The RM Sotheby’s Motor City 2015 auction was held Saturday, July 25th at the Concours of America at St. John’s in Plymouth, Michigan, resulting in $7,425,450 in total sale and a 79 percent sell-through rate.
The 21st annual sale featured 80 automobiles, with interest received from 30 states across the country, as well as from as far as Australia, New Zealand and Argentina. Nearly 25 percent of bidders represented new RM Sotheby’s clientele.
American classics led the charge at the 3.5 hour auction, with 1930s examples securing the top three sales of the day. The star of the auction, a 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Dual-Cowl Phaeton, originally owned by Duesenberg Motors President Lucius B. Manning, realized $852,500 after competition from numerous bidders on the phone and in the ballroom. The Motor City-made 1933 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Sport Phaeton achieved $583,000 to applause from the crowd. Rounding out the top three, an award-winning 1934 Auburn Twelve Salon Speedster exceeded pre-sale expectations at a final $506,000.
“This year’s sale has once again proven that Motor City is one of the leading events celebrating the American automobile, and a fantastic venue for pre-war classics,” said Gord Duff, Car Specialist, RM Sotheby’s. “The top three results are reflective of the solid prices we’ve seen throughout 2015 for beautifully restored, concours-quality American Classics, and all three are a perfect fit for the Concours weekend.”
For 2015, RM Sotheby’s expanded its Motor City offering, adding select European sports cars and late model collectibles to the mix. The sale enjoyed a strong start with a triple-black 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe, achieving an above-estimate $176,000. Additional results for European examples included a 1988 Lamborghini LM002, and a 2001 BMW Z8, each generating $192,500. Finally, a 2005 Ford GT, showing fewer than 370 actual miles, sold for $319,000.
RM Sotheby’s Motor City 2015 – Top Ten Auction Results
1. 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Dual-Cowl Phaeton – $852,500
2. 1933 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Sport Phaeton – $583,000
3. 1934 Auburn Twelve Salon Speedster – $506,000
4. 2005 Ford GT – $319,000
5. 1930 Packard Deluxe Eight Dual-Cowl Sport Phaeton – $308,000
6. 1929 Stutz Model M Four-Passenger Speedster – $302,500
7. 1934 Pierce-Arrow Twelve Convertible Coupe Roadster – $297,000
8. 1938 Packard Super Eight Sedanca deVille – $220,000
9. 1968 Shelby GT500 KR Convertible – $203,500
10. 2001 BMW Z8 – $192,500
10. 1988 Lamborghini LM002 – $192,500
For complete results from RM Sotheby’s 2015 Motor City sale, visit www.rmsothebys.com.
RM Sotheby’s continues its summer 2015 calendar with the return of its flagship Monterey, California sale, August 13-15. Extended to three days in 2015, the auction will lift the gavel on approximately 150 collector cars. The digital catalogue for RM’s traditional Friday / Saturday Monterey sales, as well as that for The Pinnacle Portfolio, a private collection to be presented August 13, is available for viewing at www.rmsothebys.com. The company will conclude its summer calendar, September 7 with the presentation of its annual London sale, the official auction of the UK’s Concours of Elegance.
[Source: RM Sotheby’s]
