Tag Archives: sports cars

MCA ALA50

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1993 MCA ALA50

Offered by Coys | Monaco | May 9, 2014

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

Here’s a weird one. We covered the brief history of Monte Carlo Automobile late last week and here is another car from them (if you can believe it, we have one more to feature… meaning we will have covered nearly half of their entire production run). If the body on this car doesn’t look quite 1993, you’re right. It’s not.

This car was developed from the MCA Centenaire. It’s kind of a Gen 2 Centenaire that used the Lamborghini V-12 that had been strapped with two turbos, making 720 horsepower. This car was sold new to the people that would go on to make the MIG M100 (which was a development of the Centenaire). They took this car to Le Mans but it didn’t race, failing to qualify.

MCA re-acquired the car and fit it with the new body you see here, as well as the Monegasque paint scheme. They also re-named it the ALA50 in celebration of Prince Albert’s 50th birthday. They swapped the engine out too, replacing it with a 3.0-liter Alfa Romeo unit capable running on natural gas. It’s been raced frequently in recent years with the current body and is owned by a member of the Grimaldi family. Click here for more results and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $135,500

MCA Centenaire

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1989 MCA Centenaire

Offered by Coys | Monaco | May 9, 2014

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

MCA stands for Monte Carlo Automobile and the cars are referred to as Monte Carlos or as MCAs. I usually go with the shortened version. The company is the only automobile manufacturer ever based in Monaco (although the cars were actually constructed in Italy). It was founded by Fulvio Ballabio, a former race car driver, in 1983. The Centenaire was their first car.

This was the first production car with a carbon fiber chassis and body. The engine is a twin-turbo 5.2-liter Lamborghini V-12 making 720 horsepower. Not all of them had the turbos, however. At least one of these even saw track time.

In all, only five were built. This is likely #2 and was Ballabio’s personal car before he sold it to Lamborghini. The House of the Bull sold it back to Monte Carlo Automobile, who is offering it for sale to the public for what appears to be the first time. Production on these cars started in 1989 and was done by 1992.

Supercar manufacturers come and go pretty rapidly, but Monte Carlo Automobile is still around (check back next week for more). This is one of those mythological super cars that everyone has heard about online but no one has actually ever seen in person. Well here is your chance to own one. Don’t miss it. Click here for more info and here for more from Coys.

Update: Sold $211,200.

Three Limited-Edition Ferraris

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2012 Ferrari 599 SA Aperta

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Did you know Ferrari made a drop-top version of the 599 GTB Fiorano (to be more accurate, it’s a convertible 599 GTO)? Well, you wouldn’t be alone if you didn’t. The 599 was built from 2007 through 2012 (model years). There were a couple of limited edition versions of this car, but only one cut the top off.

It follows in the footsteps of two other V-12 front-engine Ferrari drop-tops: the 575 Superamerica and the 550 Barchetta. This uses the same 670 horsepower 6.0-liter V-12 engine from the 599 GTO. Very little was ever mentioned of this car. There were no magazine covers and it garnered little press. Probably because all 80 were sold before it was even released.

And this car is #80 of 80 – the last one built. Very rare, very new, and very exciting, this car should sell for between $625,000-$825,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $955,564.

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2008 Ferrari 612 Sessanta

Offered by Bonhams | Hendon, U.K. | April 28, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti was the 2004 replacement for the long-lived 456M. It’s a 2+2 four-seat coupe. It is not the most popular Ferrari of all time, but I’ve always liked them. It lasted through 2011 before it was replaced by the new FF.

The Sessanta was a limited-edition model built in 2007 and 2008. The engine is a front-mounted 5.7-liter V-12 making 540 horsepower. That makes this four-seater capable of 196 mph. The Sessanta (Italian for “60”) was to commemorate Ferrari’s 60th year. It featured two-tone paint (available in two variations) and special trim and badging. Ferrari also hiked the price big time.

Guess how many they built. That’s right, 60. This is one of only four right-hand drive models constructed. It is very rare and should sell for between $130,000-$170,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams’ Hendon lineup.

Update: Sold $153,309.

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2006 Ferrari 575 Superamerica

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Ferrari 575M Maranello was the successor to the 550 Maranello and precursor to the 599 GTB Fiorano. Ferrari built a convertible of the 550, called the 550 Barchetta. And it was a success. So they decided to do the same thing with the 575M.

The Superamerica featured an electrochromic glass roof that rotated and stored flat over the trunk of the car. It has kind of a targa look to it instead of pure convertible. The engine is a more powerful version of the one in the hard top – that is, a 5.7-liter V-12 making 540 horsepower.

This two-owner car is one of only 599 built and has 7,700 miles. These cars were highly sought after for years after they were built and there will be a point where these cars no longer depreciate and start going up in value. Right now, you can get your hands on this one for between $235,000-$325,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Monaco.

Update: Sold $330,540.

575 Superamerica

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2006 Ferrari 575 Superamerica

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Ferrari 575M Maranello was the successor to the 550 Maranello and precursor to the 599 GTB Fiorano. Ferrari built a convertible of the 550, called the 550 Barchetta. And it was a success. So they decided to do the same thing with the 575M.

The Superamerica featured an electrochromic glass roof that rotated and stored flat over the trunk of the car. It has kind of a targa look to it instead of pure convertible. The engine is a more powerful version of the one in the hard top – that is, a 5.7-liter V-12 making 540 horsepower.

This two-owner car is one of only 599 built and has 7,700 miles. These cars were highly sought after for years after they were built and there will be a point where these cars no longer depreciate and start going up in value. Right now, you can get your hands on this one for between $235,000-$325,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Monaco.

Update: Sold $330,540.

Ferrari 599 SA Aperta

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2012 Ferrari 599 SA Aperta

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Did you know Ferrari made a drop-top version of the 599 GTB Fiorano (to be more accurate, it’s a convertible 599 GTO)? Well, you wouldn’t be alone if you didn’t. The 599 was built from 2007 through 2012 (model years). There were a couple of limited edition versions of this car, but only one cut the top off.

It follows in the footsteps of two other V-12 front-engine Ferrari drop-tops: the 575 Superamerica and the 550 Barchetta. This uses the same 670 horsepower 6.0-liter V-12 engine from the 599 GTO. Very little was ever mentioned of this car. There were no magazine covers and it garnered little press. Probably because all 80 were sold before it was even released.

And this car is #80 of 80 – the last one built. Very rare, very new, and very exciting, this car should sell for between $625,000-$825,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $955,564.

Ferrari 612 Sessanta

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2008 Ferrari 612 Sessanta

Offered by Bonhams | Hendon, U.K. | April 28, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti was the 2004 replacement for the long-lived 456M. It’s a 2+2 four-seat coupe. It is not the most popular Ferrari of all time, but I’ve always liked them. It lasted through 2011 before it was replaced by the new FF.

The Sessanta was a limited-edition model built in 2007 and 2008. The engine is a front-mounted 5.7-liter V-12 making 540 horsepower. That makes this four-seater capable of 196 mph. The Sessanta (Italian for “60”) was to commemorate Ferrari’s 60th year. It featured two-tone paint (available in two variations) and special trim and badging. Ferrari also hiked the price big time.

Guess how many they built. That’s right, 60. This is one of only four right-hand drive models constructed. It is very rare and should sell for between $130,000-$170,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams’ Hendon lineup.

Update: Sold $153,309.

Porsche 959 Prototype

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1985 Porsche 959 Prototype

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

As supercars go, the Porsche 959 was the pinnacle of them when it debuted for public sale in 1987. It was the first of its kind in many ways, utilizing technology over pure power and force. Its advanced all-wheel drive system would set the tone for 4WD supercars to come. And its composite body was a benchmark for lightness and strength.

The engine is a 450 horsepower 2.9-liter twin-turbo flat-6. This car is actually one of 37 pre-production cars (prototypes included) built. This was one of seven prototypes used for ABS development (it’s crazy that they built seven cars just to test anti-lock brakes – and that we know which of those were which). It was sold to a private owner in 1989. It spent most of its life in collections in Japan before coming stateside a few years back.

This is one of about 10 surviving 959 Prototypes and it still wears its original tires. Only 337 of these cars were producing in total, so they’re rare to begin with and adding the fact that this is a Porsche-factory tester only makes it more special. It can be yours for between $600,000-$700,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Monaco.

Update: Sold $655,024.

Ferrari 575 GTZ

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2006 Ferrari 575 GTZ by Zagato

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Coachbuilt cars are few and far between these days. Sadly, it’s becoming a lost art. But fortunately, there are still a few design houses out there that will custom fit a special body on the car of their customers’ choice. In this case, it happened to be a Ferrari 575M Maranello.

The 575M Maranello was the replacement for the very similar 550 Maranello. It debuted in 2002 and lasted through 2006. It uses a 5.7-liter V-12 making 508 horsepower. Top speed was a pretty awesome 202 mph. Ferrari built their own limited-run model: the 575M Superamerica with a retractable glass panel roof, which is a pretty cool car.

But not cool enough for Japanese Ferrari collector Yoshiyuki Hayashi, who custom ordered this specially-bodied, one-off 575M Maranello from legendary coachbuilder Zagato. The design hearkened back to the 250 GT Zagato and celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 250. You should really check out more pictures on RM’s site here because this thing looks awesome from all kinds of angles (especially the back). You can also check out more from this awesome sale here. As far as price goes, I’m not sure – but it will be way cheaper than it cost originally.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $1,100,880.

Ford GT Heritage Edition

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2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition

Offered by Auctions America | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 14-16, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Remember when the Ford GT came out and everyone was like “Oh, good for Ford finally doing something cool?” Well while they were doing something cool, they happened to do something even cooler – sell cars in a Gulf paint scheme.

In the 1960s there were a number of race cars that competed in the Gulf livery – that famous blue and orange – the Ford GT40 and GT40-based Gulf Mirage race cars among them. It is the coolest color combination you can get on a race car. Period. Well Ford painted a handful of GTs in this scheme and sold them as “Heritage Editions.” People didn’t want them. But now that the GT has become almost instantly collectible – these are the ones to have.

The GT is powered by a 550 horsepower supercharged 5.4-liter V-8. Top speed is 205 mph. Only 343 Heritage Editions were made out of the 4,083 total Ford GTs built. This one has only covered 80 miles since new. It should sell for between $360,000-$400,000 – far more than the original $139,995 MSRP. You shoulda bought one when Ford was trying to move them originally! Click here for more info and here for more from Auctions America.

Update: Sold $412,500.

AC 3000ME

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1982 AC 3000ME

Offered by H&H Auctions | Buxton, U.K. | February 26, 2014

1982 AC 3000ME

The AC 300ME was a mid-engined (hence the “ME” in the name) sports car unveiled by AC Cars in 1973. The British automobile industry was failing right and left during the 1970s and production didn’t actually begin until 1979. They wanted to build 250 a year.

The car used a 3.0-liter Ford Essex V-6 making 138 horsepower. In 1984, AC Cars was in financial ruin and they were re-organized as AC (Scotland) Plc. This company could only survive financially for about a year before it went under as well.

The car you see here is one of 71 cars built by AC Cars (the Scottish company built 30 for a total of about 101 cars – far short of the 250 per year they predicted). This car was actually used as a factory demonstrator and was later reworked to house an Alfa Romeo 2.5-liter (and finally) the 3.0-liter engine it has now. This is likely the only 3000ME with a 3.0-liter Alfa engine.

These cars are very rare but this is one of the nicest examples in existence as it was factory owned at birth and has had only two owners since they sold it. It was one of AC’s final “original” cars before they started recycling the Cobra. It should sell for between $20,000-$25,000. Click here for more info and here for more from H&H’s sale.

Update: Sold $22,500.