A pair of 250 GT Ferraris and a more recent F40 topped the sales chart at RM Sotheby’s London auction Monday. Led by a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione “Tour de France” that sold for more than $7.6 million, the four-hour auction in Battersea Park generated more than $25.4 million in sales.
“Last night represented our ninth consecutive sale in Battersea Park and it turned out to be another great success,” Max Girardo, auctioneer and managing director of RM Sotheby’s European division, said in a post-sale news release.
“The market is seeing that real quality is still commanding strong money, and it doesn’t come much better than the Ferrari 250 Tour de France which headlined Monday’s sale. To achieve in excess of £16.6 million in sales demonstrates that the market still has a lot to offer.”
Girado added that, “We welcomed bidders from 26 countries, of which 23 percent were new clients to RM Sotheby’s.”
Fifty-five of 75 vehicles were sold, a 73.3 percent sell-through rate. One item of “nostalgia” was offered at the auction, a 2004 Ferrari F131B engine that brought $37,469.25, pushing the overall sales result to $25,404,075.25. (Prices reported include buyer’s premium and are expressed in dollars and cents due to the pound/dollar conversion.)
The Tour de France Ferrari was one of only 36 built with the single-louver body design and covered headlamps, and it has an extensive racing history and a recently rebuilt V12 engine.
Following the TdF Ferrari on the top-10 sales list for the auction were a 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta “Lusso” that brought nearly $2 million and a 1992 Ferrari F40 that sold for more than $1.36 million.
Also of note was that a Maserati Mistral 3.7 Spyder formerly owned by actress Diana Dors, the so-called British Marilyn Monroe, sold for $847,915.25. The actress bought the car immediately after its debut at the 1964 Earls Court Motor Show. It is one of only 20 right-hand-drive Spyders produced.
Also interesting and informative regarding the pulse of the collector car marketplace are the top bids that didn’t reach the seller’s reserve price. They included $2.5925 million for a 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider; $915,000 for a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL roadster; $640,500 for a 1969 Ferrari 365 GTC; and $579,500 for a 1972 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 touring.
Top 10 sales, RM Sotheby’s London 2015
- 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione ‘Tour de France,’ $7,667,318.75
- 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta ‘Lusso,’ $1,984,482.50
- 1992 Ferrari F40, $1,362,076.63
- 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage, $1,262,852,50
- 1995 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport, $1,010,282.00
- 1964 Maserati Mistral 3.7 Spyder, $847,915.25
- 2006 Porsche Carrera GT, $721,630.00
- 1929 Bentley 41/2-litre Tourer, $676,528.13
- 1962 Porsche 356 Carrera 2 coupe, $622,405.88
- 1968 Ferrari Dino 206 GT, 559,263.25
RM Sotheby’s next sale is October 8-9 at Hershey, Pennsylvania. The auction house ends its 2015 calendar with the Art Automobile sale November 18 in New York City.
