Tag Archives: america

Ferrari F60 America

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2016 Ferrari F60 America

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 12-14, 2021

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Going back 20 years, Ferrari has created limited-edition drop-top models of its front-engined V12 grand tourers. It started with the 550 Barchetta and progressed through the 575 Superamerica, 599 SA Aperta, and this, the F60 America.

It’s based upon the F12berlinetta, which went on sale in 2012. The F60 was introduced in late 2014 and was out of production by the end of F12 production in 2017. Only 10 examples were produced to pay homage to the 10 units of the US-only NART Spyder. The name F60 was chosen to celebrate 60 years of Ferrari in America. All 10 were sold before Ferrari even introduced it.

Power is from a 6.3-liter V12 rated at 730 horsepower. The F60 features a fabric soft top and a three-piece carbon-fiber hardtop, depending on what look you are going for. I’m sure this car was insanely expensive when new, and it’s likely still an easy seven-figure car today. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $3,635,000.

Edwards America Convertible

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1954 Edwards America Convertible

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Online | August 14-15, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Sterling Edwards’ eponymous car company managed to produce just six-ish cars during its short run. But they were pretty. The America was available as a coupe and convertible. Two coupes were made, three convertibles were completed, and the sixth body was stolen and likely scrapped.

This is car number one. It was constructed using the frame from a Henry J and an Oldsmobile Rocket V8 engine. The body is fiberglass, and other parts were sourced from existing cars of the era, including Studebaker headlight rings and Mercury taillights.

When new, this car was said to cost $4,995. Not cheap in the day – almost two grand more than a Corvette. This example received a mechanical restoration in 2003 and was purchased by the consignor in 2013. It can now be yours, as it’s selling at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $148,500.

Two Racing Cars from Artcurial

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1958 Talbot-Lago T14 America Barquette

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 8, 2019

Photo – Artcurial

Fun fact: Talbot-Lago won Le Mans outright in 1950. Anthony Lago entered two sporty cars again in 1956 but didn’t pull off the victory. So he went back and tried to build some more road cars, though the company would ultimately be taken over in 1958.

A Talbot-designed inline-four was put into a new car called the T14 and it was not very good. So they turned to BMW, who supplied a 138 horsepower, 2.5-liter V8. The steering wheel was moved to the left side, for the first time in company history, as they were aiming to move these cars in North America. They even renamed the export model the America.

When the company was taken over by Simca in 1958, there were some unfinished T14s lying around. Former factory driver Georges Grignard scooped them up – along with some spare engines. With funding from a pair of French brothers, a short run of six Talbot Sports were finished much later on. This car is one of those and it was completed in the 1980s with a hand-crafted bare aluminum body in the style of those 1956 Le Mans-losing racers. It’s road-legal and pretty cool. It should sell for between $160,000-$205,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1954 Panhard X86 Dolomites by Pichon Parat

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 8, 2019

Photo – Artcurial

The Panhard Dyna was not an inherently sporty car. It was a front-wheel drive subcompact powered by a two-cylinder engine. It was very French. But the French love their racing, and the car you see here is proof that anything can become a pretty bad-ass looking race car.

This X86 is based on the Dyna 120 and was built as a Dolomites race car by coachbuilders Pichon and Parat. It was campaigned around France in period and was at one point damaged in an accident. The large front grille opening the car now wears is the result of crash repairs.

The engine was updated by a later owner to an 851cc flat-twin. It’s probably eligible for a bunch of historic events and should sell for between $115,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $108,186.

The 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Models

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The 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Models

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 10, 2018

1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 964 was the generation of Porsche 911 cars produced between 1989 and 1994. These were air-cooled cars and were offered as coupes, cabriolets, and targas. A Turbo went on sale in 1990 but Porsche had something more exclusive in mind with the Carrera RS series of cars that first went on sale in Europe in 1992.

For 1993, Porsche introduced the Carrera RS 3.8, which was a Europe-only model. It was a lightweight, rear-wheel drive road car powered by a 3.8-liter flat-six making 300 horsepower. It also sported the body and styling from the 911 Turbo. Sold through 1994, only 55 examples of this car were built.

This is the second-to-last car built and it has been in the U.S. on a “Show and Display” license since 2015. It’s a super rare 911 road car that will demand big money when it goes under the hammer next month. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,655,000.

1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.8

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

So what’s the difference between this car and the car above? Well, that second “R” in the name, for starters. That is an “R” as in racing. If you look closely you’ll be able to see that there is a full roll cage in there and only one seat. It might be painted like a road-going 911, but it is a full-on race car.

Porsche is amazing because this, like many of their customer race cars, are built on the same 911 assembly line as the road cars. It wears the same Turbo-look body as the road car and has the same 3.8-liter flat-six, but in racing guise it’s good for as much as 375 horsepower. Zero to 60 came in 3.7 seconds and it topped out at 181 mph.

Porsche built 55 of these as well, enough for FIA homologation. This one was delivered new to Japan and was never competitively raced, just used at private facilities by its well-heeled owners. It’s another big money car. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,270,000.

1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RS America

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Porsche built their RS models and sold them in Europe, mainly, but not in the U.S. Well, America has quite a taste for high-performance cars and they wanted in, so to make them happy, Porsche built this: the Carrera RS America.

Built for 1993 and 1994 only, the RS America features a lack of features most 911s would’ve originally had. Things like: power steering, cruise control, powered mirrors, air conditioning, sunroof, and even a radio (though you could heap some of them back on as options). The engine is a 3.6-liter flat-six making 250 horsepower. Top speed was 157 mph.

Equipped with the big “whale tail” spoiler, this Carrera RS America is #34 of 701 built. It’s a 1,600 mile car and it is street legal in the U.S. (unlike the two cars above). While this may be the least expensive of the three cars shown here, it is by no means “cheap.” Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $190,400.

Talbot-Lago America

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1958 Talbot-Lago T14 America Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 9, 2017

Photo – Bonhams

Talbot-Lago presented their “Sport” model at the 1954 Paris Motor Show. Also called the T14, it would be produced in a few forms – all in limited numbers – through 1959. It was the final Talbot-Lago-branded automobile built.

The first run of cars were powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, but it was lackluster and in 1957 Talbot-Lago decided they’d be better off buying an engine from another manufacturer to install in their cars. The resulting cars were called the T14 America and are powered by a BMW-sourced 2.5-liter V-8 making 138 horsepower.

In the three model years the America was offered (1957 through 1959), only a dozen were built. After the brand was taken over by Simca in 1959, they constructed a few more examples, all powered by Simca’s anemic 95 horsepower Ford-based motor.

This BMW-powered example was one of the last cars built before the Simca takeover. The restoration dates to the early 2000s and looks fantastic, with just over 5,500 miles since new. It should sell for between $470,000-$580,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Ferrari 275S

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1950 Ferrari 275/340 America Barchetta by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 14-15, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

This Ferrari 275 should not be confused with the gorgeous GT car of the same numerals built in the mid-to-late 1960s. The 275S was actually the first Lampedri-engined Ferrari ever built. Two were built in 1950 and they were based on the 166MM but used a new, experimental 3.3-liter V-12 from Ferrari’s new technical director, Aurelio Lampedri.

It had a body by Touring and was entered by the factory in the 1950 Mille Miglia, driven by none other than Alberto Ascari. It DNF’d, but still. After this failure, this 275S went back to the factory and was fitted with a new 4.1-liter V-12 from Ferrari’s new touring car, the 340 America. The engine makes 220 horsepower. It was then sold.

The new owners entered the car in some races. This car’s race history includes:

  • 1950 Mille Miglia – DNF (with Alberto Ascari)
  • 1951 Mille Miglia – DNF (with Gianni Marzotto and Otello Marchetto)
  • 1951 Targa Florio – DNF (with Giovanni Bracco and Mario Raffaelli)
  • 1952 Mille Miglia  – result unknown

Once it’s racing career was finished, the Touring body was replaced by this Scaglietti Barchetta. It was exported to the U.S. in 1958. It ended up being rescued from a barn in Vermont by an enterprising 15-year-old who then owned the car for over 40 years, restoring it himself and selling it in 1999.

After competing in quite a few historic events all over Europe, the current owner was able to acquire the car. This is one of only two Ferrari 257S racers ever built. It is one of only nine Scuderia Ferrari racing roadsters from the 1950s. And it was the first Lampedri-engined Ferrari to hit the track. It’s a piece of history – and one you can use. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $7,975,000.

Edwards America

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1954 Edwards America Coupe

Offered by Auctions America | Burbank, California | August 1-3, 2013

1954 Edwards America Coupe

Like many before him and many after, Sterling Edwards made a lot of money in industry but loved cars and wanted to build the perfect one. Well, very few have actually succeeded doing that (Ferruccio Lamborghini is about the only one who comes to mind. Horacio Pagani, I guess, too) and many have lost more money than they’ve made.

Anyway, he built a car called the R-26, which was a race car originally and a road car later. It was not a sales success. His second try was the Edwards America. He took a Mercury chassis and hung a lightweight, attractive, Italian-looking fiberglass body on it and stuffed a V-8 under the hood. This car has a 5.2-liter V-8, making 205 horsepower.

Unfortunately, Edwards’ timing was off and he couldn’t compete with the Corvette or the Thunderbird (much less both). Only six Americas were built and this is believed to be car #2. It has known ownership history and was repaired from a fire many years ago. It shows some signs of age, but it’s super rare and should be worth about $100,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Auctions America’s lineup in Burbank, California.

Update: Sold $66,000.