McLaren MP4/21

2006 McLaren-Mercedes MP4/21

Offered by Bonhams | Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. | November 25, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

The 2006 Formula One season was a classic Fernando Alonso/Michael Schumacher dogfight, with Alonso coming out on top. Behind Ferrari and Renault was McLaren, and this was their car for that year. Kimi Raikkonen was in one car, while Pedro de la Rosa replaced Juan Pablo Montoya in the other car midway through the season.

It was an Adrian Newey design and was powered by a Mercedes-Benz 2.4-liter V8 good for 750 horsepower. The competition history for this chassis, MP4/21-2, includes:

  • 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix – 3rd (with Kimi Raikkonen)
  • 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 Australian Grand Prix – 2nd (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 San Marino Grand Prix – 5th (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 European Grand Prix at Nurburgring – 4th (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 Spanish Grand Prix – 5th (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 Monaco Grand Prix – 20th, DNF (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 French Grand Prix – 5th (with Raikkonen)

McLaren restored the car before selling it off, and it hasn’t been used since. The pre-sale estimate is $2,500,000-$3,500,000. Click here for more info.

Hummer Soft Top

2006 Hummer H1 Alpha Soft Top

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Miami, Florida | December 10, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This is the perfect spec Hummer. It’s a yellow, non-wagon with a black soft top. Even better, it’s an Alpha. General Motors acquired the Hummer brand in 1999. Sometime in 2000, Hummer became the marque, and once the H2 was launched, they rebranded the original Hummer as the H1 (in 2003). There were no 2005-model-year H1s.

It was announced that 2006 would be the final year for the H1. It was upgraded to Alpha spec, which means that the engine is a 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V8 rated at 300 horsepower and 520 lb-ft of torque. This particular truck has been fitted with an aftermarket ECU and other bits, bumping horsepower to a claimed 500.

Only 729 H1 Alphas were built, and this one has just 22,000 miles. The pre-sale estimate is $125,000-$175,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $184,800.

The Last Four Champ Car Champions

The Last Four Champ Car Champions

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | ???? | October 29, 2022


2004 Lola-Cosworth-Ford B01/00

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The McDonald’s-liveried Champ Cars of Sebastien Bourdais are some the final iconic cars from that era of American motorsport. Campaigned by Newman/Haas Racing, the cars would clinch four consecutive championships with Bourdais and propel him to Formula 1.

2004 was the first season after they dropped the CART name. Officially, it was called the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. The Lola B02 chassis made up most of the field (the rest were Reynards). Every car was powered by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Ford-Cosworth XFE V8 that could make over 900 horsepower and rev to 15,000 rpm.

This chassis was initially delivered to Newman/Haas in 2001 and used that season. It was then placed into storage before being pulled out and updated for the 2004 season. The competition history for this chassis, 01-14, includes:

  • 2001 Grand Prix of Monterrey – 20th, DNF (with Christian Fittipaldi)
  • 2001 Grand Prix of Portland – 3rd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Long Beach – 3rd (with Sebastien Bourdais)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Monterrey – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Portland – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Molson Indy Toronto – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Road America – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Las Vegas – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Mexico City – 1st (with Bourdais)

Quite the career en route to Bourdais’ first championship. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $168,000.


2005 Lola-Cosworth-Ford B05/00

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Lola B05 was Newman/Haas’ 2005 competitor, although they retained the successful B01 just in case. The 900-horsepower, turbocharged 2.65-liter Ford-Cosworth XFE V8 remained unchanged. This chassis, HU 01, achieved the following:

  • 2005 Milwaukee Mile – 6th (with Sebastien Bourdais)
  • 2005 Portland Grand Prix – 2nd (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Grand Prix of Cleveland – 5th (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Grand Prix of San Jose – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Grand Prix of Denver – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Molson Indy Montreal – 4th (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Surfers Paradise – 1st (with Bourdais)

Add to that: another championship. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $201,600.


2006 Lola-Ford-Cosworth B02/00

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Lola B02 was actually the company’s 2002 CART chassis, and that’s when Newman/Haas took delivery of this one. It was updated over the years and used through the 2006 season, which is the specification it is in today.

Again, it is powered by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Cosworth V8. The competition history for this chassis, HU 03, includes:

  • 2002 Grand Prix of Monterrey – 3rd (with Christian Fittipaldi)
  • 2002 Molson Indy Toronto – 3rd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2002 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio – 2nd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2002 Grand Prix Americas – 2nd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2003 EuroSpeedway Lausitz – 1st (with Sebastian Bourdais)
  • 2003 Cleveland Grand Prix – 3rd (with Bruno Junqueira)
  • 2003 Molson Indy Toronto – 3rd (with Junqueira)
  • 2003 Grand Prix of Denver – 1st (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Long Beach Grand Prix – 2nd (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Denver – 3rd (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Molson Indy Montreal – 1st (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Monterey – 2nd (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Surfers Paradise – 1st (with Junqueira)
  • 2006 Milwaukee Mile – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Grand Prix of Toronto – 3rd (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Grand Prix of Montreal – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Grand Prix of Road America – 3rd (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Mexico City – 1st (with Bourdais)

Bourdais scooped up the championship in 2006, making it three in a row. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $196,000.


2007 Panoz-Cosworth DP01

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

2007 was the final season of the Champ Car World Series. They had just one constructor: Panoz with their DP01, all of which were powered by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Cosworth V8. Output was up to 950 horsepower.

I think it’s safe to say Bourdais was a championship favorite going into the season. He piloted this chassis in 10 races during the year, including:

  • 2007 Vegas Grand Prix – 13th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Grand Prix of Long Beach – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Grand Prix of Houston – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Grand Prix of Portland – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Toronto Grand Prix – 9th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 San Jose Grand Prix – 5th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Belgian Grand Prix – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Bavarian Grand Prix – 7th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Surfers Paradise – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Mexico City – 1st (with Bourdais)

He was pretty dominant in this chassis, and really, throughout his entire Champ Car career. He would win the final Champ Car championship in 2007. You can read more about it here.

Update: Sold $235,200.

FXX

2006 Ferrari FXX

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 15-17, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Ferrari Enzo ushered in a new era of supercars when it went on sale in 2002. It spawned a new form of supercar: track-only variants. These have since given way to track-only cars from other major manufacturers. That track-only Enzo variant is this: the 2005-2007, invitation-only, FXX.

The FXX took the Enzo platform a step (or five) further. It is a hardcore track machine. The 6.3-liter V12 makes 789 horsepower. It can hit 60 in 2.7 seconds and tops out at 214 mph. The car was offered to Ferrari’s most exclusive customers. Only 29 were built initially, with a 30th produced for Michael Schumacher upon his initial F1 retirement. Eight more followed for other customers for a grand total of 38 cars.

Ferrari has since introduced an Evoluzione package that updates the FXX to a more dramatic spec. This car has not received that kit and thus remains as it was originally intended. It has only been driven once – at the Fiorano track by its current and first owner before it was delivered to his collection. You can read more about it here and see more from RM here.

Update: Sold $3,520,000.

Saleen S7 Twin Turbo

2006 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Plymouth, Michigan | July 30, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

We’ve recently featured a Saleen S7 – the standard, naturally aspirated version of America’s most outlandish supercar. But what we have here is the more powerful version of Steve Saleen’s Irvine, California-built, gill-riddled, street-legal monster.

This version of the S7 is powered by a twin-turbocharged 7.0-liter Ford V-8 making 750 horsepower. That’s enough power to propel this thing to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds – all the way up to its 248 mph top speed. And it’s a legitimate car – not some thrown-together-in-a-barn sort of thing. They built these between 2005 and 2009 (the original S7 went out of production in 2006).

This car has only been driven about 300 miles since new. A recent service means it’s ready to add to that number, and rapidly. Only 13 Twin Turbo S7s were built in 2006 (and production fell off a cliff after this model year), making this is one of the final S7s built. It’s a true American supercar – and the best version of it. Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Sold $632,500.

Lamborghini Concept S

2006 Lamborghini Concept S

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | New York, New York | December 10, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

This car is one of the stars of RM’s New York City “Driven by Disruption” sale. It’s very rare that a Lamborghini concept car comes up for sale. This concept debuted at the Geneva show in 2005 where it was a design study only. It was quite popular, which led Lamborghini to build a running example that was shown at the 2006 Concorso Italiano. This is that car.

It’s obviously based on the Gallardo and uses the donor car’s 513 horsepower 5.0-liter V-10. It was the only example built. And because it does have, just barely, a windshield, it is street legal. It has covered less than 200 kilometers in its life.

Shown twice at Pebble Beach already, this is a car that will always be valuable. It could bring up to $3 million and has had only one owner since it was bought off the display stand. It’s really cool and its cockpit is reminiscent of the Italdesign Aztec or even a Can-Am car. It is certainly cool. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2017, $1,320,000.

Update: Not sold, RM Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi 2020.

Ford GTX1

2006 Ford GTX1 TT

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | May 7-9, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Ford GTs are hot right now. Like really hot. Try finding one for below $300,000. And with talk of a new GT on the way, they’re about at their peak. So why not roll in an even rarer version with gobs more power?

This is a GTX1, which is not an official factory designation. The GT was built between 2004 and 2006 with 4,038 built. The GTX1 was a concept car first shown at the 2005 SEMA Auto Show. It is special because it is a roadster. What makes supercars better? Why, chopping the top off of course.

The first GTX1 was built by Genaddi Design Group of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Ford commissioned them to build another 30 as a sort of aftermarket conversion. It’s an official car in that it appears in used car price guides and they are listed with the Shelby American Automobile Club.

The base GT uses a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 – but this car has been turbocharged to put out over 1,000 horsepower, hence the “TT” in the car’s name. GTX1s were built between 2005 and 2008 out of original GTs. Does it’s limited production make it more or less valuable than a standard GT? We’ll see: this one is expected to bring between $300,000-$350,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $330,000.

Bentley Continental GTZ

2006 Bentley Continental GTZ by Zagato

Offered by RM Auctions | London, U.K. | September 8, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

I don’t think anyone would argue that Bentleys aren’t stylish cars. The Continental GT has made Bentley a huge brand globally. After decades of low-volume production, they finally went mainstream with this mass production (for Bentley) coupe. It was introduced in 2003 and the first generation was produced through 2011. Go to Monaco sometime, these things are like Honda Accords there.

So what if you want a Bentley but you don’t want everyone else’s Bentley? You get a coachbuilt version. That’s right, this is a special-bodied Continental GT, dubbed GTZ for its Zagato design. This car marks the first time Bentley and Zagato have ever collaborated on a car. The engine is the standard 552 horsepower 6.0-liter twin-turbo W-12 found in all Continental GTs of the era.

This car started life as a 2006 Continental GT and in 2009 it was sent to Zagato to receive this custom treatment that they debuted at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. It was job worth over half-a-million dollars (on top of the price of the donor car). Only nine examples were produced. Look at the picture of the rear of the car below and see how wild it is. This one should sell for between $425,000-$530,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of RM’s London lineup.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Update: Sold $391,961.

Three Limited-Edition Ferraris

2012 Ferrari 599 SA Aperta

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Did you know Ferrari made a drop-top version of the 599 GTB Fiorano (to be more accurate, it’s a convertible 599 GTO)? Well, you wouldn’t be alone if you didn’t. The 599 was built from 2007 through 2012 (model years). There were a couple of limited edition versions of this car, but only one cut the top off.

It follows in the footsteps of two other V-12 front-engine Ferrari drop-tops: the 575 Superamerica and the 550 Barchetta. This uses the same 670 horsepower 6.0-liter V-12 engine from the 599 GTO. Very little was ever mentioned of this car. There were no magazine covers and it garnered little press. Probably because all 80 were sold before it was even released.

And this car is #80 of 80 – the last one built. Very rare, very new, and very exciting, this car should sell for between $625,000-$825,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $955,564.

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2008 Ferrari 612 Sessanta

Offered by Bonhams | Hendon, U.K. | April 28, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti was the 2004 replacement for the long-lived 456M. It’s a 2+2 four-seat coupe. It is not the most popular Ferrari of all time, but I’ve always liked them. It lasted through 2011 before it was replaced by the new FF.

The Sessanta was a limited-edition model built in 2007 and 2008. The engine is a front-mounted 5.7-liter V-12 making 540 horsepower. That makes this four-seater capable of 196 mph. The Sessanta (Italian for “60”) was to commemorate Ferrari’s 60th year. It featured two-tone paint (available in two variations) and special trim and badging. Ferrari also hiked the price big time.

Guess how many they built. That’s right, 60. This is one of only four right-hand drive models constructed. It is very rare and should sell for between $130,000-$170,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams’ Hendon lineup.

Update: Sold $153,309.

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2006 Ferrari 575 Superamerica

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Ferrari 575M Maranello was the successor to the 550 Maranello and precursor to the 599 GTB Fiorano. Ferrari built a convertible of the 550, called the 550 Barchetta. And it was a success. So they decided to do the same thing with the 575M.

The Superamerica featured an electrochromic glass roof that rotated and stored flat over the trunk of the car. It has kind of a targa look to it instead of pure convertible. The engine is a more powerful version of the one in the hard top – that is, a 5.7-liter V-12 making 540 horsepower.

This two-owner car is one of only 599 built and has 7,700 miles. These cars were highly sought after for years after they were built and there will be a point where these cars no longer depreciate and start going up in value. Right now, you can get your hands on this one for between $235,000-$325,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Monaco.

Update: Sold $330,540.

575 Superamerica

2006 Ferrari 575 Superamerica

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Ferrari 575M Maranello was the successor to the 550 Maranello and precursor to the 599 GTB Fiorano. Ferrari built a convertible of the 550, called the 550 Barchetta. And it was a success. So they decided to do the same thing with the 575M.

The Superamerica featured an electrochromic glass roof that rotated and stored flat over the trunk of the car. It has kind of a targa look to it instead of pure convertible. The engine is a more powerful version of the one in the hard top – that is, a 5.7-liter V-12 making 540 horsepower.

This two-owner car is one of only 599 built and has 7,700 miles. These cars were highly sought after for years after they were built and there will be a point where these cars no longer depreciate and start going up in value. Right now, you can get your hands on this one for between $235,000-$325,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Monaco.

Update: Sold $330,540.