RM Sotheby’s achieves more than $35.8 million at Amelia Island

AMELIA ISLAND, Florida – RM Sotheby’s returned to the Ritz-Carlton at Amelia Island March 6-7 for the company’s 22nd annual sale as the official auction house of the renowned Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The auction saw more than $35.8 million in sales with 94 percent of all lots finding new homes. 

Attendance was high throughout preview hours on all days, which translated to a packed auction room on Friday evening and an even more impressive crowd for Saturday’s auction. There was sustained, energetic bidding throughout both sale sessions, from start to finish, beginning with the sale of the 1984 Tiga SC84 Sports 2000, generously offered by John and Aimee Oates to benefit the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Foundation. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer drove the race car onto the auction block following an introduction from Concours Founder and Chairman, Bill Warner. The Tiga sold for $50,400, with all proceeds benefitting the Foundation’s support of Spina Bifida of Jacksonville.

Top sales of the auction demonstrate strong interest in high-quality, new-to-the-market cars across all categories, led by a low-mileage 2003 Ferrari Enzo offered from 15 years of meticulous ownership in the Lingenfelter Collection, which sold for a final $2,782,500. The Enzo is followed by the beautifully restored 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet, the only example in the three-seater Aravis style body configurationby D’Ieteren. The Bugatti saw immediate interest from international bidders, bringing a final $1,655,000. The top three is completed by a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso, an attractive, beautifully restored and award-winning example, which sold for $1,600,000.

Additional highlights from RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale include additional modern supercars, including a Canepa-upgraded, California-legal 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort at $1,050,000, a virtually as-new 2004 Porsche Carrera GT offered without reserve and bringing $786,000, a 2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport, far exceeding pre-sale estimate at a final $527,500, and a pair of Ford GTs, including a rare 2.4-mile 2006 Ford GT Heritage at $533,000 and a four-option 2005 Ford GT offered without reserve from The Keith Crain Collection at a final $384,500. Illustrating continued interest in modern classics and future collectibles, a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG 6.0 ‘Wide-Body’ nearly doubled its pre-sale estimate of $220,000 - $260,000, selling for $390,000.

Not to be forgotten, pre-war Classics also brought healthy prices, including a one-off 1932 Duesenberg Model J Stationary Victoria offered from the Collection of John D. Groendyke and available publicly for the first time in 70 years, which sold for a final $1,325,000, as well as a 1925 Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer,offered from 45 years of ownership in the Todd & Peggy Nagler Collection and going to a new home for $335,000. Several niche lots smashed their pre-sale estimates at Amelia Island, including a 1904 Cretors Model D Popcorn Wagon at $156,800, a 1970 Lola T165 Can-Am at $665,000—tripling expectations—and a 1962 Fiat 600 Jolly at $151,200.

RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2020 Top Ten Sales

The RM Sotheby’s Group returns to Florida, March 20-21 , for the company’s 18th annual South Florida auction, this year set at the Palm Beach International Raceway. The two-day sale will present more than 350 quality collector cars, including several single-owner private collections offered without reserve. The digital preview catalogue for the Palm Beach auction is now available at rmsothebys.com and additional highlights will be announced in the coming week.

Complete results from RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale, as well as further details on upcoming auctions are available at rmsothebys.com.

*Results are listed in USD and include buyer’s premium.
*Results include select transactions that occurred immediately following the sale.

About RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s is the world's largest collector car auction house by total sales. With 40 years of proven results in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from auctions and private sales 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.