2023 In Review: RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s Highlights 2023

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  Darin Schnabel ©2023

  Everything is bright and white as RM Sotheby’s offered one of the most stunning single-owner collections of the year. The White Collection was an exclusive auction featuring rare Porsche sports and racing models, all in immaculate shades of white, in addition to over 500 lots of museum-grade Porsche accessories, posters, literature, tools, and rare parts.
  
  Sourced by a discerning collector, nearly all cars remain in their original state, as delivered, and featured impressively low mileage. A paint-to-sample 2015 Porsche 918 “Weissach” Spyder was a highlight, along with a 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.8, a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Lightweight and a 2016 Porsche 911 R.
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  (Forest Casey)

  “The Lost & Found Collection” Featuring Ferrari

  A remarkable barn-find assembly of Ferraris was offered during RM Sotheby’s flagship sale in Monterey, California, dubbed “The Lost & Found Collection.” The highly anticipated collection of blue-chip Ferraris in varying states of disrepair brought about by Hurricane Charley (2004) commanded an impressive total of over $16.5 million.
  
  The event reaffirmed the allure of rare Ferraris remains undiminished, with collectors keen to own these rare artifacts lost to time. Notably, the 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I by Pinin Farina, a battle-scarred gem, fetched an astonishing $1,875,000, with the legendary 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy by Scaglietti commanding an eye-popping $3,305,000. Additionally, the 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series I by Pinin Farina, showcasing its timeless beauty beneath the wear and tear, changed hands for a substantial $2,810,000.
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  (Tim Scott)

  The Aurora Collection

  One of the most remarkable single-owner collections ever for offer in Europe, the Swedish-owned Aurora Collection was offered entirely without reserve at our Villa Erba sale. Notable examples included a 1956 Ferrari 500 TR Spider by Scaglietti, a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta by Scaglietti, a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 by Scaglietti, a 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti, and a 2019 Ferrari Monza SP1. There were also two spectacular Mercedes-Benzes on offer from the collection, including a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing and a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sc Roadster. The collection spanned 64 years of automotive history and encompassed a truly remarkable selection of significant Ferraris, many with exceptional histories and low mileages.
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  (Marcelo Murillo)

  Rob Myers and Bill and Jane Warner at Amelia Island

  RM Sotheby’s final Amelia Island sale ended spectacularly, having sold over $70 million in collector automobiles, a record for a single day auction held on the island. After 24 years of hosting an auction in conjunction with the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, RM Sotheby’s bid farewell to the island with a special tribute charity auction, hosted by Rob Myers, which raised over $1.2 million for Spina Bifida of Jacksonville—a charity long supported by Amelia Island Concours founders Bill and Jane Warner.
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  (Remi Dargegen ©2023)

  Pebble Beach Best of Show

  RM’s three-day auction in Monterey achieved an impressive $164 million in sales with an 86% sell-through rate—becoming the third most successful Monterey result in the company’s history. Additionally, RM Auto Restoration won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance for the second year in a row, with a stunning 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster that stole the show. This accolade marks the firm’s 8th Best of Show win at Pebble Beach, an unmatched legacy.
  
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  (RMSotheby's)

  Dubai Office Launch

  RM Sotheby’s global reach extends into the Middle East and North Africa with the opening of a new business operation in Dubai. The official inaugural auction is set to take place 9 March 2024.
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  (Jeremy Cliff ©2023)

  1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO by Scaglietti

  A once-in-a-lifetime chance to own the only GTO Tipo 1962 raced by the Scuderia Ferrari, as well as for an auction house to sell it, and RM Sotheby’s was able to be a part of this historic and storied chapter. Chassis number 3765, the 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO, was offered to a select group of bidders on the phone and in person at Sotheby’s New York during its Marquee Week Sales of Modern and Contemporary Art. This rare piece of “art on wheels” sold for a record $51.7 million, making it the second-highest price achieved for a car at auction and the most valuable Ferrari ever sold at auction.
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  (RM Sotheby's)

  RM Sotheby’s Le Mans

  In May, RM Sotheby’s partnered with the ACO to conduct its Le Mans Centenary sale—a unique sale held on the eve of the 100th year of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the world’s most prestigious car races. The remarkable one-off auction grossed €20,101,950, headed by a beautiful 1955 Ferrari 121 LM Spider by Scaglietti, which made €5,742,500, with seven cars selling for more than €1,000,000.
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  (Julian Cassady Photography/Alive Coverage)

  Lewis Hamilton Mercedes at Las Vegas

  Projected to be “the biggest event in the world in 2023” by its organizers, the Official Auction of the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix lived up to the spectacle. Bidders were treated to an awe-inspiring theatrical presentation at Wynn Las Vegas’ Awakening Theater, a true “one-of-a-kind” auction which saw $59,704,685 in total sales, with an 89.7% sell-through rate. The star of the sale was Lewis Hamilton’s 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04—the first team car driven to victory by the now seven-time World Champion and the only team car to be sold outside of the Mercedes organization—realizing an outstanding $18,815,000. After a hotly contested bidding war, this seminal piece in the story of the winningest F1 driver of all time now stands as the most valuable Formula One car of the modern era ever sold. The second most notable car of the evening, a one-of-six 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster sold for a record-breaking $10,235,000.
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  (©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's)

  2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée

  The one-of-a-kind 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée sold for €9,792,500 at RM Sotheby’s Paris sale, making it the most valuable new car ever sold at auction. The February event, held in the Salles du Carrousel in the Louvre Palace, grossed a remarkable €49,802,080.