The RM Sotheby’s London 2019 sale was held 24th October at Olympia in London, resulting in £9,387,425 in total sales and a 72 percent sell-through rate. The company’s 13th annual London event featured 85 cars and a selection of memorabilia that attracted bidders from 33 countries.
The top result at the RM Sotheby’s London 2019 auction went to the unrestored 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S that achieved £1,240,000. Offered without reserve from single-family ownership since 1974, chassis number 4245 had most recently been stored in a German barn. It was presented in its Giallo Flay yellow paint with Skay Bleu blue interior, still fitted with its original engine (estimate £800,000 – £1,000,000).
Additional highlights included the 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Rally — one of only four Delta S4s to have won a World Rally Championship event, and restored to original specification — that sold for £764,375. A restored 1961 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Series I sold for £404,375 (est. £325 – 375k), while a 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GT made £432,500. A 1984 Daimler Double Six Long-Wheelbase Saloon, once owned by Her Majesty The Queen, Elizabeth II, went under the hammer without reserve and sold for an £80,500, exceeding its pre-sale estimate of £50 – 70k.
The RM Sotheby’s London 2019 auction also represented an evening of success for cars offered for charity. The Forests Collection, a charity consignment of eight cars and one Harley-Davidson motorcycle, brought in over £500,000 with proceeds to be donated to the Trillion Trees environmental cause. The grouping of vehicles was led by a 2001 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (£172,500), also including a 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 in Sepia Brown (£115,000) and a 1991 BMW M3 (£57,500), among other lots.
Will Smith, Auction Manager, RM Sotheby’s London, said: “We are delighted to have witnessed a highly successful auction at this year’s new Olympia location in London, proving that the classic car market is still strong for both buyers and sellers, with a strong sell-through ratio at 72 percent. The varied selection of excellent cars on offer in this year’s auction is surely one of the most important contributing factors that made it a triumph, with everything from iconic motorsport greats to timeless performance cars for the road. The Lamborghini Miura sold well thanks to its exclusivity and rarity, and we are proud to have played host to the sale of the car as it changes hands for the first time in over 40 years.”
RM Sotheby’s London sale saw additional offerings from the Youngtimer Collection, a single-owner group of modern classics from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. A 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE 6.0 AMG ‘Hammer’ incited a long bidding contest to make £207,000, a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG 6.0 ‘Wide-Body’ achieved £161,000 and a 1995 Mercedes-Benz E60 AMG pulled in £138,000.
RM Sotheby’s London 2019 – Top Ten Auction Results
1. 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S – £1,248,125
2. 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Rally – £764,375
3. 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GT – £432,500
4. 1961 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Series I – £404,375
5. 1970 Maserati Ghibli 4.7 Spider – £398,750
6. 2018 Ferrari California T 70th Anniversary – £286,250
7. 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT Final Edition – £275,000
8. 1973 Iso Grifo GL Series II – £230,000
9. 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series – £224,250
10. 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE 6.0 AMG ‘Hammer’ – £207,000
For complete results, visit rmsothebys.com.
RM Sotheby’s concludes its 2019 auction calendar next month in Abu Dhabi, hosting a sale at the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix set at Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Key highlights include a 2002 Ferrari F2002 that steered Michael Schumacher to three victories during that year’s racing season, including first-place finishes at Imola, Zeltweg and Magny Cours, the last of which would secure the German driver his fifth World Drivers’ Championship title. Other key cars include a 1990 Ferrari F40 fully restored by specialists in Italy and autographed by Ferrari Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel, and a 2011 Aston Martin One-77, offered without reserve in partnership with Auction4Wildlife to benefit African Parks.
[Source: RM Sotheby’s]
