The RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2018 auction was held Friday, March 9th on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Amelia Island, Florida, resulting in $27,701,720 in total sales and an 86 percent sell-through rate. RM’s 20th annual sale at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance featured more than 100 automobiles.
“Our 20th anniversary Amelia Island sale showed robust demand across the market with a strong 86 percent sell-through rate,” said Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions for RM Sotheby’s.
“We saw a number of long bidding contests drive results well over estimate for cars in virtually every category from American Classics like the 1931 Marmon Sixteen Coupe, to the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 from the 964 Collection and, the 2001 Lamborghini Diablo which continued the string of recent strong prices for low-mileage supercars. To be able to sell both a Marmon Sixteen and a 911 Carrera RS 3.8 for record prices on the same night speaks to the expertise of our team of specialists as well as our client reach.”
The top result at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2018 auction was a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB, one of approximately 58 long-nose, torque-tube, triple-carburetor, steel-bodied examples. Retaining its original chassis, engine, and gearbox, the Berlinetta sold for a final $2,205,000.
One of the anticipated segments of the evening was the offering of “Exclusively Porsche — The 964 Collection”, a group of 11 limited-production Porsche 911 Type 964 variants assembled by a single-owner. Stand outs from the collection included the one-of-55 1993 911 Carrera RS 3.8 which sold for a final $1,655,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $1.2m – $1.5m, smashing the previous record for a Type 964 Porsche 911 Carrera RS at public auction. The paint-to-sample Ferrari Yellow 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.8 showing less than 800 km from new, roared onto the stage and brought $1,270,000.
Pre-war classics also drew interest at RM’s 2018 Amelia Island sale. Most notably, a 1931 Marmon Sixteen LeBaron Coupe wearing a restoration by Marmon expert Harry Sherry and complete with its original body, engine, and chassis incited a battle between a bidder in the room and on the phone, selling for a final $1,050,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $700k – $900k.
Additional American high performers included a 1932 REO Royale 8-35 Convertible Coupe, one of five known surviving examples, which achieved a final $280,000 (est. $200k – $250k). European classics were led by the 1930 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A S Boattail Cabriolet, known as “The Grey Goddess”, which brought $1,270,000. A 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Étoile Town Car with coachwork by Hibbard & Darrin also far-exceeded expectations at $335,000 (est. $175k – $250k).
Low-mileage supercars continued to command attention, with a 14-mile 2001 Lamborghini Diablo VT 6.0 SE, one of 42 final Special Editions produced and finished in Marrone Eklipsis bringing $412,000 (est. $300k – $350k), a new benchmark for a Diablo VT 6.0 at public auction, and a 1,300-km 1991 Lamborghini LM002 offered without reserve sold for $296,500 against a pre-sale estimate of $200k – $250k.
RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2018 – Top Ten Auction Results
- 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB (Chassis 08603) – $2,205,000
- 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 (Chassis WP0ZZZ96ZPS497111) – $1,655,000
- 1930 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A S Boattail Cabriolet (Chassis 1581) – $1,270,000
- 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.8 (Chassis WP0ZZZ96ZPS496080) – $1,270,000
- 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (Chassis 198.042.7500182) – $1,094,000
- 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing (Chassis 198.040.6500292) – $1,077,500
- 1931 Marmon Sixteen Coupe (Chassis 16 141 694) – $1,050,000
- 1930 Duesenberg Model J Imperial Cabriolet (ENGINE NO. J-254) – $995,000
- 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV (Chassis DB4/817/L) – $765,000
- 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe (Chassis 1745 GT) – $720,000
For complete results, visit www.rmsothebys.com.
Sotheby’s also offered four lots on behalf of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Foundation to benefit Spina Bifida of Jacksonville. Ranging from an original Ferrari 365 GTC display engine donated by Luigi Chinetti Jr. to a 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona experience with Hurley Haywood, the lots raised nearly $100,000 for a worthy cause.
RM Sotheby’s returns to Florida in a few weeks for our annual Fort Lauderdale auction at the Broward County Convention Center, 6-7 April. The 16th annual sale will feature approximately 350 cars and a selection of memorabilia. RM Sotheby’s also announced at Amelia Island that the company will be collaborating with the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta, the home of Porsche Cars North America, for a Porsche-only auction on 27 October at their facility, directly adjacent to the Atlanta Airport. For additional information, visit www.rmsothebys.com.
[Source: RM Sotheby’s]
