ties the previous Ferrari for eighth place. This was only the second Jaguar to sell above $10M and became the most expensive Jaguar sold in public auction in the process. This car’s career began with a fourth-place finish at LeMans and it was raced frequently by Ecurie Ecosse with much success until the late ’50s.
9. 1956 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione
‘Tour de France’
Sold for: $13,200,000 Auctioneer: RM Sotheby’s Location: Monterey This beautiful coupe was driven to victory at the 1956 Tour de France by Marquis Alfonso de Portago. The same driver also drove the #1 car on our list in competition. The lightweight aluminum body sheathes a 3.0-litre V12 that makes some of the sweetest sounds of any car.
10. 1982 Porsche 956
Sold for: $10,120,000 Auctioneer: Gooding & Co. Location: Pebble Beach This was the first Porsche to ever sell for more than $10 million and only the third German car to break the $10M barrier. This is the LeMans winning car from the 1983 race where it was driven by Al Holbert, Hurley Haywood, and Vern Schuppen. This one would be a bit of a handful to drive on the street with a turbocharged flat-six engine making over 600 horsepower. It was one of the fastest cars in the famous LeMans Group C class.