The RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2019 auction was held August 15-17 at the Monterey Conference Center in California, resulting in $107,470,310 in total sales and a 74 percent sell through rate. RM’s three-day auction total represents the highest grossing auction of Monterey Car Week.
The highlight of the 2019 RM Sotheby’s Monterey event — and the most valuable car sold during Monterey Car Week — was the 1994 McLaren F1 ‘LM-Specification’ which sold for a final $19,805,000, setting a new auction record for the marque on Friday evening. Four bidders vied for nearly five minutes before the car sold to a private collector based in the United States.
The world’s fastest naturally aspirated production car, serial number 018 is one of two McLaren F1 examples upgraded to Le Mans specification by the factory, equipped with the GTR engine and an extra high-downforce package that went above and beyond the coachwork effects of the original five LM cars. Used on a handful of tours and rallies, the McLaren was offered in Monterey showing 21,500 km.
Another record-setting moment came when “the most famous car in the world,” a 1965 James Bond Aston Martin DB5, sold for a final $6,385,000 (est. $4m – $6m) during ‘An Evening with Aston Martin,’ hosted in partnership with Aston Martin Works and Aston Martin Lagonda on a Thursday evening sale. The DB5, chassis number DB5/2008/R, is one of three surviving James Bond 007 DB5 examples outfitted with the MI6 Q Branch specified gadgetry from new as seen in Goldfinger and as used in the promotion of Thunderball. Recently fully restored by Roos Engineering in Switzerland, with all gadgetry fully functioning as Q intended, the DB5 was the subject of a bidding competition between interested parties in the room and on the phone, eventually selling to an bidder present in the sale room to become the most valuable DB5 sold at auction.
On Saturday night, it was Ferraris that took top billing. Highlights were led by the late-production, matching numbers, Classiche-certified 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, which was offered without reserve and achieved a final $8,145,000 (est. $8m – $10m. Bidding on the restored Ferrari was spirited throughout the lot as it opened at $5,000,000 and proceeded to reach its hammer price in a few short minutes with bids originating from the room and on the telephone.
Modern Ferraris were also featured on Saturday night, with the Ming Collection, a group of seven all-red, low-mileage Ferraris, with nearly all lots reaching or exceeding high estimate. The Ming Collection was led by the sale of a 2006 Ferrari FXX in “time capsule” condition at a final $3,525,000 to set a new world record for the model at auction (est. $2.85m – $3.25m). The preserved 1995 Ferrari F50 on offer in Monterey was also sold immediately following the auction for a final $3,000,000.
Kenneth Ahn, President, RM Sotheby’s, commented, “We were delighted to see an increased number of registered bidders with over 1,400 at this year’s Monterey auction. However, it appears the macroeconomic concerns and headlines in the financial markets earlier in the week were correlated with the observed softening of the collector car market in Monterey this weekend – including total sales, sell-through rates, and average prices achieved compared to last year across all auction houses. The team at RM Sotheby’s was proud to present an exceptional lineup of cars, and some of the truly rare and desirable examples remained in high demand as evidenced by spirited bidding, often reaching record prices. We remain cautiously optimistic about the strength of the collector car market and plan to work diligently with our global clients to effectively navigate the market as it finds balance.”
Additional highlights at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2019 auction included:
- 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Shooting Brake, which sold for $1,765,000, exceeding estimate (est. $1m – $1.4m) and becoming the most valuable Shooting Brake bodied-car of any marque sold at auction;
- 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype, which sold for $7,650,000 (est. $7m – $9m);
- 2005 Porsche Carrera GT finished in paint-to-sample Arancio Boreallis, which sold for a final $1,193,000 to set a new auction record for the model;
- 1967 Porsche 911 S ‘Rallye’ which sold for $912,500 (est. $250k – $325k);
RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2019 – Top 10 Auction Results
1. 1994 McLaren F1 ‘LM-Specification’ (Serial Number 018) – $19,805,000
2. 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta (Chassis Number 3359 GT) – $8,145,000
3. 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype (Chassis Number GT/108) – $7,650,000
4. 1965 Aston Martin DB5 “Bond Car” (Chassis Number DB5/2008/R) – $6,385,000
5. 1960 Porsche 718 RS 60 Werks (Chassis Number 718-044) – $5,100,000
6. 2006 Ferrari FXX (Chassis Number ZFFHX62X000146355) – $3,520,000
7. 1995 Ferrari F50 (Chassis Number ZFFTG46AXS0103351) – $3,000,000
8. 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari (Chassis Number ZFF76ZFA6E0205297) – $2,947,500
9. 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS (Chassis Number 12163) – $2,205,000
10. 2014 Pagani Huayra Tempesta “Scozia” (Chassis Number ZA9H11UA7ESF76097) – $2,040,000
For complete auction results, visit www.rmsothebys.com.
The RM Sotheby’s Group continues its calendar this month with the company’s annual Auburn Fall sale, a Labor Day weekend tradition featuring more than 700 collector cars at the Auburn Auction Park in Indiana (29 August – 1 September). September will see RM Sotheby’s on the road for two private collection sales, among them the Sáragga Collection, featuring more than 130 cars from over 55 marques in Portugal, as well as the Taj Ma Garaj Collection, featuring the Porsches, Volkswagens, and automobilia of late collector, Mr. John Dixon, in Dayton, Ohio.
[Source: RM Sotheby’s; photo: Darin Schnabel]
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