1950s SPORTS RACING LEGENDS TOP RESULTS AS RM SOTHEBY’S VILLA ERBA SALE GROSSES €19.8 MILLION

1950s SPORTS RACING LEGENDS TOP RESULTS AS
RM SOTHEBY’S VILLA ERBA SALE GROSSES €19.8 MILLION

1954 FERRARI 500 MONDIAL SPIDER AND 1957 PORSCHE 550A SPYDER STEAL THE LIMELIGHT BRINGING €3,717,500 AND €3,380,000 RESPECTIVELY

• RM Sotheby’s concludes its fifth successful sale as official auction house of the esteemed Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, 25 May at Villa Erba
• Sale totals €19,798,085 with five cars bringing more than €1,000,000
• Complete results now available at rmsothebys.com

 RM Sotheby’s, the official auction house of the esteemed Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, concluded its fifth, successful Villa Erba sale on the shores of Lake Como, Italy, grossing an impressive €19,798,085 and with five cars achieving figures in excess of €1,000,000. Bidders at the exclusive event represented no less than 30 countries, with more than 25 per cent being first-time RM Sotheby’s clientele.

Pre-sale, it was two incredible sports racing machines from the 1950s which had garnered significant attention, and on the night it was the same two cars which stole the show. The top seller was the original, matching-numbers 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider, chassis no. 0448 MD, the 12th of just 13 Pinin Farina Spiders built. The car boasts the extensive period racing history and is an exceptionally eligible car for historic racing and concours events. Fully restored and Ferrari Classiche certified, the car was deservedly bought for€3,717,500.

No car exemplifies the appeal of a 1950s sports racing car more than a 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder, providing exceptional usability and ultimate eligibility for historic events. The car sold at Villa Erba is one of only 40 cars made and benefits from a well-known and highly documented history. Chassis no. 550A-0121 was first delivered to Denmark in 1957 and enjoyed competition history there as well as in Africa where it went on to be sold. The car has undergone a complete, body-off restoration by leading Porsche specialists and has only covered 100km on the road since returning from the workshop. This wonderful piece of Porsche history achieved €3,380,000.

1960s Aston Martins are always desirable and none more so than the rare 1965 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante, which is one of the final examples of a mere 37 built. Offered after a period of long-term ownership and beautifully restored in Switzerland by renowned experts, the car is matching numbers and features a rare and desirable hardtop. It fully deserved to be the night’s third highest seller, achieving an impressive €1,805,000. The sale was notable for featuring an incredible collection of rare Zagato-bodied cars in celebration of the coachbuilder’s 100^th anniversary, and leading the group was a stunning 1955 Fiat 8V Coupé by Zagato, a car highly coveted by collectors. The car sold, chassis no. 000076, is one of 26 coupes built, and brought a worthy €1,771,250.

Augustin Sabatié-Garat, Car Specialist and the Villa Erba Auction Manager, RM Sotheby’s, says: “To achieve nearly €20 million in gross sales is a great result, and it’s a testament to the high-quality cars that were on offer at Villa Erba. We have once again demonstrated that the best 1950s sports racing cars with strong provenance remain the most highly prized collector cars in this hobby-driven market, while cars such as the Aston Martin Volante and Fiat 8V Coupe demonstrate how the appeal of timeless design and low production numbers are key factors in driving demand among enthusiasts and collectors.”

It was the absolutely stunning 1931 Bugatti Type 50 Roadster that rounded out the top five sellers on the night. This incredible supercharged, eight-cylinder engined touring car, is one of two remaining examples with original Jean Bugatti-designed factory coachwork and was offered in beautifully restored condition. With factory records including the original bill of sale, this pre-war great achieved €1,411,250.

Aside from the Fiat 8V, the other Zagato bodied cars sold extremely well in the sale; a fitting tribute in the legendary designer’s 100^thanniversary year. The 2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake, the 12^th of only 99 built, made €511,250; the glorious and well-restored 1966 Lancia Flaminia Super Sport 3C 2.8 made €252,500; the 1987 Aston Martin V8 Vantage, one of only 14 examples with manual transmission, made €331,250; the 1990 Ferrari 348 TB Zagato Elaborazione, the prototype example and the 1991 Geneva show car, made €218,500; and the diminutive and highly sought-after 1959 Fiat-Abarth 750 GT 'Double Bubble' by Zagato, made €103,500.

RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba Top 10 sales

1. Lot 148 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider €3,717,500
2. Lot 140 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder €3,380,000
3. Lot 135 1965 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante €1,805,000
4. Lot 125 1955 Fiat 8V Coupé €1,771,250
5. Lot 137 1931 Bugatti Type 50 Roadster €1,411,250
6. Lot 155 2016 Ferrari F12tdf €792,500
7. Lot 132 1961 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder €663,125
8. Lot 161 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC €556,250
9. Lot 120 2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake €511,250
10. Lot 140 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring €477,500

The RM Sotheby’s Group continues its 2019 auction calendar in Auburn, Indiana, USA, 29 May-1 June, where more than 300 collector cars and hundreds of lots of memorabilia are on offer. Further information on upcoming events, along with complete results from RM Sotheby’s 2019 Villa Erba sale, can be found at rmsothebys.com.

*Results are listed in EURO and inclusive are inclusive of buyer’s premium. Buyer’s premium is 15 per cent on all motor car lots with a final hammer price of €200,000 or less. In the event of a final Hammer Price above €200,000 on motor car lots, a Buyer’s Premium of 15 per cent applies to the first €200,000, and a Buyer’s Premium of 12.5 per cent applies to the Hammer Price above €200,000. Buyer’s premium is 20 per cent for all memorabilia/non-motor car lots.

 FOR MORE NEWS FROM RM SOTHEBY’S: #RMSothebys #RMVillaErba

All event images by Diana Varga © 2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.

1954 MERCEDES 300SL GULLWING HEADLINES SILVERSTONE CLASSIC SALE

1954 MERCEDES 300SL GULLWING HEADLINES SILVERSTONE CLASSIC SALE

1954 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing

Silverstone Auctions are delighted to present their headline lot, the 1954 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing, for their Silverstone Classic sale on the 27th and 28th July 2019.

The 300SL Gullwing is an iconic Mercedes-Benz coupe that was first produced in 1954. Only 1,400 cars were ever made and early cars such as this one, are particularly desirable. In 1999 the 300SL Gullwing was voted "Sports car of the century".

Nick Whale, Managing Director of Silverstone Auctions commented: “We are privileged to offer this car fresh to market from the same private ownership as the 300SL Roadster that we sold at the Silverstone Classic in 2018.”

“This car comes with an impressive history file and with a unique first UK owner being the late Peter Warr, who was the team manager for the Lotus Formula 1 team.”

“He imported the car from Arizona in 1989 and subsequently enjoyed the car until it was purchased by our vendor in August 1993.”

“What is really special about this Gullwing is its an early car and features the highly desirable full 'belly pans'.”

When supplied new on 27th December 1954 to Hoffman of New York, the car was originally finished in Mercedes racing silver. It is now presented in Fire Engine Red as it was when Peter Warr imported the car in 1989.

It has also been fitted with a sports camshaft upgrade and, more recently, electronic power steering which can be removed if required.

The comprehensive history file shows the thorough and diligent maintenance of the car by well-known 300SL Specialists, including John Surtees Engineering, marque expert Ron Waghorn, marque expert Tommy Johnston and more latterly Neil Corns of Omega Motorsport. The plethora of parts invoices are from Keinle, HK Engineering and Classic Mercedes UK but, most important of all, the injection pump was completely overhauled and rebuilt by HK Engineering in Germany just 2 years ago. Both the gearbox and brakes have also been recently overhauled, including both the brake drums and master cylinders

The car has benefitted from regular use and has been on many European motor tours to exotic places such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Monaco, as well as competing on the Ecurie Ecosse Scottish Tours no less than 12 times!

Nick Whale continued ”It has clearly been loved and cherished by our enthusiastic vendor who is now ready to let the car enjoy its next chapter.”

The Silverstone Classic Auction takes place on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th July 2019 offering an exclusive selection of classic cars, sports cars and supercars, including automobilia and luxury watches. The lots can be previewed on the 25th July 2019 from 13.30 to 18.30 and on the 26th of July from 09.00 to 18.00

Silverstone Auctions are accepting cars for their Silverstone Classic auction and can be contacted on 01926 691141 or email enquiries@silverstoneauctions.com and would be happy to talk with you and help you through the process of consigning your car.