Tag Archives: rm sothebys

Stutz SV-16

Posted on by
Reply

1930 Stutz SV-16 Monte Carlo by Weymann

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Harry C. Stutz’s motor company was one of America’s finest in pre-war America. Right there with Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg, it was a flag-carrier for Indiana’s motor industry. Their eight-cylinder models were introduced in 1926 and by the time the Depression rolled around, some of these cars had become fabulously expensive and stylish.

The SV-16 – also called the Model MB – is powered by a 5.3-liter straight-eight making 115 horsepower. It was Stutz’s premier offering in 1930 and the Monte Carlo body style by Weymann was one of a few “European” styles that could be had.

It is thought that three SV-16 Monte Carlos were built in 1930. Costing $4,495 when new, they have appreciated significantly in value with this car carrying a pre-sale estimate of $550,000-$650,000. It has an RM restoration and is an award-winner. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $550,000.

Update: Not sold, Bonhams Quail 2019.

540K Spezial Cabriolet A

Posted on by
Reply

1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Cabriolet A by Sindelfingen

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

The Mercedes-Benz 540K was the final iteration of their most luxurious line of pre-war cars. It was produced between 1936 and 1940 and a total of 419 of them were built. There are a number of popular body styles, including the Sindelfingen-bodied Cabriolet A, B, & C. There was also the Special Roadster. And then there was this, the 540K Spezial Cabriolet A.

Only two such cars were given the Spezial Cabriolet A treatment (the other is a 500K, making this, essentially, a factory one-off). It’s a combination of the Special Roadster’s raked windshield and the Cabriolet A’s classic, beautiful lines. The engine is a 5.4-liter straight-eight that makes 115 horsepower in normal mode and 180 when the supercharger is engaged.

This car has known ownership history back to the 1940s when it first arrived in America. It was part of the Otis Chandler collection and actually won Best of Show at the 1973 Pebble Beach Concours during his ownership. It was most recently restored in the early-90s and should bring between $3,000,000-$4,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Not sold.

RS200 Evo

Posted on by
Reply

1985 Ford RS200 Evolution

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

We love to feature supercars on this site alongside all kinds of classics and this definitely qualifies as a supercar. Group B rally cars from the 1980s were the most extreme rally cars ever built. And when manufacturers churned out road-going versions, well, things got crazy.

How crazy? How about 600 horsepower from a turbocharged 2.1-liter straight-four. In a road car! The body is fiberglass, it’s mid-engined, and features four-wheel drive. That combo is good for a 0-60 mph sprint in around three seconds. This particular car has only 450 kilometers on it since new.

Ford was required to build 200 of these to homologate the car for racing. So they did. The major difference between the race and road cars is the interior. It’s actually kind of nice here. Of the 200 built, 20 (and later four more for a total of 24) were converted into “Evolution” spec cars. This included a huge power boost (up from 250 horsepower) thanks to the larger, 2.1-liter engine. It also has better brakes and suspension. It’s an awesome, 1980s-era supercar. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $522,500.

February 2016 Auction Highlights

Posted on by
Reply

Continuing with our Rétromobile coverage, we have RM Sotheby’s Paris sale. Our top-selling feature car was the 1896 Raynaud for $149,980 while the top sale overall was this 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupe Aerodinamico by Pininfarina for $3,292,050.

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

All of our other feature cars sold, with the Abarth bringing $131,200, the Créanche $56,240, the Bardon $106,200, and the Vallée $93,700. Click here for more from RM.

The other major sale held in Paris in early February was that of Artcurial. The top sale was the staggering amount of money paid for the Ferrari 335 S: $35,075,200. That puts it #2 (currently) all-time on auction sales. Artcurial claims a record but puts an asterisk on it with something about it being the highest amount paid in Euros. Okay. Other million dollar sales included the Bugatti EB110 Race Car for $1,055,133 and the Ferrari Testarossa Spider for $1,355,870. The Bugatti EB112 failed to sell and a previously-featured Bugatti Brescia brought $400,683.

The five coachbuilt classics we featured all sold, with the Salmson bringing $207,019, the Delahaye $180,307, the Graham-Paige $186,985, the Talbot-Lago $293,834, and the Renault $86,814. Another coachbuilt car is our “most interesting:” this 1952 Delahaye 235 Coupe by Chapron for $333,903.

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Another coachbuilt feature car, the Georges Irat, sold for $64,109. Rounding it out, the Sizaire-Naudin brought $133,561, the Facel Vega $560,968, and the Citroen half-track $40,068. Click here for full results.

Moving on, Christie’s James Bond sale saw the Aston Martin DB10 bring about $3,500,000. And next up, H&H Classics’ first sale of the year, where this 1959 Triumph TR3A was the top sale at $31,290.

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Our featured Birchall McCoy brought $2,222. Click here for more results. And finally, for this post, we have the first half of Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro sale that saw a bunch of competition cars cross the block. We didn’t get to feature anything from here but this 1964 Ford Falcon FIA race car was the top seller at $93,640. Click here for full results and to see what’s still for sale.

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Siata 300 BC

Posted on by
Reply

1953 Siata 300 BC Barchetta by Bertone

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Giorgio Ambrosini’s Siata somehow survived until 1970, but it was the 1950s where they made their mark. The first cars were modified Fiats and their first homemade model was the 1951 300 BC Barchetta.

The car is very light (as you can see, the tires look like they were stolen off a bicycle) and it’s powered by a 51 horsepower 1.1-liter Fiat straight-four. Earlier cars had Crosley motors. This model was aimed at Americans who needed an agile SCCA weapon.

This is car #38 of 40 that were bodied by Bertone (another handful or two were also built, some with bodies by Motto). It’s been in the U.S. since new and was first road-registered in 1989, having been primarily used for competition up to that point. For most of its life, it was driven twice a year to keep it running. It’s been repainted and the interior redone, but otherwise it’s largely original. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $198,000.

1911 Packard Limousine

Posted on by
Reply

1911 Packard Model 30 Limousine

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

The Model 30 Packard was new for 1907 and lasted through 1912. It was their stalwart and most popular model. This particular car is listed as a “UEFR” – which likely means it was a 1912 model – but production of the UE series Model 30s actually began in the summer of 1911. Make of that what you will.

It is powered by a 7.1-liter straight-four putting out about 60 horsepower. Eight body styles were offered for 1911 and this open-drive Limousine was among the most expensive, costing its owner approximately $5,450 when new. This car was sold new to a lady in New Orleans where it remained until 1947.

In 1947 the car was in the possession of the chauffeur of the original owner and he traded the machine to a 19-year-old college student for a bottle of whiskey. Yeah. Good luck making that deal today. That 19-year-old, exhibiting a case of “what you don’t know can’t hurt you” drove the car back to Houston from the French Quarter. It’s been in Texas since and has never been restored but has been used gently over the years. It’s an amazing survivor. Only 1,250 “UE” Model 30s were built and the Limousine is rare. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $137,500.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Hershey 2018, $71,500.

Kurtis Aguila

Posted on by
Reply

1962 Kurtis Aguila

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Kurtis Kraft built some legendary race cars in the 1950s. Frank Kurtis won multiple Indy 500s with his chassis and they dominated the dirt track circuit in their day. Unfortunately, his designs didn’t necessarily keep up with the times and orders for Kurtis race cars dwindled as the 1960s began.

A rich Texas racer contacted Kurtis in the early 60s with the idea of turning an open-wheel car into a sports car and wiping the competition off the map with it. Kurtis countered that he could build him a car that, with removable fenders, could compete successfully in both open-wheel and sports car competition.

This Aguila is powered by a 5.4-liter Chevrolet V-8 making an estimated 350 horsepower. It has disc brakes and will seat two (find another open wheel car that can fit two across). It had a brief privateer career before the dawn of rear-engined cars rendered it obsolete by 1965.

With known ownership history and a nice, well-maintained restoration, this one-off has the special distinction of being one of the final cars built by Frank Kurtis. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $423,500.

Edsel Ford Speedster

Posted on by
Reply

1932 Ford Model 18 Edsel Ford Speedster

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

The Ford Model A went out of production after 1931 and the ’32 Fords carried either the Model 18 or Model B moniker. The Model 18 was a 1932-only model that would give way to the Model 40 for 1933. This Model 18 carries a 3.6-liter V-8 making 85 horsepower.

Edsel Ford was Henry’s son and he ran FoMoCo until he died in 1943. While Henry was a penny-pincher, Edsel liked style and design (see: the Lincoln-Zephyr). Edsel opened Ford’s first styling department in 1935 and it was headed by Bob Gregorie. Gregorie, who used to work for Harley Earl and Brewster, first worked with Edsel a few years earlier when they co-designed a Speedster – this car.

It’s an aluminium-bodied boattail speedster that Edsel had modeled after European sports cars of the day. But it wasn’t racy enough, so he sold it and they built another one. This car was wrecked long ago and for a long time, thought lost. Someone in Connecticut had it for 50 years before they figured out what it was.

The current owner acquired it and restored it to how it looked when it was first built, matching the color to an original spot of paint found on some of the original body panels. Three custom Speedsters were built by Edsel and Gregorie. This was the first. The second is on display at the Ford property in Grosse Pointe and the third remains missing. This is the only one you’ll ever be able to buy. Good luck, the price should skyrocket quickly. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $770,000.

January 2016 Auction Results

Posted on by
Reply

January means Scottsdale and first up in this rundown is RM Sotheby’s sale. The top sale was the beautiful 540K Special Roadster we featured for $9,900,000. Other feature cars include the Apal-Porsche for $88,000. The Torpedo-bodied Duesenberg sold for $3,000,000 (the Town Car failed to sell). Other million dollar sales included the Porsche 918 for $1,595,000, the SS 100 for $1,402,500, and the Cadillac Ghia for $1,430,000.

Interesting cars included this striking 1931 Buick Series 90 Sport Roadster for $154,000.

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

A few previously-featured cars made an appearance here, including a 1913 Pathfinder that found a new home for $121,000. Others were a 1911 Lozier and a Dragonsnake Cobra that both brought $990,000 and a Roamer at a much-less $66,000. The Jensen-Ford went for $247,500 and Cadillac Town Car $79,750. The Phantom II failed to sell.

Moving across town, we have Barrett-Jackson’s gigantic sale where the top seller was a practically brand-new 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder for $1,760,000.

Photo - Barrett-Jackson

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

All four of our feature cars sold, with the Chevy El Morocco bringing $181,500. The Heine-Velox sold for $99,000, the Talbot-Lago $715,000, and the Saleen S7 $451,000. A previously-featured Renault failed to sell. Check out full results here.

The next big Scottsdale sale is that of Gooding & Company where a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans was the top sale at $6,490,000.

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Our featured Ferrari brought a little less, at $3,410,000 while our other feature car, the Fiat Mirafiori, brought $143,000. A previously-featured Duesenberg sold for $2,420,000. Full results can be found here.

The final Scottsdale sale we’ll be covering is that of Russo & Steele. The top sale here was a 1973 Ferrari 246 GTS Spyder for $374,000.

Photo - Russo & Steele

Photo – Russo & Steele

Our featured Dodge Charger brought $242,000. Click here for full results.

A week after all of the Arizona madness, Rétromobile in Paris rolls around. First up from there is Bonhams where a few of our feature cars failed to sell including the Adler, Veritas, and Newton-Ceirano. The top sale was this 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB for $2,319,642.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Other feature car sales were the Darmont for $20,619, the ASA for $146,910, and the Iso Rivolta for $103,095. Click here for full results. We’ll have more from Paris in a few weeks.

Abarth 2200 Coupe

Posted on by
Reply

1959 Abarth 2200 Coupe by Allemano

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 3, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Carlo Abarth’s company began out of the downfall of Cisitalia, where he worked. So in 1949, Abarth & C. became its own marque… sort of. They built some of their own cars, but most of them were just tuned Fiats of some variety. The name lives on today as a trim level on Fiat cars.

One such Fiat that Abarth got his hands on was the 2100 Sedan. Produced from 1959 through 1968, the 2100 was Fiat’s large car. They were all four-door sedans and wagons. But Abarth went to Italian coachbuilder Allemano and decided they’d build a coupe version. Allemano crafted this nice body for it and Abarth went to work on the engine, enlarging the straight-six to from 2.1 to 2.2-liters. Horsepower was rated at 135.

Only 28 of these were built (and not all were bodied by Allemano, but most were). The restoration was completed in 2011 and it isn’t a car that comes up for sale all that often. It should bring between $195,000-$220,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM Sotheby’s in Paris.

Update: Sold $131,200.