Monterey Auctions, 2019

One of the highlight was the 1951 Ferrari 340 America Vignale Coupé that had been in the same family ownership for the last fifty years. After enthusiastic bidding, # 0132A was bought by a European collector for $3,635,000.

The 1953 Fiat 8V Ghia Supersonic chassis # 43 is one of only 15 8V Supersonics built. With an estimate of $1,750,000 – $1,950,000, it remained unsold despite the fact it was once owned by no less than Briggs Cunningham.

Designed by Peter Brock with coachwork by Carrozzeria Fantuzzi, the 1965 De Tomaso P70 was developed by Carroll Shelby in collaboration with Alejandro de Tomaso to compete in USRRC racing series. Estimated between 2 and 3 million, it was not sold.

This 1937 Delahaye 135 M Competition Court Roadster by Guilloré was one of only 30 short chassis Delahaye 135s built. Owned over the years by many prominent French and US collectors, it was estimated between $3,250,000 and $3,750,000 and was a no sale.

Less prestigious but not less interesting, the OTAS Grand Prix was the result of a collaboration between Francis Lombardi and Franco Giannini. Based around Fiat 850 mechanicals, this 1971 example, of which no more than 100 were imported to the US, sold for $26,880.

The top sale of the two-day auction went, as usual, to a Ferrari, this time a 250 GT LWB California Spider # 1055 GT, achieving $9,905,000. Regularly shown at various car shows, it took 3rd in class at last year’s Pebble Beach Concours.

One of the highlight of the sale was surely the Ferrari 312T regularly campaigned by the late Niki Lauda during the 1975 F1 season. He won the 1975 French Grand Prix in this car and therefore it was estimated between $6,000,000 and $ 8,000,000. It was finally sold for $6,000,000.

This 1913 Isotta Fraschini Tipo IM was the official Isotta Fraschini team entry at the Indianapolis 500 in 1913 and 1914. Although it was both times a DNF, the car achieved a strong price of $2,645,000.

Displayed at the Paris, Torino and Geneva Motor Shows from 1956 to 1960, this Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM was originally built as a berlinetta by Colli before being graced by four different Super-flow bodies. The last body, displayed at the 1960 Geneva motor show, was the Superflow IV you see here. Estimated between $6 and $8 million, it remained unsold.

For less fortunate buyers, this 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900C SS Touring coupé went for $351,500, below the lowest estimate of $400,000.

On the French side, this 1927 Avions Voisin C11 Open Torpédo, designed and built by French coachbuilder Belvallette, was presented in unrestored condition and patinated state. If the estimate was between $450,000 and $550,000, the sale price was far below, at $224,000.

The best sale of the week at Mecum Auctions, at $2,750,000, was this Ferrari 275 GTB/4 #10735, a late European-spec example completed in December 1967. Delivered new through Franco-Britannic Autos in Paris, it was imported in the United States in 1986.

The highlight of the sale was without doubt this 1954 Ferrari 250 Monza #0432 M owned by Dana & Patti Mecum. Born as a 250 Monza Pinin Farina spyder, it was rebodied by Scaglietti in 1957 to look like a 250 TR pontoon fender. Despite its pedigree, it was not sold with a high bid at $20,000,000.

A 1973 US-Spec example Ferrari Dino 246 GTS #05498, estimated between $375,000 and $400.000.

1956 Lancia Appia Furgoncino, sold for $34,100. Some 2,900 examples were produced.

This 1947 Delahaye 135M Guilloré cabriolet was a longtime exhibit at the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California. It has garnered many First in Class prizes in various concours, and was estimated between $1,500,000-$2,000,000. The highest bid was $1,100,000 and thus was not sold.

One of the most spectacular cars of the sale was a rare Delahaye 135MS Narval cabriolet by Figoni et Falaschi. Shown at the 1947 Paris Salon, its first owner was legendary French singer-songwriter Charles Trenet. In the same ownership for the last 50 years, it was not sold with a highest bid at $2,600,000..

With $19,805,000, the 1994 McLaren F1 ‘LM specification’ set a new auction record for the marque while being the most valuable car sold during the Monterey car week. It is just one of two examples upgraded to Le Mans specification by the factory, providing the car even more rarity than the original five LM cars.

Second of the highest sales at RM Sotheby’s was the 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB berlinetta #3359 GT, sold for $8,145,000. When owned by a Swiss collector, it received a class award at the 2012 Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza.

This one-off Ferrari road car bodied by Ghia on a full competition-spec 375MM chassis and drivetrain (s/n 0476AM) was Ghia’s 1955 Torino Motor Show car. It is also the last Ferrari bodied by Ghia. Estimated between $5 and $7 million, it remained unsold.

Raced at the 1962 12 hours of Sebring, Nürburgring 1000 km, and the 1963 Nassau Speed Week, the Ferrari 196 SP #0806 was estimated between $8,000,000-$10,000,000. Despite its race history and the pedigree of its drivers (Rodriguez and Grossman), it was not sold.

Modern Ferraris are always in high demand. All of the seven Ferrari supercars of the Ming Collection found new owners and this 2006 Ferrari FXX, not driven since the initial Fiorano delivery sold for $3,520,000, setting a new world record for the model at auction.

Briggs Cunningham’s personal Maserati 5000 GT wears a unique bodywork commissioned from Michelotti. It is known as the most aerodynamic of the 5000 GTs thanks to its lines being developed in a wind tunnel at Universita degli Studi di Torino. It was not sold.

Displayed at the 1961 Turin Motor Show, this is the only Maserati 5000 GT bodied by Ghia. Originally built for Ferdinando Innocenti, creator of the Lambretta scooter, its whereabouts were unknown for more than 50 years until it recently resurfaced in Saudi Arabia. Despite its derelict state, it achieved $533,000.

The 1947 Cisitalia D46, #19 of some 30 cars built, was campaigned in 1948 in European Formula 2 events under the Ecurie de Paris banner by French racer Roger Loyer. After its early time in Europe, the D46 was raced in Argentina where it was found in 1980.

The Alfa Romeo 1900C SS bodied by Touring is a 3rd series version, recognizable by its slightly lower roof line and its sculptured and extended nose. Sold new in Chicago, it then went to England where it remained 30 years in the same family.

This rare example of an Apollo 3500 GT spider is the first produced and one of just five remaining. A total of 88 units of this Italian-influenced American sportscar were produced. It will be on sale at the Corpus Christi auction next October.