RM Auctions totals $23.2 Million in sales in Fort Lauderdale

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – On March 29-30, RM Auctions, a division of the RM Sotheby’s Group, held its annual Fort Lauderdale sale, achieving the best result in the event’s 17-year history. Total sales across the two-day auction reached more than $23.2 million, with more than 80 percent of the 476 lots on offer finding new homes. RM Auctions also saw strong bidder attendance at the sale, with 24 countries represented by participants, and one third of bidders representing first-time RM Auctions clientele.

The Fort Lauderdale auction was led by a 600-mile 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari, finished in eye-catching Giallo Modena over a black and yellow interior. The hypercar reached a final price of $3,080,000 during the Saturday afternoon sale session before a packed auction room, becoming the most valuable car yet sold at the Fort Lauderdale event. Stealing the Friday spotlight was a highly desirable, matching-numbers 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwingoffered from significant celebrity ownership, which achieved a final $1,155,000 to become the second highest sale of the weekend.

“We could not be happier with the results of our 17th Fort Lauderdale auction,” said Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, RM Sotheby’s Group, following the sale. “We achieved our strongest results to date, again with a smaller, higher quality group of cars, and we’re thrilled with the sell-through rate we secured for our valued clients. On top of the most valuable car ever sold at the event, we also saw continued lively bidding for special cars from private collections offered without reserve, with exceptional interest from clients participating remotely via the phone and internet as well.”

Additional highlights across the Fort Lauderdale auction included continued rising interest in modern and emerging collectibles. A 1998 Lamborghini Diablo SV Monterey Edition, the final example of just 20 built, sold for $258,500 following an extended bidding competition, exceeding its pre-sale estimate of $200,000-$225,000 (offered without reserve). A 2010 Ferrari California, presented in Grigio Alloy with Bordeaux Daytona-style seats, also offered without reserve, sold for a final $115,500, with a portion of proceeds to benefit The Boys & Girls Club of Broward County, an organization near and dear to the RM Auctions team.

A selection of cars offered from the much-buzzed-about Youngtimer Collection also continued to draw tremendous interest in Fort Lauderdale, which many of the 19 lots exceeding pre-sale expectations. Highlights include a very well-preserved, 3,000-mile 1991 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo, which reached a final $66,000 (est. $30/40k, offered without reserve) to set a new record for the model at auction. A six-speed 2009 Aston Martin DBS also smashed pre-sale estimates at $121,000 (est. $80/100k), while a 1994 Bentley Touring Limousine reached $71,500 (est. $30/40k, offered without reserve). The remaining 85 motor cars from the Youngtimer Collection will be offered at RM Sotheby’s upcoming inaugural German sale, set for 11-12 April at the Techno Classica Essen show.

Additional private collections offered without reserve also achieved strong results in Fort Lauderdale, with a 1953 Hudson Hornet Sedan offered from a Private Swiss Collection and formerly owned by Steve McQueen bringing $165,000 and a 1948 Buick Roadmaster Convertible offered from the Richard L. Burdick Collection bringing $99,000 (est. $65/85k).

RM Auctions Fort Lauderdale sale also played host to RADwood at RM Auctions, the first-ever South Florida event for the car show that presents the best of the 80s and 90s automotive lifestyle. The event saw a curated group of cars at the Broward County Convention Center, including such rad rarities as a 3500-mile, six-speed 1998 Toyota Supra, a 1986 Lamborghini “Downdraft” Countach, one of three in Rosso Speciale, a 1989 RUF RCT Evo, and a 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG 6.0 Wide-Body with a quad-cam motor and Recaro interior.

RM Auctions Fort Lauderdale 2019 Top Ten

The RM Sotheby’s Group European calendar continues in just two short weeks as the company stages its first-ever German sale during Techno-Classica Essen, April 11-12 at the Messe Essen exhibition center. The Essen sale is set to present more than 200 diverse collector cars during the long-running Techno-Classica fair, recognized as the first great German car salon for vintage cars and collector vehicles. More than 80 additional cars from the much-buzzed-about Youngtimer Collection are set to star at the Essen sale. The complete Essen digital catalogue is now available at rmsothebys.com.

Complete results from RM Sotheby’s Fort Lauderdale sale, along with further details on upcoming auctions are available at rmsothebys.com.

* Results are listed in USD and include buyer’s premium (10 percent for motor cars / 15 percent for automobilia).
* Results include select transactions that occurred immediately following the sale.

About RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s is the world's largest auction house for investment-quality automobiles. With 40 years’ experience in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from private treaty sales and auctions (including both RM Sotheby’s and RM Auctions events) to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of car specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. In February 2015, RM formed a strategic partnership with Sotheby’s, uniting the two companies for the full calendar of future automobile auctions. For further information, visit rmsothebys.com.