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.

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, 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 the 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 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 beautiful 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 percent 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 percent applies to the first €200,000, and a Buyer’s Premium of 12.5 percent applies to the Hammer Price above €200,000. Buyer’s premium is 20 percent for all memorabilia/non-motor car lots.

RALLY LEGENDS FOR ROAD AND TRACK DRIFT INTO RM SOTHEBY’S INAUGURAL ESSEN AUCTION

RALLY LEGENDS FOR ROAD AND TRACK
DRIFT INTO RM SOTHEBY’S INAUGURAL ESSEN AUCTION

• RM Sotheby’s reveals a selection of road-ready rally car greats for sale at Essen, Germany auction, 11-12 April
• A varied selection of Lancia entries includes Delta S4 Stradale, 037 Stradale and Stratos HF Stradale, representing a golden age of rally sport
• Over 200 diverse automobiles consigned for Essen sale, with more detail at rmsothebys.com

RM Sotheby’s is delighted to announce the consignment of several legendary road-ready rally cars for its first-ever Essen, Germany sale, due to take place over two days (11-12 April) during the Techno-Classica Essen Show. Over 200 unique automobile lots will be offered in Essen, within which a collection of celebrated road-going Lancia models includes a Delta S4 Stradale, 037 Stradale, and Stratos HF Stradale, to represent a golden age of rally sport.

The 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Stradale is among the highly desirable featured cars set for Essen. Manufactured as a Group B rally car, the Delta S4 was made by Lancia with the intention of replacing the outgoing 037, raced by Lancia in the early 1980s. The Delta S4 lived up to the reputation of its predecessor with a number of Group B wins, while the rally class homologation requirements led Lancia to build 200 road-going versions of the car, paving the way for the Stradale version, literally translated from Italian as ‘road-going’. The Delta S4 on offer in Essen is a highly original example of the legendary Italian rally car, showing less than 2,200 km from new and complete with original owner’s manuals and toolkit (Est. €450.000 - €550.000).

The Lancia rally legend theme continues with a truly exceptional 1975 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale, one of only 492 produced as a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive race and rally car. Lancia dominated the World Rally Championship with the futuristic looking Stratos HF Stradale, finishing every season in the first place from 1974 to 1976, and winning subsequent races until the car was retired in the early-1980s. Presented in unrestored, original condition, it was originally delivered to Guido Bignardi in Sicily. A member of a prominent Italian rallying family, the car remained with him for three decades before passing through just one more owner ahead of the consignor (Est. €480.000 - €520.000). Also set for the sale is a 1984 Lancia 037 Stradale, another stunning and purposeful rally legend built to comply with homologation standards of ‘80s rally sport. Also delivered new to a member of the Bignardi family, the 037 was kept by its first owner until 2005 before being purchased by its third and current owner in 2015. Presented in exceptionally well-preserved condition and showing just 3,500 km from new, this is surely one of the lowest mileage examples available (Est. €350.000 - €400.000). A 1974 Lancia Fulvia (Est. €20.000 - €30.000) and 1970 Lancia Fulvia Rallye 1.6 HF ‘Fanalone’ (Est. €60.000 - €70.000) complete the Lancia motorsport line-up.

Maarten ten Holder, Head of Europe & Chief Auctioneer for RM Sotheby’s, comments: “These road-going Lancia rally cars have become iconic within the collector car community. The Essen sale is a great opportunity for an enthusiast or collector to acquire a part of motorsport history, and these cars are not commonplace within the market. Each car is offered in fantastic condition and buyers can look forward to enjoying the incredible driving experience they offer. The Essen sale has been curated with a diverse selection of cars on offer, many of which are highly sought-after within the German market, and we are looking forward to our first ever sale on German soil.”

Rounding off the rally theme is another iconic car of the 1980s, a 1985 Renault 5 Turbo 2 offered from the Youngtimer Collection in Essen. As a perfect introduction to rallying’s 1980s heyday, the Renault 5 Turbo was born of Renault’s desire to emulate the winning recipe of the Stratos, and in so doing gave the humble Renault 5 a new lease on life by moving its engine to behind the driver and switching to rear-wheel drive. This example was first registered in Germany but has gone on to owners in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland (Est: €80.000 - €90.000). The Renault is featured amongst 85 cars presented from the single-owner Youngtimer Collection at Essen.

The addition of the Essen sale to RM Sotheby’s established Paris, Monaco, Villa Erba, and London events address a sustained level of interest in high-value automobile sales in Europe – also contributing towards a growing presence for RM Sotheby’s among car collectors in the region. The collector car market in Germany is recognized by RM Sotheby’s as especially strong.

For further information on the RM Sotheby’s Essen sale, please visit rmsothebys.com. Interested bidders are invited to call the RM Sotheby’s London office at +44 (0) 20 7851 7070 to speak with a car specialist.