The RM Auctions Fort Lauderdale 2019 auction was held March 29-30 at the Broward County Convention Center in Florida, resulting in $23,260,751 in total sales and an 80 percent sell-through rate. Total sales across the two-day Fort Lauderdale auction represented the best result in the event’s 17-year history.
“We could not be happier with the results of our 17th Fort Lauderdale auction,” said Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, RM Sotheby’s Group, following the sale. “We achieved our strongest results to date, again with a smaller, higher quality group of cars, and we’re thrilled with the sell-through rate we secured for our valued clients. On top of the most valuable car ever sold at the event, we also saw continued lively bidding for special cars from private collections offered without reserve, with exceptional interest from clients participating remotely via the phone and internet as well.”
The Fort Lauderdale auction was led by a 600-mile 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari, finished in Giallo Modena over a black and yellow interior. The hypercar reached a final price of $3,080,000 during the Saturday afternoon sale session, becoming the most valuable car yet sold at the Fort Lauderdale event. Stealing the Friday spotlight was a matching-numbers 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing offered from celebrity ownership, which achieved a final $1,155,000 to become the second highest sale of the weekend.
Additional highlights across the RM Auctions Fort Lauderdale 2019 auction included continued rising interest in modern and emerging collectibles. A 1998 Lamborghini Diablo SV Monterey Edition, the final example of 20 built, sold for $258,500, exceeding its pre-sale estimate of $200,000 – $225,000 (offered without reserve). A 2010 Ferrari California, presented in Grigio Alloy with Bordeaux Daytona-style seats, also offered without reserve, sold for a final $115,500, with a portion of proceeds to benefit The Boys & Girls Club of Broward County, an organization near and dear to the RM Auctions team.
A selection of cars offered from the much-buzzed-about Youngtimer Collection also continued to draw tremendous interest in Fort Lauderdale, which many of the 19 lots exceeding pre-sale expectations. Highlights include a very well-preserved, 3,000-mile 1991 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo, which reached a final $66,000 (est. $30/40k, offered without reserve) to set a new record for the model at auction. A six-speed 2009 Aston Martin DBS also smashed pre-sale estimates at $121,000 (est. $80/100k), while a 1994 Bentley Touring Limousine reached $71,500 (est. $30/40k, offered without reserve). The remaining 85 motor cars from the Youngtimer Collection will be offered at RM Sotheby’s upcoming inaugural German sale, set for 11-12 April at the Techno Classica Essen show.
Additional private collections offered without reserve also achieved strong results in Fort Lauderdale, with a 1953 Hudson Hornet Sedan offered from a private Swiss Collection and formerly owned by Steve McQueen bringing $165,000 and a 1948 Buick Roadmaster Convertible offered from the Richard L. Burdick Collection bringing $99,000 (est. $65k – 85k).
RM Auctions Fort Lauderdale 2019 – Top Ten Auction Results
1. 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari – $3,080,000
2. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing – $1,155,000
3. 2017 Ferrari F12 TDF – $975,000
4. 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta – $550,000
5. 2017 Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 SV Coupe – $478,500
6. 2018 Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series – $350,000
7. 2018 Ferrari GTC4Lusso 70th Anniversary – $299,750
8. 2006 Ford GT – $286,000
9. 1998 Lamborghini Diablo SV Monterey Edition – $258,500
10. 2006 Ford GT – $255,750
For complete auction results, visit www.rmsothebys.com.
The RM Sotheby’s Group European calendar continues in April as the company stages its first-ever German sale during Techno-Classica Essen, 11-12 April at the Messe Essen exhibition center. The Essen sale is set to present more than 200 cars during the long-running Techno-Classica fair. More than 80 additional cars from the Youngtimer Collection are set to star at the Essen sale.
[Source: RM Auctions; photo: Robin Adams]
