Tag Archives: bugatti

September 2019 Auction Highlights

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We’ll start this rundown with Bonhams’ Goodwood Revival sale, where the top sale during the auction was this 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Faux Cabriolet for $1,848,225.

Photo – Bonhams

The Wolverine Can-Am car we featured sold for $99,254, and the Rochdale brought $31,194. Click here for more results.

Up next we have RM’s Saragga Collection sale in Portugal. All of our feature cars sold, led by the Denzel and the HRG, which sold for $345,025 and $181,745 respectively. The overall top sale was $746,297 paid for this 1931 Bentley 8-Litre Tourer.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Other feature car sales included the Sado ($7,572), the De Tamble Roadster ($82,037), and the Willys Interlagos ($39,125). Click here for complete results.

Back to Bonhams for their inaugural “MPH” sale, which I think was a one-day online-only auction. Not really sure, as it wasn’t explained clearly on their website. The Brooke ME190 failed to sell, while the overall top sale was a tie. Both this 1993 Ford Escort RS Cosworth (below) and this 1993 Land Rover Defender 110 K13 SOV Prototype (second below) sold for $61,032 each. Full results can be found here.

Photo – Bonhams
Photo – Bonhams

The top seller at Mecum’s Louisville sale was this 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Lightweight that brought $121,000.

Photo – Mecum

The Chrysler New Yorker we featured was withdrawn from the sale, but you can look through the rest of the results here.

Finally, we have one more from Bonhams: their Swiss supercar sale, including a bunch of cars confiscated from the son of an African dictator. Fun! Our feature feature car was the overall top sale: the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, which sold for $8,330,076. The Lagonda Taraf failed to sell. In the spirit of over-the-top supercars, Most Interesting goes to this 2010 Lamborghini Reventon Roadster that found a new home for $1,966,823.

Photo – Bonhams

The Koenigsegg One:1 brought $4,627,820, and full results are available here.

September 2019 Auction Highlights

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We start in September with Worldwide Auctioneers’ Auburn sales results, which somehow were posted before their Pacific Grove sale. We’ll get to those later. But to start, the top seller here was a 1948 Tucker for $990,000.

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

The Epperly-Offy we featured sold for $385,000, and the Surlesmobile went for $30,800. The Gray-Dort was a steal at $6,600, and, not surprisingly, the 1904 Carter brought only $1,925. Full results can be found here.

Across town (or on the other side of the highway), was RM’s Auburn Fall sale. The top seller here was this 2005 Ford GT for $302,500.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Duesenberg concept car failed to sell, but the Harroun brought $33,000, the Auto Union $23,650, and a previously-featured Kissel $49,500. Click here for all of the results.

Next up, Brightwells Leominster Classic & Vintage sale. The Bristol 412 we featured sold for $17,258. The top sale was $259,565 paid for this 1960 Aston Martin DB4 project. More results can be found here.

Photo – Brightwells

Following up on Worldwide’s Pacific Grove sale, the Riker electric car and the Simplex failed to sell. The Stevens-Duryea brought $115,500. The top sale was a 1958 Porsche 356 1600 Speedster for $264,000, but they’ve taken the photos off of their website. 🙁

You can still read through the results here.

Finally, Bonhams at Beaulieu, where a previously-featured Trumbull cyclecar failed to sell for a second time. The top sale was this 1929 Bugatti Type 44 Tourer by Harrington. It brought $365,225.

Photo – Bonhams

Our other two feature cars both sold. The Miniature Velox brought $64,451, and the Healey Tickford sold for $21,483. Click here for complete results.

August 2019 Auction Highlights

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We’ll start in August with Mecum’s Harrisburg sale, where an insane thing happened: the Plymouth Superbird we featured (that also happened to be Richard Petty’s former race car), failed to sell… for $3,500,000. Yeesh. The overall top seller was this 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Sox & Martin drag car for $429,000. Click here for complete results.

Photo – Mecum

Now we move to Monterey, and we’ll start with Bonhams Quail Lodge sale. The top sale was the Ferrari 340 America we featured. It brought $3,635,000. No-sales among our feature cars included the Shelby/De Tomaso racer, the Siata 208 CS, and, I’m pretty sure, this Stutz Monte Carlo. Most Interesting is awarded to this 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier sedan by Gangloff that went for $246,400.

Photo – Bonhams

Other highlights here included the Fran Roxas-bodied Duesenberg for just $478,000, the Hughes-Kircher Special for $304,200, the 1928 Cunningham for $80,000, and a previously-featured 12-seater Delahaye for $86,800. Click here for complete results.

Pivoting back to Mecum for their Monterey sale, we find that the top seller was this 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 that sold for $2,750,000.

Photo – Mecum

The Ferrari 250 Monza was a no-sale at $20,000,000 – which just means that they had exceedingly high expectations for a car they didn’t seem too sure what it was. Other no-sales included the Delahaye Narval and previously-features cars such as this Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, a Talbot-Lago, the Lamborghini Centenario, a Corvette ZR2 convertible, and the Dragonsnake Cobra. The Gerhardt-Offy and Lola-Menard also failed to sell.

But, Arie Luyendyk’s ’97-winning car went for $440,000. Other sales included the Mercedes Alpine racer for $330,000 and a previously-featured McLaren 675LT Spider for $253,000. Click here for the rest of the results.

Next up is Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach sale. We’ll start with the no-sales, which included the Alfa Superflow, Jaguar XJR-10, and, I think, a previously-featured OSCA. The biggest seller was this 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider that sold for $9,905,000.

Photo – Gooding & Company

The Ferrari we featured, the Niki Lauda F1 car, sold for $6,000,000. Other Italian sales included the Alfa 256 for $2,755,000 and the Isotta Indy car for $2,645,000.

And our other feature cars, in decreasing order, were the Duesenberg Sport Berline for $2,040,000, the Studebaker Indy car for $1,105,000, and the Tatra for $412,000. Click here for more results.

And to wrap this post up, RM Sotheby’s much-talked-about sale, where the expected star, the 1939 Porsche, failed to sell after mass confusion. They did manage to set a record for a McLaren at auction, selling this 1994 McLaren F1 “LM-Spec” car sold for $19,805,000. These cars are not done appreciating.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Other no-sales included the Ferrari 196 SP, the Ferrari 375MM, the Vector M12, a Duesenberg, and a previously-featured Maserati. On the “cheap” side of things, we have the 1990s Pantera for $240,800, the Jaguar Pirana for $324,000, and a previously-featured Rolls-Royce for $665,000.

Seven-figure cars included the Lincoln Indianapolis Concept at $1,105,000, the Aston DB5 wagon for $1,765,000, the Ferrari FXX for $3,520,000, and the GT40 Roadster for $7,650,000. Click here for final results.

Bugatti Type 35B

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1929 Bugatti Type 35B

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | June 15, 2019

Photo – Osenat

I love how old Bugattis always look like they just finished running a few hundred miles. There’s grease and imperfect paint – and this car is parked in a puddle. It’s amazing that these cars still get so much use. And the fact that they are up for it in the first place. They were well-built, solidly engineered race cars.

The Type 35 line of cars were Bugatti’s most successful racers. Introduced in 1924, the Type 35B followed the 35A in 1927. Power is from a supercharged 2.3-liter inline-eight making 138 horsepower. It was the most powerful of the Type 35 line. One of them won the 1929 French Grand Prix.

Only 45 examples were built, and this car – just since 2005 – has competed in rallies in New Zealand, the US, and Europe, making it quite the well-traveled example. It carries a pre-sale estimate of $445,000-$670,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $455,822.

Bugatti 57SC by Corsica

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1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer by Corsica

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 9, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Type 57S and Type 57C were the ultimate versions of Bugatti’s long-lived Type 57. This marks the second Type 57SC we’ve featured, and both cars look as if they were bodied much more recently with replica coachwork. I guess there’s something just too low and sporty about these cars to believe that they could’ve possibly been designed in the 1930s.

The 57S was the lowered version and the 57C was the supercharged version. Only 40 57S cars were built, and most of them carried closed coachwork. Only 16 were drop-tops, including this one. What isn’t clear is when the supercharger was added to this car’s 3.3-liter straight-eight. What is for sure is that only two cars were built by the factory to 57SC specification. Most owners of 57S cars had superchargers fitted afterward, to bump power to that magical 200 horsepower mark.

Speeds of 120 mph were quoted in the day, making these as quick of cars as money could buy before WWII. This car was supercharged early in its life but was not originally built that way. The body is by Corsica, and it was separated from the chassis for 43 years before it was reunited and restored.

The rarity and beauty factors have the ability to push this car to near eight-figure territory. It’ll be interesting to see where this one ends up… if it sells. Click here for more info and here for the rest of the lineup from RM Sotheby’s.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s, Arizona 2021, $4,735,000.

Bugatti Type 46 Faux Cabriolet

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1930 Bugatti Type 46 Faux Cabriolet by Veth & Zoon

Offered by Mecum | Las Vegas, Nevada | November 17, 2018

Photo – Mecum

“Convertibles are cool and I want to be cool but I don’t want to be outside,” said someone who ordered a Faux Cabriolet body for a Bugatti. This is a Type 46, one of the most “common” and often-seen Bugatti models. It was built between 1929 and 1936.

Power comes from a 5.4-liter straight-eight that made 140 horsepower. A rare supercharged version, the Type 46S, was offered beginning in 1930. This car carries coachwork from Dutch coachbuilders Veth & Zoon. In all, about 444 examples of the Type 46 were built.

This car was delivered new to the Netherlands, thus the locally-built body. It was restored in the 2000s and looks amazing, if understated, from the outside. I almost made the lead image a shot of the engine, because it’s a work of art. Mecum estimates this car is worth somewhere between $1,150,000-$1,250,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,012,000.

Five Supercars from Mecum

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Five Supercars from Mecum

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 23-25, 2018

2017 Lamborghini Centenario LP770-4

Photo – Mecum

Mecum has been knocking it out of the park lately when it comes to supercars. They have no less than four Bugatti Veyrons in their Monterey sale this year. But I think this Lambo steals the show. The Centenario is an Aventador-based supercar built in extremely limited quantities. Between 2016 and 2017, they churned out just 20 coupes and 20 roadsters.

The engine is a 6.5-liter V-12 that makes 759 horsepower and top speed is 217 mph. It’s more of a styling exercise than anything, kind of like the Reventon was to the Murcielago. All of these sold out when they were announced, so this very well likely is the first one to publicly come up for sale (I believe it may have been at a So-Cal dealership for a bit before hitting the block). Because of its rarity, and because it’s Lambo’s newest limited-production special, it will be expensive. Check out more info here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $2,250,000.

2010 Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir

Photo – Mecum

Here’s another black supercar. This time it’s a Bugatti – one of at least four that Mecum has at their Monterey sale this year. The Veyron was produced for 10 years – 2005 through 2015 in four main models. But there were a number of special editions built along the way, including this Sang Noir, or Black Blood in French.

Twelve examples were produced and this is the only one with a red interior. Power comes from a quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W-16 engine capable of 1,001 horsepower. The Sang Noir special edition was mostly an appearance package but I’m sure they charged a pretty penny for it. You know it will still continue to command a big price. You can read more about it here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $1,550,000.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2019, $1,500,000.

1999 Lamborghini Diablo VT Alpine Edition

Photo – Mecum

This Lamborghini is one of a few special edition Diablos that were built for the American market. The Diablo was produced from 1990 through 2001 and two such special editions were the Monterey Edition and the Momo Edition. The other was this, the Alpine Edition.

Based on the Diablo VT, the Alpine Edition is powered by a 523 horsepower, 5.7-liter V-12 and features all-wheel drive. It had nothing to do with skiing and instead was built to sort of commemorate the Lamborghini connection with Alpine stereos. For the most part, it looks like any other VT, but I guess you can say it’s a limited edition example. Only 12 were built. You can see more about this one here.

Update: Sold $253,000.

2017 Ferrari F12tdf

Photo – Mecum

And here is a special edition Ferrari. The F12berlinetta was Ferrari’s front-engine V-12 GT that they built between 2012 and 2017. As has been the case recently, they’ve gone and built a ridiculous track-focused version of the car and that’s what this F12tdf is. The TDF, which stands for “Tour de France” and references a historic road race and earlier Ferraris, was built in 2016 and 2017 only.

Power comes from a 769 horsepower, 6.3-liter V-12. This one is grey, which is unusual and looks really nice. Apparently, this particular car carries over $100k in options, which isn’t too big of a deal because these F12tdfs have been bringing insane money lately. Only 799 were produced, making it quite pedestrian compared to the other cars features here, and it’s almost as quick as a LaFerrari around Ferrari’s Fiorano test circuit. And it’s that quick at a not-insignificant price discount. Does that make it a bargain? Click here for more info.

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

2010 Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster

Photo – Mecum

Here’s another limited edition Lambo. The Murcielago was Lamborghini’s big V-12 car, the successor to the Diablo and the predecessor to the Aventador, that was built between 2002 and 2010. The LP 640 models were sort of the “second generation” of the car and there was an “LP 640 Roadster” built between 2006 and 2010.

But in 2009 (and for 2010 too) a special LP650-4 Roadster was offered. It’s got a 6.5-liter V-12 good for 641 horsepower, 10 more than the “normal” roadster. Top speed is 210 mph – quite quick for a drop top. Only 50 were built and every one of them is grey with orange highlights. This one sports only 179 miles, so it’s essentially brand new. You can read more here and see more from Mecum here.

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

Veyron Sang Noir

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2010 Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 23-25, 2018

Photo – Mecum

Here’s another black supercar. This time it’s a Bugatti – one of at least four that Mecum has at their Monterey sale this year. The Veyron was produced for 10 years – 2005 through 2015 in four main models. But there were a number of special editions built along the way, including this Sang Noir, or Black Blood in French.

Twelve examples were produced and this is the only one with a red interior. Power comes from a quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W-16 engine capable of 1,001 horsepower. The Sang Noir special edition was mostly an appearance package but I’m sure they charged a pretty penny for it. You know it will still continue to command a big price. You can read more about it here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $1,550,000.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2019, $1,500,000.

June 2018 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

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Bonhams held back to back sales the first weekend of June. In addition to their Aston Martin sale, they also had their sale at the Greenwich Concours. While the 1907 Thomas-Detroit we featured was an incredible bargain at $61,600, the top seller was this slightly more expensive 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible for $1,450,000.

Photo – Bonhams

The National Model 50 we featured brought $147,840. Both cars from Carroll Shelby’s personal collection that we featured sold, with the Ram Prototype bringing $33,040 and the V-8 Can-Am $100,800. The Panhard and Lozier both failed to sell. Click here for complete results.

Next up, we have the second of Osenat’s June sales. This was a more traditional sale. The Matra we featured sold for $24,462 and the top sale was $322,023 for this 1930 Bugatti Type 49 Roadster (it’s kind of an assembled car so the year is sort of a guess). More results can be found here.

Photo – Osenat

Onward to Barrett-Jackson’s Northeast sale. The top sale here was a charity combo lot: $1,000,000 for the last production Viper and Challenger Demon.

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

Meanwhile, back in Reality Land, the Whippet we featured sold for $13,970 and the Model T-based Mercury Speedster $24,200. Click here for complete results.

On the complete other side of the country we’ve got Mecum in Portland, Oregon. Shockingly, this Mecum sale saw a 2005 Ford GT take top sale honors, this one bringing $214,500.

Photo – Mecum

The Gardner Radio Special we featured failed to sell. Click here for more results from Portland.

And now Brightwells’ Bicester Classic & Vintage sale. The Bitter SC we featured failed to meet its reserve and the Buckler was withdrawn. The top sale was this 1935 Riley Amilcar Special that brought $175,581. Click here for complete results.

Photo – Brightwells

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.