First, RM Sotheby’s posted nearly $21 million in sales at its Paris auction during Retromobile week. Now comes word that Thursday, the day after RM Sotheby’s event, Bonhams’ Grand Palais sale did more than $16 million at its auction in Paris. Today and Saturday, it’s Paris-based Artcurial’s turn on the block, and with a 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider that carries a $30 million pre-sale estimated value.
“Fifty per cent of the top 10 lots from today’s sale were from Ferrari, with the remainder coming from Aston Martin, Bentley, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce,” Bonhams European head of motoring Philip Kantor said in a news release. “We’re seeing a continued desire for models offered at respectable estimates.”
We’re also seeing a shift in the age of the Ferraris dominating the top 10 listing. While the auction was led by a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Berlinette that sold for more than $2.3 million — the only seven-figure sale of the event — the other Ferraris in the top 10 were modern cars from the 2002, 2005, 2009 and 2010 model years.
Those modern supercars comprised half the sale’s top 10 list and one of the first of the breed — a 1992 Jaguar XJ220 — also made the list, leaving only four spots for more traditional collector vehicles — the 275 GTB, a 1961 Aston Martin DB4, a 1951 Bentley and a 1964 Rolls-Royce.
In its news release, Bonhams praised the donor of a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL convertible, who offered his car for sale to benefit a Parisian hospital that specializes in post-trauma care research. The car sold for nearly $90,000.
The sale also included motorcycles, many from the MC Collection. One of the collection’s 1976 Benelli 750 CM3 sEI bikes sold for nearly $19,000 while the top price paid for a motorcycle was nearly $75,000 for a 1972 Honda CB500R 650cc racing bike.
Top 10 sales, Bonhams Grand Palais auction, 2016
- 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Berlinette, $2,319,642
- 1961 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV coupe, $683,005
- 2002 Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, $506,137
- 1951 Bentley Petersen 6 1/2-liter Dartmoor coupe, $483,000
- 1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III cabriolet, $476,815
- 2010 Ferrari 599 GTO, $476,815
- 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren roadster, $399,493
- 2002 Ferrari 575M Maranello coupe, $386,608
- 2005 Ferrari 575 Superamerica, $333,500
- 1992 Jaguar XJ220, $335,059
(Prices include buyer’s premium.)
“Bonhams motoring department now look to the Mercedes-Benz sale (Stuttgart, Germany, 19 March), and the Goodwood Members’ Meeting sale (Chichester, UK, 20 March),” Kantor said.
Bonhams also will stage its new Monaco sale on May 13.
