NSU Ro80 Concept

1971 NSU Ro80 2 Porte +2 by Pininfarina

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Los Angeles, California | October 2024

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Rotary-powered cars have not been built very often, and when they have, it was usually by Mazda. But in the late 1960s, NSU decided to get in the game and produce a sedan, the Ro 80, which would remain in production through 1977 – the year in which NSU was merged into Audi.

This is NOT what those cars looked like. It’s somewhat retro-futuristic vibe is thanks to Italian design house Pininfarina. It’s a four-seater and, despite the confusing name, retains four doors. However, the rear doors are flipped around and open “suicide-style.” The rest of the bodywork is pretty modified, and the interior is very 1970s. The engine is a 995cc twin-rotor Wankel that was rated for 113 horsepower.

This concept debuted at the 1972 Brussels Motor Show and would later find its way to California, where it was purchased by the late current owner. Instead of moving to his junkyard, this car, one of the last that he purchased, was instead put on long-term display in Audi’s museum, where it remained up until this sale. There is a pre-sale estimate of $60,000-$80,000, and more info can be found here.

Coachbuilt 230SL

1964 Mercedes-Benz 230SL Coupe Speciale by Pininfarina

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 19-20, 2022

Photo – Gooding & Company

The W113 was Mercedes-Benz‘s first real SL class, in the terms we think of it today. It was the “replacement” for the 300SL and 190SL, and three models were offered between 1963 and 1971. There was the initial 230SL, which was sold from 1963 through 1966. It was replaced by the short-lived 250SL and then by the 280SL.

The 230SL was powered by a fuel-injected 2.3-liter inline-six rated at 148 horsepower. The W113 was sold with a removable hardtop, which earned the cars the nickname “Pagoda.” They all had that removable hardtop. Except this one.

Pininfarina wanted to design a true coupe version of the car, and Mercedes sent them a 230SL to do just that. Tom Tjaarda styled it. The design is interesting… from the fenders on back. The front end is a little droopy. There were 19,831 230SLs built, and only one coupe. The pre-sale estimate is “in excess of $1,000,000.” Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,215,000.

Ferrari Sergio

2015 Ferrari Sergio by Pininfarina

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monaco | May 12, 2018

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

In the past five-ish years, companies like Lamborghini and Ferrari have created some ludicrously rare cars for select customers. Cars so rare most mere mortals aren’t even sure they were ever actually produced at all. We don’t get to see them. They are shown at car shows that have capacity limits and talked about in hushed tones. And these are exactly the types of cars we all expect to see at an auction in Monaco.

The Sergio was initially shown as a concept car by Pininfarina in 2013. A positive reaction (and likely a lot of cash) persuaded Ferrari to build six examples in 2015 for select customers at a cost of about $3,000,000 each. The “production” car isn’t quite as out there as the concept, but it’s still significantly different from the Ferrari 458 Spider it is based on.

The engine is the same 597 horsepower, 4.5-liter V-8 from the 458 Speciale. Performance stats pretty much line up with the Speciale. There is a removable hard top in case you feel the need to take it out in the rain. This Sergio was the first production example built and it was displayed at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show before relocating to the private collection of its current Swiss owner. It’s covered less than 200km since new. It’s one of the rarest modern Ferraris and it’ll be pricey. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

275 GTB Speciale

1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Speciale by Pininfarina

Offered by Gooding & Company | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 20, 2018

Photo – Gooding & Company

The Ferrari 275 is one of the most iconic Ferraris. Produced between 1964 and 1968, production totaled less than 1,000 units and they are highly sought after today, with every example bringing over $1,000,000 – and the convertibles… if you have to ask you can’t afford them.

The first 275 built was the standard 275 GTB (there would also be a competition version of this coupe offered as well). Introduced in 1964, it lasted through 1966 when it was updated to four-cam 275 GTB/4 specification. The engine in this car is a 3.3-liter V-12 making 265 horsepower.

275 GTB coupes sold by Ferrari were all bodied by Scaglietti. Except the car you see here, which was the only one bodied by Pininfarina – and it became Battista Pininfarina’s personal car until he sold it just before his death in 1966. Ownership is known since then and the restoration dates to 1992 – not that you’d know because it’s been kept in pristine condition. You really should head over to Gooding & Company’s site and check out more images because this thing is gorgeous inside and out. The interior is stunning. And so is the expected sale price: between $8,000,000-$10,000,000. Click here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $8,085,000.

Silver Dawn Fastback

1951 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Fastback Coupe by Pininfarina

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | September 9, 2017

Photo – Bonhams

The Bentley Continental Fastback of the 1950s is one of the most popular classic, post-war Bentleys. Rolls-Royce never built something quite like it, the exception being this one-off, coachbuilt Silver Dawn.

The Silver Dawn was built between 1949 and 1955. In all, 760 were made – almost all of them four-door sedans. The 1951 Silver Dawn was powered by a 4.6-liter straight-six and the power rating was “adequate” in RR terms.

This particular Silver Dawn was purchased as a chassis by an Italian and it was sent to Pininfarina for this body. It is the only Silver Dawn bodied by Pininfarina. Its cost in 1951 was extraordinary, costing the original owner roughly five times the price of an average home in the U.K. at the time. Displayed at the 1951 Turin Motor Show, it was restored by its current owners in 2014.

As a classically-bodied one-off, this Silver Dawn is one of the most stylish, coachbuilt post-war Rolls-Royces. It should bring between $580,000-$710,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams’ Goodwood lineup.

Update: Not sold.

Bentley Woodie Wagon

2003 Bentley Arnage T 4WD Station Wagon by Pininfarina & Genaddi Design

Offered by Artcurial | Monaco | July 2, 2017

Photo – Artcurial

The Bentley Arnage, Bentley’s big sedan that they built from 1998 to 2009, was, and still is, a great-looking car. It was a front-engine, rear-wheel drive, four-door sedan. But what happens when your giant luxo-barge doesn’t have enough room from the groceries, the dog, and a sheet of plywood? Well you go spend $900,000 at a few posh design shops and transform that big British boat into a wagon. And then you put wood paneling on the side, Ford Country Squire-style.

I love it when people with too much money don’t know what to spend it on so they build a ridiculous car (pro-tip, you can always just send that spare change my way). The Arnage T was introduced in 2002 and is powered by a 459 horsepower, twin-turbocharged 6.8-liter V-8. Top speed was 170 mph and 60 arrived in 5.5 seconds. Pretty stout for a 15-year old sedan weighing over 5,000 pounds.

This one owner car was sent to Genaddi Design in the U.S. to be turned into a wagon, something Bentley didn’t build. He also needed it converted to four-wheel drive because this was to be his exclusive transport at his house in the Alpine village of St. Moritz, Switzerland. The 4WD system has a Cadillac Escalade to thank for its engineering (and some parts).

When completed it was shipped to the owners home in Monaco, but they weren’t happy and sent it to Pininfarina to add some final touches (and re-do the interior). This is the kind of car that draws strong opinions one way or the other and for the record, as big fans of wagons and the Arnage, we love it. If you’re the kind of person who needs his or her Bentley to be rarer than your neighbors Bentley, then here’s your ride. It should bring between $90,000-$180,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

The First Dino

1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale by Pininfarina

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 11, 2017

Photo – Artcurial

Okay, so the first Dinos were actually Ferrari race cars, but the Dino road cars (which lacked Ferrari badging) went on sale in 1968 and lasted through 1976 (before being rolled back into the official Ferrari product line). Dinos were V6-powered cars, an engine that was co-developed by Enzo’s late son and car namesake, Dino.

Ferrari had Sergio Pininfarina get to work on the Dino road car in 1965. And the resulting concept car, seen here, was spectacular. Built on a short wheelbase 206 P competition chassis, the car debuted at the 1965 Paris Motor Show. The body is very low and streamlined. Check out the front “bumper” – it’s just the headlight glass. The 2.0-liter V-6 is mid-mounted, which would make the Dino the first road-going, mid-engined Ferrari.

Pininfarina retained the car after the show circuit and donated it to the ACO (organizers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans) and their Le Mans Museum, where it has remained since 1967. The car is being sold by the ACO to help fund future projects and is being sold because the mission of the museum is to present cars that have competed in the race (which this car did not).

The car is currently complete save for its mechanical internals (i.e. it’s missing important parts of the engine and transmission that make it go, like the pistons and the clutch). Regardless the pre-sale estimate for this important, one-off Ferrari concept car is $4,225,000-$8,445,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $4,653,824

Ferrari 365 GTS

1969 Ferrari 365 GTS by Pininfarina

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 19-20, 2017

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The number “365” is a little confusing in Ferrari history. There were a couple completely different cars carrying that number, including the 365 California, the 365 GT 2+2, the 365 GTC/GTS – all of these were somewhat related – and then there was the 365 GTB/4, which looked nothing like any of the others.

This car, of course, resembles the earlier 330 GTC, a car built between 1966 and 1968. The 365 GTC was a coupe built between 1968 and 1970. The GTS was the ultra-rare drop-top version of the same car. The 365 GTS differed from the 330 GTS in that it had a bigger engine. In this case, it’s a 320 horsepower, 4.4-liter V-12.

The 365 cars were rarer too, just 20 365 GTS models were ever built. This matching-numbers, six-owner example sports a restoration that is 20 years old but doesn’t look it. This is an easy million dollars at auction and you can see more here and more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $3,602,500.

Maserati A6G/2000

1951 Maserati A6G 2000 Coupe by Pinin Farina

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2016

Photo Courtesty of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesty of RM Sotheby’s

The A6G 2000 was the second iteration of the Maserati A6. Produced in 1950 and 1951 only, the cars saw increased displacement in the straight-six engine (to 2.0-liters) which makes 100 horsepower.

This example was sold new in Italy and has been in the U.S. since 1970. The handsome Pinin Farina body is the sort of typical body you could expect to see on one of these chassis. Except that you should never expect to see one as this is the second of just nine built by Pinin Farina (of about 15 cars built in total). It has been restored twice since 2000 and should bring between $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

MGB Prototype

1965 MG B EX234 Prototype Roadster by Pininfarina

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, England | June 24, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The MG B is a legendary car because it is the definitive British sports roadster. Produced between 1962 and 1980, they are ubiquitous – with over half a million built. You can find them everywhere, they are cheap and easy to work on. And fun. And wild – I’ve been in one that launched into a snowbank off a slippery runway. Good times.

But what we have here is a very special MGB. In 1964, MG started planning for the “next MGB” and built a prototype chassis with independent rear suspension and four wheel disc brakes. The engine was a 1.3-liter straight-four found in most other BMC products (but, strangely, not other MGBs). They shipped the chassis to Italy for Pininfarina to attach a prototype body to it.

It was intended to replace the B and the MG Midget. But both cars were strong sellers – and why mess with success? This car got put away and eventually sold into an MG museum in 1977 having only 100 miles on it. Today it has covered only 374 miles and is all original. It’s one of a kind and it’s the first time it is being offered for public sale. It is expected to bring between $51,000-$66,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $83,762.

Update: Not sold, Bonhams Goodwood 2022.