Darin Schnabel © 2015 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's Amelia Island classic car auction
16.03.2015
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E rst in February, the two auction houses RM and Sothebys decided on a strategic partnership, and in mid-March they celebrate their first new records. Exactly $ 60,328,550 total sales are reported as auction sales - and a remarkable sales rate of 98%.
At the auction as part of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance on March 14, a total of around 100 vehicles went under the hammer , 13 of them achieved more than one million US dollars.
13 million sellers from 9 different brands
The recipe for record prices is actually quite simple: Take classic Ferrari from the 50s to 60s, preferably openly, and wait for the things and commands that come. But RM Auctions didn't make it that easy for itself. The compilation of the auction cars was multi-faceted and covered a broad spectrum of automotive history.
The wages are million-dollar bids for vehicles from 1930 to 1988, for pre-war Phaetons to endurance racing cars from Ferrari, Jaguar, Mercedes, Lamborghini, Austin-Healey, Duesenberg, Shelby, Alfa Romeo and Bugatti.
Top seller auctioned for charity
With 6.38 million dollars, the top seller puts the other blue chips in the spotlight. The Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet on offer in the rare SWB (Short Wheel Base) version and in the unusual color combination Verde Bottiglia with red Connolly leather interior was sold by RM Auctions for charity. The last owner donates the entire auction proceeds to his foundation, which takes care of the education of children.
The Ferrari with matching numbers (chassis number 1945 SA) is said to be one of a total of 7 convertibles that have the short chassis have a wheelbase of 2,420 mm. The Ferrari specialists from Classic Coach and Greg Jones restored the 400 Superamerica, and the 340 hp four-liter V12 was also completely overhauled.
Jaguar D-Type achieves just under 3.7 million dollars
A Jaguar D-Type from 1955 lands in second place among the top sellers. The racing car achieved a well-documented and successful racing history$ 3,675,000 and is in race-ready condition. Chassis number XKD 530 is one of 54 D-Type built for private drivers, which was delivered to the Finnish tennis player Curt Lincoln in 1956 - in order to save taxes the racing car was declared as a used car at the time.
The car was later returned England, where it was completely restored in 2003. After it was rebuilt, it took part in the Goodwood Revival, the Mille Miglia, the Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza, the Silverstone Classics and the Pebble Beach Concours - so it is well known and highly valued in the scene. The Jaguar D-Type was sold with all the papers required for racing in historical motorsport. A FIVA passport, FIA papers and a certificate from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust are part of the extensive documentation.
Daytona Spyder and Mercedes 500/540 K fetch more than $ 3 million
Two other vehicles in the Amelia Island auction fetch more than $ 3 million. On the one hand the Ferrari 365 GTB /4 Daytona Spyder - we reported - , which was worth 3.3 million dollars to its new owner. In addition, a Mercedes 500/540 K Cabriolet A from 1935. The pre-war Mercedes 500 Cabriolet A, of which only 33 were made, is said to have been converted to the specification of the more powerful 540 compressor in the 1930s. Between 1999 and 2001 the car with the chassis number 105384 was completely restored. The 180 hp supercharged convertible proved its stability in the 1,000 mile 'Colorado Grand' race. At the Amelia Island auction on March 14th, it achieved $ 3,025,000.
Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport with Zagato body
5th place among the most expensive auction cars of this Amelia Island- Auction occupies an Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport. A total of 106 examples of this racing car were made, the one on offer with chassis number 10814313 dates from 1931 and has since spent most of the time in Switzerland. The car was extensively restored from 2005 to 2009; RM Auctions are quoting restoration costs of 100,000 Swiss francs. The result of the work is impressive and aroused admiration when it appeared in Pebble Beach (2012). The last bid for this pre-war racing car was now at the Amelia Island auction at 2,420,000 dollars.
All other million sellers of the Amelia Island auction by RM Auctions are shown in our photo show.
