Tag Archives: 2012

599 “Alonso Edition”

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2012 Ferrari 599 GTB 60F1 Alonso Edition

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | London, U.K. | November 4, 2023

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Ferrari’s 599 GTB was offered for the model years 2007 through 2012. Its first year was when Kimi Raikkonen won the F1 championship for the Scuderia, Ferrari’s most recent championship season. So they were flying high when this car launched.

But by the time it was about to exit production, their F1 world had grown darker, despite the hiring of two-time champion Fernando Alonso. For 2012, they sold about 40 units of this special edition, which was named to celebrate 60 years of winning in F1. It’s associated with Alonso because the announcement came on the heels of his 2011 British Grand Prix victory.

The car is based on the 599 HGTE, meaning it is powered by a 6.0-liter V12 good for 612 horsepower, The HGTE was essentially a handling package with revised suspension details. The estimate here is $240,000-$300,000. For more info, click here.

LFA Nurburgring

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2012 Lexus LFA Nurburgring

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | June 2022

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

The LFA was the most the most super supercar that Toyota ever built. And the optional Nurbugring package, which was a $70,000 (!) option, made it even super-er. Actually, what it did was add a big rear wing, a front splitter and dive planes, and suspension revisions.

There was also a 10-horsepower bump for the 4.8-liter V10, resulting in 563 horsepower. Lexus only produced 64 examples with this package out of a total run of 500 cars. Available model years ran from 2011 through 2013, and nearly 10 years later there are still rumors of cars yet to be sold, almost certainly because dealers parked them away in their private collections.

However, there really was a sort of “who wants to pay that much for a Lexus” sort of thing that went on when these cars were new. Short-term thinking there, because they cars are hot now. The bidding on this LFA is already over a million dollars with well over a week to go as of this writing. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $1,225,000.

LaFerrari Prototype

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2012 Ferrari LaFerrari M6 Development Prototype

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monaco | May 14, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The LaFerrari was one of the three major hybrid hypercars to debut in the 2010s along with the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder. But each of those cars underwent heavy development cycles, and not all of them were pretty.

What we have here is a “LaFerrari Prototype” that is actually a heavily modified Ferrari 458 Italia that gave its dignity to be fitted with a bunch of test equipment and essentially operate as a development mule. This car was from the first phase of testing and was codenamed the M6.

It has a version of the LaFerrari’s hybrid powertrain stuffed in its modified chassis. It sounds as if it has a version of the Enzo’s 6.0-liter V12 paired with an F1-derived KERS system and an electric motor. Ferrari sold this car, complete with its factory camouflage, to a private owner in 2016.

It’s a runner, but can’t be registered (or apparently used on public race tracks). But for someone with a private Ferrari collection (or a private race track), the purchase could make sense. No pre-sale estimate is available, and you can read more here.

Update: Not sold.

Riley-BMW Daytona Prototype

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2012 Riley-BMW Mk XXVI

Offered by Mecum | Chattanooga, Tennessee | October 15-16, 2021

Photo – Mecum

Daytona prototypes were a cool era of American sportscar racing. Basically the Grand-Am, then IMSA, version of an LMP1 car, they were the top dog in Grand-Am and American-based sports car racing starting with their debut in 2003. This is actually a third-generation DP, which debuted in 2012 and lasted through 2016.

This era was more creative than previous generations, as those tended to all look like the same block of soap with wheels. The third gen featured this Riley chassis and the Corvette DP, which looked different enough to be recognizable on its own.

Riley Technologies was founded in 2001 by Bob Riley (of race car constructor Riley & Scott) and his son Bill. The Riley DP chassis were pretty successful, being competitive from 2003 through 2016. This car features a way-too-busy livery and is powered by a 5.0-liter BMW V8.

It’s an ex-Michael Shank Racing car and comes with two spare engines. Its specific race history is unknown. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: ?? Not listed as sold or not sold. So presumably sold and Mecum is hiding the result from everyone.

Peugeot Double Wagon

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2012 Peugeot 306 Custom Hatchback

Offered by Aguttes | Aulnay-sous-Bois, France | September 19, 2021

Photo – Aguttes

Well let’s start with what this started out as. And that would be a Peugeot 303. The catalog lists it as a “2012” but that’s not really accurate, as the 306 was produced across three generations from 1993 through 2002. 2012 is actually the year the car was modified.

This looks like a second- or third-phase 306, making it from 1997-2002. The car was modified for the Michel Gondry film Mood Indigo. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a French surrealistic science fantasy movie. Directed by Michel Gondry. So that’s exactly why this car looks like it does. The big difference, if you can’t make heads or tails of it, is that the windshield was covered with a secondary rear hatch (and roof bit) that has fitted in reverse over the front of the car. Google “Waimea car” if you want to see a similar setup on an older car.

To access the transverse inline-four engine, you need to raise the front hatch. To drive, you need to peer through two panes of glass. Not exactly street friendly. Aguttes describes it as a “roller” but there is an engine in there. It is expected to sell for between $4,800-$9,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $5,219.

Spyker C8 LM85

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2012 Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Slough, U.K. | July 18, 2020

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

We all know that the Spyker C8 is one of the coolest supercars of this century. It debuted in 2000 and has been produced in a number of different models over the last 20 years, including this, the Laviolette LM85. Laviolette is Spyker-speak for a “coupe.” Specifically, it’s a hardtop with a glass roof and a big air intake.

That air intake helps cool the mid-rear-mounted, 400-horsepower, 4.2-liter Audi V8. This car is a special edition model built to celebrate Spyker‘s Le Mans history and is sort of a road-going version of the GT2 car raced by the factory “Spyker Squadron” race team (which is a badass name for a race team). All LM85s were finished in Burnt Orange and Gunmetal.

Production was supposed to be capped at 24, but according to Historics, only 15 were built between 2009 and 2012. Spyker road cars are already fascinating enough, but a racing-based road car with cool colors is even better. This one is expected to fetch between $158,000-$195,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $281,472.

The Winner of the 100th Indy 500

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2012 Dallara-Honda DW12

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 25, 2018

Photo – Mecum

The DW12 was IndyCar’s new chassis beginning in the 2012 season. Named for the late Dan Wheldon, the DW12 is expected to be the series’ base chassis through the 2020 season. Built by Dallara, this chassis, #037, won the 2016 Indy 500 with rookie Alexander Rossi behind the wheel.

The engine in this car is a twin-turbo 2.2-liter Honda V-6 tuned to make about 625-ish horsepower. It still wears the distinctive blue and yellow NAPA livery that Rossi took to victory lane as well as the 2016 Honda Speedway aero kit. You’re probably wondering why this “2012” Dallara won the 2016 Indy 500. Well, here’s the Indy 500 competition history for this chassis:

  • 2012 Indianapolis 500 – 12th (with Alex Tagliani)
  • 2013 Indianapolis 500 – 24th (with Tagliani)
  • 2014 Indianapolis 500 – 20th (with Jack Hawksworth)
  • 2015 Indianapolis 500 – 16th (with Gabby Chaves)
  • 2016 Indianapolis 500 – 1st (with Alexander Rossi)

That’s right, it’s run five Indy 500s, winning the last time out (and what a race it was). The official entrant was Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian… which is a mouthful. Indy 500-winning cars rarely change hands and many of them are owned by the Speedway Museum itself. So it’s rare that one is out in the wild – especially one that could technically still compete. Here’s your chance to grab a piece of history. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,127,500.

The Last Bugatti Super Sport

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2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | July 13, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

The Bugatti Veyron was a whole new kind of car. Unlike anything before it, the pure power and speed this car is capable of rewrote the rules of hypercardom (that’s now a word). It was a 1,000 horsepower brute capable of 253 mph.

But after five years of production, those stats started to seem kind of pedestrian. So Bugatti pumped it up and out came this, the Super Sport. Built between 2010 and 2012, it was the ultimate hardtop Veyron (the topless twin was the Grand Sport Vitesse). This monster features a 1,200 horsepower version of the 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged W-16 engine. Though capable of 267 mph, Grand Sports were electronically limited by the factory to a mere 258 mph to keep the tires from coming apart.

This car is the last of 30 Super Sports built (the Grand Sport Vitesse would soldier on through 2015). Painted in matte black, this one-owner car has covered only 550 km since new – making it practically a brand new car. It will only go up in value with time and should command between $2,300,000-$2,400,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,691,410.

911 GT3 Brumos

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2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 4.0 Brumos Edition

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 5-14, 2018

Photo – Mecum

Porsche is the king of factory-built customer race cars and they’ve been doing it for quite some time. These racers are built on the same production line as the road cars. One of their premier outlets for such cars is Brumos Porsche of Jacksonville, Florida. Brumos Racing has been a staple at Florida’s endurance races (Sebring, Daytona) for a long time with drivers like Hurley Haywood.

This generation of the 911 GT3 Cup (the 997) was introduced in 2009 and built through 2011 with a 3.8-liter engine. However, this 2012 car features a version of the 4.0-liter flat-six from the GT3 RS 4.0 that makes more than 450 horsepower in this application. This is a full-fledged race car and it is not street legal – though it does have two seats if you want to scare your friends.

The last five U.S.-spec 997 GT3 Cup cars were all 4.0-liter cars sent to Brumos and sold as “Brumos Edition” racers. Jerry Seinfeld had one – it brought over $450,000 in 2016. Mecum has been trying to move the car you see here for what seems like ever. Hopefully it finds a new owner this January in Florida. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $300,000.

Update: Not sold, Mecum Indy 2018, high bid of $300,000.

Update: Not sold, Mecum Monterey 2018, high bid of $325,000.

Update: Not sold, Mecum Kissimmee 2019, high bid of $280,000.

Update: Not sold, Mecum Indy 2020, high bid of $350,000.

HPD ARX-03

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2012 HPD ARX-03

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | May 11-13, 2017

Photo – Auctions America

Everyone has heard the saying “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” – meaning, if your race cars run up front, it does wonders for your brand. So Honda, for some reason, decided to build race-winning LMP prototype sportscars, but, not under their own name. Or even Acura’s. But under the “Honda Performance Development” brand – and then abbreviate it so no one knows “Honda” is even building these.

The program started in 2007 with the HPD ARX-01 (which, to be fair, was branded as an Acura for the first few seasons). The car was very good. The ARX-03, the most recent car, debuted in 2012. This one is powered by a Honda HPD twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6. With the V-6, this car is spec’d to compete in the international LMP2 (or P2) class. It ran in the ALMS and was eligible for FIA World Endurance Championship races.

This car is an ex-Level 5 Motorsports car, the race team founded by Scott Tucker whose assets were seized by the government when Tucker was indicted on RICO charges. The race history or this chassis includes:

  • 2012 12 Hours of Sebring – 4th, 1st in Class (with Scott Tucker, João Barbosa, and Christophe Bouchut)
  • 2012 Petit Le Mans – 2nd, 1st in Class (with Tucker, Bouchut, and Luis Díaz)
  • 2012 ALMS P2 Team Champion
  • 2012 ALMS P2 Drivers Champion (Tucker and Bouchut)
  • 2013 12 Hours of Sebring – 6th, 1st in Class (with Tucker, Marino Franchitti, and Ryan Briscoe)
  • 2013 ALMS P2 Team Champion
  • 2013 ALMS P2 Drivers Champion (Tucker)

That’s a pretty impressive resume for a five-year old car. And it’s had some big names from the current era of sports car racing behind the wheel. The HPD LMP program was wound down for 2017 when Acura went GT racing with its new NSX. As the years go by, these HPD prototypes will probably be forgotten about by most people and will eventually be popular on the historic circuit. This well-raced example should bring between $75,000-$100,000 – a steal. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

S/N # ARX-03/02

Update: Sold $110,000.