Alfa 1900L by Ghia

1954 Alfa Romeo 1900L Coupe by Ghia

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Coral Gables, Florida | February 2025

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Alfa Romeo’s 1900 was, at its core, a small sedan (two- or four-door) produced through the entirety of the 1950s. But as Italy is a land of style, there were a fair number of coachbuilt versions also constructed.

The most sought-after of these are on the 1900C (short-wheelbase) platform. This is a rare two-door custom body on the 1900L (long-wheelbase) chassis. The base 1900 was powered by a 1.9-liter inline-four rated between 80 and 90 horsepower depending on configuration.

This is the only one of at least nine Ghia-bodied 1900 coupes produced on the lungo chassis. Originally blue, the car was sold new in New York. It next appeared in California in 2006, having been shown at Pebble Beach that year. Restored, it carries an estimate of $200,000-$250,000. Click here for more info.

1909 Pierce-Arrow Runabout

1909 Pierce-Arrow Model 36-UU Runabout

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Coral Gables, Florida | February 2025

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

By 1909, Pierce-Arrow was at its zenith of automotive greatness. Few cars were better, among them, other models in the Pierce range. The Model 36 was their entry-level six-cylinder car that year (below it was their lone four).

The 5.9-liter inline-six was rated at 36 horsepower. Pierce-Arrow also sold 40-, 48-, and 60-horsepower sixes in 1909. This particular car is among approximately 10 survivors of the model, and it was rescued out of a Long Island junkyard in the 1940s.

The current recreation body was produced during a 2002 restoration. It is said to replicate the factory three-passenger Runabout, which was among seven styles offered on the model’s 119″ wheelbase. The estimate now is $200,000-$300,000, and more info can be found here.

Zust Spider Cora

1906 Zust 28/45 Spider Corsa by Sala

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Coral Gables, Florida | February 2025

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Zust was a manufacturing company in Italy that was founded by Roberto Zust. They started off making tools and branched into other areas that required technical expertise. So when they moved into cars, launching their first in 1905, they made them well.

Their first car was the 28/45, which they built through 1908, and it is powered by a 7.4-liter inline-four that made 45 horsepower. It has a four-speed transmission and chain drive. These are sometimes called the Italian Mercedes, as they were well built machines.

This car is thought to have participated in the 1907 Targa Florio and wears coachwork by Cesare Sala. It is one of five Zust cars built before WWI that are known to survive. Zust was acquired by OM in 1917 and phased out. RM notes that Zust (which apparently still existed in some non-automotive fashion after 1917) sold this car to a wrecking yard in Germany in 1946.

It remained there until 2016, when it was restored. It now has an estimate of $800,000-$950,000. Click here for more info.

Gurgel Xavante

1978 Gurgel Xavante X-12

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 2025

Photo – Artcurial

Well I know if I’m looking for oddball Brazilian-market vehicles, my go-to is Paris. Gurgel existed between 1969 and 1996 and produced some funky off-road-esque vehicles during that time.

Xavante production started in 1973, with X-12 production continuing on into the 1980s. Early cars had Volkswagen underpinnings and fiberglass bodywork. Later cars got a tube-frame chassis. They also had a “Seletraction” system that allowed the driver to route power to either of the rear wheels individually.

Power is from a 1.6-liter flat-four. This example was imported to France in 2023 and later overhauled. Calling this “rarely seen” is an understatement, and the estimate here is $21,000-$31,000. Click here for more info.

Ferrari 555 F1

1955 Ferrari 555 F1

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 2025

Photo – Bonhams

Scuderia Ferrari’s 1953 Formula competitor was the 553, which was actually designed to F2 specs, which is what the World Championship formula was that year. They made an F1 version of the 553 for 1954. For 1955, Ferrari updated the 553 to the 555. The new bodywork was longer and more rounded than the year before and earned the car the name the Supersqualo (super shark).

The car is powered by a 2.5-liter Lampredi inline-four that made about 260 horsepower. This car, chassis 555/1, had the following competition history:

  • 1955 Monaco Grand Prix – 8th (with Paul Frere and Piero Taruffi)
  • 1955 Belgian Grand Prix – 4th (with Frere)
  • 1955 Dutch Grand Prix – 7th (with Mike Hawthorn)
  • 1955 Italian Grand Prix – 10th, DNF (with Hawthorn)

The car was also driven in a non-points race by Nino Farina. In 1956, Ferrari had moved on and sold the 555s, including this one. The car was slightly modified and successfully raced in Australia and New Zealand through 1959.

The car was damaged in an event in 1963, after which the engine was removed for use in a boat. The chassis was fitted with Morris Minor (!) bodywork and a Chevrolet V8. In the 1990s, the car was restored back to stock, and now it’s selling at no reserve with an estimate of $4,200,000-$6,300,000. More info can be found here.

Jewett Touring

1923 Jewett Model 18-22 Touring

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 2025

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Paige-Detroit was a healthy car company in the early 1920s. While they weren’t on the level of Pierce-Arrow or Packard, they did sell luxury cars, and in 1922, they decided to enter the lower end of the market.

They did so by way of their company president, Harry Jewett, who started a lower-priced marque that carried his last name. The Jewett was aimed at Studebaker and Nash. The Model 18-22 was 1922’s model, which was offered as a touring car or a sedan.

Power is from a 4.1-liter inline-six that was rated at 50 horsepower. This particular car is coming from the Clive Cussler collection. Cussler’s first automotive purchase was, apparently, a Jewett, which he bought at age 13. This was a late-in-life purchase to relive those early years. The estimate is $20,000-$30,000. More info can be found here.

Abarth 208A Boano

1955 Abarth 208A Spyder by Boano

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 2025

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

In addition to being a tuner of Fiats, Abarth also built some cars of their own. One such car was a racer known as the 207A. Abarth also decided to offer a road-going version of this car, and they called it the 208A. The coupe would get the name “209A.”

This particular car was sold new in the U.S. to members of the DuPont family. It then remained under second ownership from the mid-1970s until the 2000s. It was later mechanically restored. The engine is a 1.1-liter Fiat inline-four that made about 66 horsepower.

Styling highlights here include the exhaust, which hugs the right-side panels below the doors. Good stuff. Styling was done by Michelotti. Only a dozen of this series were built, with just one example of the open and closed road cars being produced. This one has an estimate of $600,000-$700,000. More info can be found here.

Chevrolet Royal Mail Roadster

1914 Chevrolet Series H-2 Royal Mail Roadster

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 2025

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Chevrolet’s first production car was 1911’s Series C. In 1914, they split their ranges between four- and six-cylinder cars. The Series H-2 was dubbed the “Royal Mail” and was sold for 1914 and 1915 (and the H-2 1/2 was offered in 1916). These were Chevy’s first four-cylinder cars.

The engine was a 2.8-liter inline-four that was rated at 24 horsepower. It cost $750 when new. This example was restored prior to being purchased by Bill Harrah in 1974. It was later donated to the Auburn-Cord-Dusenberg Museum in 1998. Clive Cussler purchased it in 2012.

Those are some notable collections. Early early Chevrolets are hard to come by. This one has an estimate of $25,000-$35,000. Click here for more info.

Ferrari 512 M

1970 Ferrari 512 M

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 2025

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Ferrari didn’t compete in the 1968 sports car season because of a rule change that outlawed any engine over three liters. Porsche developed the 917 for 1969, taking advantage of a loophole in the rules. Enzo had just sold half of Ferrari to Fiat and now had the money to take the fight to Porsche for the 1970 season.

So for 1970, Ferrari debuted the 512 S, of which 25 were produced. Seventeen of these 25 cars competed in the 1970 endurance racing season, with this car being the only example delivered new in Giallo. It went to Ecurie Francorchamps in Belgium, delivered new as a 512 S. Under that guise, it competed in:

  • 1970 1000km Spa – 8th (with Derek Bell and Hughes de Fierlant)
  • 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans – 5th (with de Fierlant and Alistair Walker)
  • 1971 24 Hours of Daytona – 38th, DNF (with de Fierlant and Gustave Gosselin)

During 1970, it was used during the filming of Le Mans. After the ’71 Daytona race, the car went back to Europe to become one of 15 examples that were upgraded to 512 M specification. The 5.0-liter V12 was lightened and now made 610 horsepower. Aerodynamics were improved with lower bodywork. The car was completed in time for:

  • 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans – 18th, DNF (with de Fierlant and Alain de Cadenet)

The car ran a few other races, including a Can-Am race at Watkins Glen. It’s been in various collections, including the current one since 2018. The estimate is $9,500,000-$12,500,000. More info can be found here.

Frazer Nash-BMW 329

1937 Frazer Nash-BMW 329 Cabriolet

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 2025

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The late-1930s BMW 329 actually traces its roots back to their 303 model of 1933. This was the company’s first six-cylinder car, and the 329 was introduced in 1937 as a replacement for the 319.

Differences between the two are mostly down to styling, which was much more contemporary here than on the outgoing model. Power is from a 1.9-liter inline-six that made about 45 horsepower. This car is said to have a 2.0-liter unit.

Frazer Nash comes into play because they were the UK distributor for BMW, which they sold hyphenated. This car was restored over 20 years ago and has spent time in the U.K., Portugal, and Belgium. It has an estimate of $55,000-$75,000. More info can be found here.