RM Sotheby’s Driven by Disruption

RM Sotheby’s will round out its 2015 calendar on December 10, with its exclusive Driven by Disruption sale and exhibition at Sotheby’s Manhattan headquarters. The second iteration of the company’s groundbreaking New York auction, the upcoming sale features 31 creatively-styled motor cars and select memorabilia – an offering carefully curated to showcase the extremes of motoring history and the molds that were broken by engineers and designers in pushing the automotive envelope. From coachbuilt Classic Era marvels to feats of high performance and wild customs and concepts, the roster spans more than 70 years of innovative styling and engineering, with 16 lots.

As a prelude to the sale, an exclusive six-day exhibition will open over the weekend of December 5 in Sotheby’s 10th floor galleries. For those unable to attend the event in person, RM Sotheby’s offers a range of remote bidding options, including absentee, Internet, and telephone bidding, and the auction will stream live at www.rmsothebys.com providing real-time coverage of the event.

STAR ATTRACTIONS:

Lot 221 – Driven by the Greatest: 1956 Ferrari 290 MM by Scaglietti, chassis no. 0626
The star of the sale, the 1956 Ferrari 290 MM by Scaglietti is the ultimate factory sports racing car. Driven by the “Who’s who” of motorsport in period, it was built for possibly THE greatest driver in history, Juan Manuel Fangio, for the 1956 Mille Miglia. Combining rarity, powerful mechanical specification, purposeful good looks and a great racing pedigree that includes victory at the 1000 KM of Buenos Aires, the 290 MM is a fundamental part of Ferrari folklore.

Lot 215 – Driven by the Sporting Gentleman: 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato, chassis no. DB4GT/0186/R
An automobile with ‘an English soul and an Italian suit’, the 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato is the most valuable road-going Aston Martin ever built. A car with few peers, the model’s heady mix of the accomplished and powerful DB4 clothed in Zagato’s bodywork. The example at Driven by Disruption boasts a wonderful provenance; the only example delivered new to Australia, it enjoyed a successful period racing career, has been restored by marque experts, and won numerous awards on both the European and American concours circuits. A groundbreaking work of art and an engineering masterpiece, it is certainly one of the greatest GT cars ever produced.

Lot 211 – Driven by La Dolce Vita: 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I by Pinin Farina, chassis no. 0791 GT

The quintessential open-top gentleman’s Ferrari, the 250 GT Cabriolet showed that the famed Italian marque could toe the line between sporting and elegant automobiles. Combining engineering and performance with incredible style and sophistication, the model was built for touring over racing, and played a key role in helping bring new customers to Maranello. Stunning in its Bianco over a Blu Connolly leather interior, the example on offer is the 14th of just 40 Series I Cabriolets built. Boasting a well-documented history, including a period of 40 years in single-ownership, it comes to auction following a full restoration to original specifications and color.

Lot 223 – Driven by Competition: 1955Mercedes-Benz 300 SL 'Sportabteilung' Gullwing, chassis no. 5500640
The 1955Mercedes-Benz 300 SL 'Sportabteilung' Gullwing is one of just four examples prepared by the Sportabteilung for development and competition. After its time with the marque’s competition department, the featured Gullwing was sold to Bernard Hans Hommel and enthusiast Georges Houel, who promptly took the car to Paris for the legendary Tour de France. With Stirling Moss behind the wheel, the unique Gullwing placed an impressive second overall. Spectacularly presented in its 1956 TdF livery, it comes to market for the first time in over 50 years and illustrates an important and lesser-known chapter in the Gullwing racing legend.

Lot 206 – Driven by Individuality: The Janis Joplin 1964 Porsche 356 C 1600 SC Cabriolet, chassis no. 160371
One of the most famous and important Porsches of all time, this 356 Cabriolet was the iconic daily driver of legendary rocker, Janis Joplin. Purchased by Joplin from a used car lot in 1968, the singer engaged Dave Richards, a friend and roadie with her band, Big Brother and the Holding Company, to customize it with a psychedelic ‘History of the Universe’ mural, rendering it one of the first true ‘art cars’. A potent symbol of 1960s counterculture and a one-of-a-kind piece of rock memorabilia, it is offered in New York by Janis’ siblings, Michael and Laura Joplin, fresh from 20 years on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

CLASSIC ERA MARVELS

Lot 214 – Driven by Progress: 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow, chassis no. 2575029
Impossibly rare, the 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow was the design that inaugurated the streamlined automotive age. One of three known survivors of just five originally built, the car on offer was a stand-out presence at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Resplendent in its gleaming silver coachwork, the car’s streamlined roof, flush-fitting doors with handles inset out of the airstream, and “step-down” interior were well ahead of its time. Beautifully refinished and well-maintained, it comes to market for the first time in more than three decades, and is the only present opportunity to acquire one of these dramatic visions of the future.

Lot 228 –Driven by Artistry: 1934 Delage D8 S Cabriolet, chassis no. 38229
Featuring coachwork by Fernandez et Darrin, this avant-garde 1934 Delage D8 S Cabriolet is an outstanding example of French Art Deco design on one of the great performance chassis of the time. Presented in lilac and bare polished aluminum, complete with a Lalique crystal Tete de Paon (peacock’s head) mascot, it is one of only two known examples of this body style and has been seldom seen on the concours circuit in recent years.

FEATS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE

Lot 224 – Driven by Purpose: 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial by Scaglietti, chassis no. 0424 MD (0564 MD)
The 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial offered at Driven by Disruption is arguably the most original 500 Mondial in existence, having survived a period in motorsport competition that many cars don’t. Finished in French Blu and equipped with a Lampredi four-cylinder engine, it was sold new to gentleman driver Mr. Yves Dupont in 1955 and successfully campaigned in period. At the end of the 1955 season, the Mondial was returned to the factory to be refurbished but was never picked up, instead remaining there for the next two decades where it was resprayed a more traditional red and displayed at the Autodromo di Monza museum. An ideal preservation class and historic racing entrant, it comes to auction with its original French Blu paint delicately unveiled and complete with Ferrari Classiche certification.

Lot 202 – Driven by Carnal Beauty: 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV, chassis no. 5014
The Miura marked a paradigm shift in the design of high-performance automobiles worldwide. Almost overnight, mid-engine placement was the way to go, and nearly every competitor vied to match the Miura’s muscular, sensual silhouette. Delivered new to a lady enthusiast in Rome, the 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV offered in New York has been freshly restored by marque experts, a project overseen by renowned factory test driver Valentino Balboni. A terrific example of the ‘original’ supercar in its ultimate form, it is certainly the finest SV ever offered at auction.

Lot 222 – Driven by The Wild West: 1963 Pontiac Bonneville “Roy Rogers” Nudie Mobile, chassis no. 863S02964
The attention-grabbing 1963 Pontiac Bonneville “Roy Rogers” Nudie Mobile is an over-the-top blend of fashion and automotive styling, created by fashion designer to American country music, “Nudie Cohn, the Rodeo Tailor”, for super star Roy Rogers. A classic example of Cohn’s customization work, virtually every surface is decorated in collectible silver dollars, and it features a saddle for a third passenger mounted over the transmission tunnel, extensive use of firearms as decorative art, and a pair of genuine Texas longhorns mounted to the front. The car was regularly used by Rogers for parades and special occasions before going on long-term display in the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum. Sold to its current owner in 2010.

Automotive passion meets art

Driven by Disruption also caters to the automotive enthusiast with a passion for fine art and an appetite for important automobilia. From pint-sized children’s cars to automotive paintings, posters, sculptures and intricate engine models, many of the collectibles on offer represent significant disruptions to automotive history in scale form. Featured automobilia lots include:

Auction date:
December 10, 2015 7:00 p.m. EST (auction will last approx. 2 hours)

Preview dates:
December 5, 2015 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ES
December 6, 2015 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST
December 7 – 10, 2015 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST

Location: Sotheby’s New York, 1334 York Avenue, New York, New York, 10021

Admission: The auction is limited to registered bidders, consignors and qualified media only. Bidder Registration is $200 and includes bidder paddle, an official auction catalogue, and admission for bidder and one guest. Admission to the preview is open to the general public.

About RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s (formerly RM Auctions) is the world's largest auction house for investment-quality automobiles. With 35 years’ experience in the collector car industry, RM's vertically integrated range of services, from private treaty sales and auctions 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. As a company, RM Sotheby’s has established numerous auction benchmarks, including the current record for the highest-grossing collector car auction of all time, with $172.9 million in sales at its 2015 Monterey event. In February this year, RM formed a strategic partnership with Sotheby’s, uniting the two companies for the full calendar of future automobile auctions. For further information, visit www.rmsothebys.com.