RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2015 – Auction Preview

The RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2015 auction will be held Saturday, March 14th on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Amelia Island, Florida. As the first auction for the new partnership between RM Auctions and Sotheby’s, the united team has gathered 100 automobiles and select memorabilia for the single-day auction, which will again act as a prelude to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

A total of fourteen automobiles offered at the 17th annual RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale have pre-sale estimates exceeding $1 million and no less than ten cars are estimated to sell for $2 million or more.The headline entries include a 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet by Pinin Farina; 1955 Jaguar D-Type; 1988 Jaguar XJR-9; 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider; 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500/540 K Cabriolet A by Sindelfingen; 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spider by Zagato; 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV; 1967 Shelby 427 ‘Semi-Competition’ Cobra and 1953 Ferrari 212 Europa Coupe by Vignale.

The matching-numbers 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet, chassis number 1945 SA, is powered by a 4.0-liter V-12 engine producing 340 bhp and wears Pinin Farina coachwork. The example on offer at the 2015 RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction is the third of seven short wheelbase Superamericas built. A left-hand-drive example and fitted with open headlights, it was finished in the color combination of Verde Bottiglia over a Rosso Connolly leather interior that it still wears today (Est. $6,000,000 – $7,000,000). Proceeds from the car’s sale will support the owner’s foundation for the education of children.

The Jaguar D-Type, XKD 530, is another headline attraction for the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2015 sale. One of 54 D-Types produced for privateer use, it was delivered new to famed Finnish tennis player, Curt Lincoln, who piloted the car to numerous 1st and 2nd place finishes throughout Finland, as well as in ice racing competition. A subsequent owner commissioned an extensively researched restoration by Jaguar experts which was completed in 2003. Since then, it has run the Mille Miglia four times and has been invited to numerous top Concours, including the 2011 Amelia Island Concours (Est. $3,750,000 – $4,250,000).

The works Jaguar XJR-9, chassis 388, on offer at the 2015 RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale was the last of three cars constructed for the 1988 IMSA GT Championship, run by Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR), and the only remaining example of just two XJR-9 chassis ever manufactured as purpose-built IMSA specification cars. Chassis 388 was fully developed into XJR-12 specification in 1990 and went on to win the season’s headline event, the 24 Hours of Daytona, in the hands of Davey Jones, Jan Lammers and Andy Wallace. The Jaguar also finished second overall at the 1989 running of the Daytona 24 Hours and secured a podium finish at Sebring in 1990 (Est. $3,000,000 – $5,000,000).

Additional Italian offerings included the 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spider (Est. $2,300,000 – $2,600,000), the 13th of approximately 106 fifth-series Gran Sports produced and one of 76 examples built for 1931. Restored in 2009, this Zagato-bodied example features numerous matching body stamps and parts numbers. The Alfa was exhibited at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV, chassis no. 4884, (Est. $2,250,000 – $2,750,000) was the prototype built for EPA testing and the first American SV sold. A factory publicity car, it appeared on the official factory brochure and was displayed at the 1971 Boston Auto Show, finished in the same color combination as it is presented today. (See 2015 RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island – Digital Catalog)

The 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider, chassis no. 15417, joins a group of 12 Ferraris slated for RM’s 2015 Amelia Island podium. It was delivered new to the U.S. through Luigi Chinetti Motors and spent time in several Midwestern collections before being acquired by Jeffery Schwartz of New Jersey in 1998. Schwartz commissioned a full restoration, refinishing the car in its original color combination of Nero over a brown leather interior with black Daytona seat inserts. The Daytona Spider received a Platinum Award at the 2013 Cavallino Classic (Est. $3,000,000 – $3,500,000).

The 1953 Ferrari 212 Europa Coupe (Est. $2,000,000 – $2,500,000) is an early Vignale-bodied example, one of six built. This two-time Copperstate 1000 participant, originally built for American sportsman Thomas Neelands, retains its matching-numbers original engine and gearbox.

Additional highlights at the RM Auctions Amelia Island 2015 sale include:

• 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra, chassis no. CSX 3045, one of 29 authentic Semi-Competition Cobras built; 18,000 miles from new (Est. $2,200,000 – $2,500,000);
• 1930 Duesenberg Model J ‘Sweep Panel’ Dual-Cowl Phaeton, engine no. J-487, only long-wheelbase LeBaron ‘Sweep-Panel’ Dual-Cowl Phaeton built and boasting outstanding provenance, including some of the greatest names in modern collecting (Est. $1,200,000 – $1,400,000);
• 1956 Arnolt-Bristol Deluxe Roadster, One of 142 built and fewer than 75 known survivors, Veteran of Colorado Grand and California Mille (Est. $400,000 – $500,000);
• 1927 Stutz Vertical Eight Black Hawk Custom Two-Passenger Speedster, chassis AA-C18-86501, “one of the most important Stutzes” and the fastest American-built production car of 1927, formerly part of the Harrah Collection with documented history (Est. $400,000 – $550,000).
• 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500/540 K Cabriolet A, chassis no. 105384, one of 33 500 K Cabriolet As built and upgraded to 540 K specification in period (Est. $2,900,000 – $3,500,000);
• 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Cabriolet by Gangloff, chassis no. 57710, One of three extant Aravis Cabriolets by Gangloff, documented by Bugatti historian Pierre-Yves Laugier, won Best of Show at 2012 Amelia Island Concours (Est. $2,500,000 – $3,250,000);
• 1963 Shelby 289 Cobra, chassis no. CSX 2147, formerly owned by Ford Special Projects Director, Jacques Passino, and finished in its original colors with original matching-numbers engine (Est. $950,000 – $1,150,000);
• 1968 Toyota 2000GT, chassis no. MF10L-10189, one of 84 left-hand-drive examples (Est. $900,000 – $1,100,000);
• 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z 432, chassis no. PS30-00092, the “holy grail” of all Z-machines (Est. $150,000 – $200,000, offered without reserve);
• 1955 Austin-Healey 100S, chassis no. AHS-3504, one of only 50 competition Healey 100s, was built specifically for Hollywood actor/director Jackie Cooper (Est. $975,000 – $1,375,000);

Visit RM’s special website showcasing recent feature highlights for Amelia Island at m.rmauctions.com.

In 2014, RM Auctions offered 91 automobiles for sale, with 88 finding a new owner, reflecting a 96.7% sales rate. Total sales volume was $35,947,500, inclusive of buyer’s premiums. The average price per car sold was $408,494. Top sale went to a 1937 Delahaye 135 Competition Court Torpedo Roadster at $6,600,000, followed by the 1958 BMW 507 Series II Roadster at $2,420,000 and the 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster at $1,842,500. (See 2014 RM Auctions Amelia Island Report).

As the official auction of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale will once again be held on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 4750 Amelia Island Parkway, Amelia Island, Florida on Saturday, March 14th, 2015. For complete event details, including a frequently updated list of entries, visit rmauctions.com. or call toll-free at 1 800 211 4371 (+1 519 352 4575 outside North America).

In addition to the auction, the RM Group of Companies will also have a presence at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, with two motor cars prepared by RM Auto Restoration set for the Concours field. These include a 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante owned by the Patterson Collection and a 1930 Stutz SV16 Monte Carlo by Weymann owned by Judge Joseph Cassini III.

[Source: RM Auctions]