Three dozen cars sold for more than $1 million during last week’s annual Scottsdale auction extravaganza, led by a 1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight that Bonhams sold for $7.370,000 to establish a new world auction record for an E-Type. The second-highest price was paid for a one-of-a-kind, custom-ordered 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster with a rare five-speed transmission that RM Sotheby’s sold for $6,600,000, while third overall was taken by a 1952 Ferrari 340 America Competizione Spider that Bonhams sold for $6,380,000.
In total, 3,486 vehicles were sold for a total of $259.8 million, with Bonhams notching up $36.3 million in sales and its week-leading Jaguar one of seven cars fetching more than $1 million. Despite leading the way with a week-high 16 million-dollar sales, RM Sotheby’s collected but $53.8 million from an 89 percent sell-through rate. Barrett-Jackson was the week’s volume leader with more than 1,700 sales to record $100 million in gross revenues via a 99.5 percent sell-through rate and a top price of $1.485,000 paid for a 1964 Aston Martin DB5. Gooding & Co. registered $33.4 million worth of total sales with 84 percent sell-through and a top seller of a 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix that brought in $3,300,000 as one of its nine million-dollar cars.
Scottsdale newcomer Worldwide Auctioneers posted sales of $11.4 million, moving 64 of 82 lots for a 78 percent sell-through rate and a top-selling 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L-88 roadster that gaveled for $1,980,000. Russo and Steele pulled $20.7 million in total sales with a 74 percent sell-through rate, but no million-dollar cars.
While the top end of the market seemed firm, and sales of lower-priced cars was brisk, some concern was prompted by malaise in the middle of the market where many cars failed to sell. The total number of sales was up by about a dozen percent, but the average price per car slipped by a similar amount. The compete list of 36 million-sellers follows:
- 1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight – $7,370,000 (BO)
- 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster – $6,600,000 (RM)
- 1952 Ferrari 340 America Competizione Spider – $6,380,000 (BO)
- 1928 Mercedes-Benz Type S Sports Tourer – $4,812,500 (BO)
- 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS Spider – $3,602,500 (RM)
- 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Roadster – $3,300,000 (GO)
- 1995 Ferrari F50 Coupe – $3,135,000 (RM)
- 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupe – $3,080,000 (RM)
- 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast Series I Coupe – $2,915,000 (GO)
- 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spider – $2,805,000 (BO)
- 2003 Ferrari Enzo (# ZFFCW56A330133026) – $2,695,000 (RM)
- 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS (# 10689) – $2,475,000 (RM)
- 1964 Porsche 904 GTS – $2,310,000 (BO)
- 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C (# 08431) – $2,117,500 (RM)
- 2013 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 SS 300 (# VF9SG2C27DM795300) – $2,090,000 (RM)
- 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L-88 roadster – $1,980,000 (WW)
- 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB – $1,732,500 (BO)
- 1932 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Grand Sport Roadster – $1,595,000 (GO)
- 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing – $1,500,000 (RM)
- 1996 Porsche 911 GT2 – $1,500,000 (RM)
- 1964 Aston Martin DB5 – $1.485,000 (BJ)
- 2011 Ferrari 599 SA Aperta – $1,485,000 (GO)
- 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing – $1,457,500 (GO)
- 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet – $1,430,000 (BO)
- 1948 Tucker 48 (# 1044) – $1,347,500 (RM)
- 1960 Chevrolet CERV-1 – $1.320,000 (BJ)
- 2008 Lamborghini Reventón (# ZHWBU77SX8LA03148) – $1,320,000 (RM)
- 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 – $1,100,000 (RM)
- 1930 Cadillac V16 Roadster by Fleetwood – $1,100,000 (RM)
- 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider America – $1,100,000 (WW)
- 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra – $1,100,000 (GO)
- 1928 Bentley 4 ½ Litre Open Sports Tourer – $1,100,000 (GO)
- 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort – $1,089,000 (GO)
- 1965 Aston Martin DB5 – $1,045,000 (RM)
- 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster – $1,034,000 (GO)
- 1939 Bugatti T57 Cabriolet by Letourneur and Marchand – $1,017,500 (RM)
Legend: BO – Bonhams; BJ – Barrett-jackson; GO – Gooding & Co.; RM – RM Sotheby’s; RS – Russo and Steele; WW – Worldwode
