The Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013 auction was held Friday 12 July on the Tapestry Lawn at Goodwood House in Chichester, UK. A selection of more than 60 automobiles crossed the auction block, resulting in total sales of £36,072,464 and an 84% sell-through rate.
History was made at the Bonhams Goodwood sale, as the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 sold for £19,601,500 (US$29,650,095, €22,701,864).The ex-Fangio car becomes the most valuable motor vehicle ever sold at auction, beating the previous record of £10,086,400 set by a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa in 2011.
The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula 1 single-seater, chassis number 00006/54, was the car in which Juan Manuel Fangio won both the 1954 German and Swiss Grand Prix races on the way to his second Drivers’ World Championship title.
Robert Brooks, Bonhams Chairman, said, “It was a personal privilege to preside over the sale of the Mercedes-Benz W196, which is not only one of the most significant motor cars of the 20th century, but also the most important historic Grand Prix racing car ever offered for sale.”
Bonhams also set a new world record highest price for a Maserati at auction, when the 1955 300S Sports Racing Spider that finished third in the 1955 Sebring 12-Hours sold for £4,033,500. The previous record was £2,251,520 set in 2012.
The result means Bonhams now holds the world records for the following marques at auction: Aston Martin (£3,200,000), Austin-Healey (£843,000), Bentley (£5,000,000), Maserati (£4,033,500), Mercedes-Benz (£19,601,500) and Rolls-Royce (£4,700,000).
Another important motor car, ‘NOJ 392’, the Austin-Healey 100 Special Test Car that was the Works team entry in the 1953 Mille Miglia and Le Mans 24 Hours sold for £785,500, the Lotus Cortina Competition Saloon in which Sir John Whitmore won the 1965 European Touring Car Championship brought £183,500 and a 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Le Mans Tourer that was originally owned by the 3rd Viscount Ridley went home for £1,905,500.
The 2013 Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed sale took place before a packed audience of more than 1,000 people in the marquee, with bidders from 32 countries around the world taking part. The auction total of £36,072,464 represents the highest-grossing auction of motor cars in Europe.
Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013 – Top Ten Auction Results
1. 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 – £19,601,500
2. 1955 Maserati 300S – £4,033,500
3. 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Le Mans Tourer – £1,905,500
4. 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast Coupe – £852,700
5. 1928 Mercedes-Benz Model 630K Tourer – £807,900
6. 1953 Austin-Healey 100 Special Test Car – £785,500
7. 1913 Rolls-Royce 45/50hp Silver Ghost London-to-Edinburgh Tourer – £718,300
8. 1936 Lagonda LG45 Rapide ‘Mathilda’ – £617,500
9. 1952 Bentley R-Type Continental 4.9-Litre Sports Saloon – £539,100
10. 1964 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible – £533,500
For complete results, visit Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed.
[Source: Bonhams]
Hmm, that’s almost as much as a new F1 car or just a drop in the bucket? Awesome car, awesome sounding too!
F1 cars all look the same and the drivers are computer driven.
The 50’s and 60’s cars looked good and were driven by real people.