RM Sotheby’s lit it up in the City of Lights

PARIS, France – RM Sotheby’s achieved its highest total for the company’s Paris sale to date on Wednesday evening, generating more than €32.4 million (approx. $36.7million) at its sixth annual sale during Rétromobile. A packed auction room, enthusiastic bidding, and strong prices were seen across the evening, beginning with a selection of motorsport memorabilia that well-exceeded expectations. The group was highlighted by an Ayrton Senna McLaren Rheos Helmet, which surpassed its pre-sale estimate at a final €162,000. RM Sotheby’s welcomed bidders from no less than 45 countries to the Paris sale, and noted a 25 percent increase in total bidders over 2018.

The 1987 Ferrari F40 LM was the star lot of the sale and represented a very rare opportunity to acquire one of Maranello’s legendary sports racing cars of the modern era. The car offered is a unique piece of Ferrari history as it not only boasts a significant and successful competition history, but it also played an important development role as a pre-production prototype. As a result, pre-sale interest in the car was very strong and intense bidding in the room and over the phones saw the car achieve €4,842,500.

Demonstrating the continued high demand for top-tier supercars, the 1994 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport, one of just 30 examples built and no doubt one of the lowest mileage examples in existence at a mere 916km from new, sold for €2,030,000 (est. €1.3/1.8m). Additional modern performance highlights included the 2017 Ferrari F12tdf, which saw tremendous interest throughout the exhibition for its stunning Brunito paintwork and tan saddle leather custom interior, translating to a bidding contest on the night, resulting in an above-estimate final price of €1,197,500 (est. €825/950k). A 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder, beautifully outfitted from the factory with Liquid Metal Silver finish, Magnesium wheels, and the Weissach package rear spoiler, sold for a final €1,101,875 (est. €950k/1.1m), while the 2018 Bugatti Chiron, showing less than 1,800 km on the odometer, as well as the Classiche-certified 1996 Ferrari F50, were sold immediately following the auction for €2,275,000 and €1,700,000 respectively.

Historic sports and racing cars from the 1950s and 60s also starred at the sale, with a 1956 Porsche 550 RS Spyder, Porsche’s first dedicated competition car, selling for a final €3,042,500 to become the second highest sale of the night. A 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C, the first of just eight long-nose, six-carburetor, alloy body, torque-tube examples and freshly restored in its rare original color scheme, sold for €2,860,000 immediately following the sale, rounding out the auction’s top three.

Augustin Sabatié-Garat, Auction Manager, RM Sotheby’s Europe, said: “We have enjoyed a highly successful night in Paris, achieving the highest sale total since the first auction in 2014. This is a great indication that certain sectors of the market are looking strong for 2019, and it was particularly interesting to see how well cars from the Youngtimer collection sold alongside the established blue-chip collector cars. This was the perfect venue for the presentation of our star car, the F40 LM, with such fantastic French history, and our increased bidder numbers and growing participation from around the world also indicate sustained and new interest in the collector car hobby.”

The top sale of the Youngtimer group was a 2006 Ferrari Superamerica at €590,000, delivered new to the Kuwaiti royal family and presented in highly desirable six-speed manual transmission specification with the HGTC package (est. €575/650k). Additional stand out lots from within the Collection include a group of low mileage models that well-exceeded expectations, from a 17,000-km 1992 Porsche 928 GTS in eye-catching specification, which smashed its pre-sale estimate, bringing a final €138,000 (est. €70/85k), to a 1994 BMW Alpina B12 5.7 at €207,000 (est. €175/225k), a 1985 Audi Quattro at a final €77,625 (est. €40/50k), and a 1994 Mercedes-Benz E 500 Limited, which sold for €86,250 (est. €40/50k). More than 100 additional cars from the Youngtimer Collection will be presented at RM Sotheby’s upcoming Amelia Island, Fort Lauderdale, and inaugural Essen, Germany, auctions.

RM Sotheby’s Paris Top Ten Sales

RM Sotheby’s continues its 2019 auction calendar next month with its Amelia Island, Florida auction on March 8-9 —the official auction of the esteemed Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Expanded to two days for 2019, the 21st annual sale will bring more than 140 of the finest coach-built classics, sports and racing cars, and late model collectibles to the Ritz-Carlton. The European calendar continues just weeks later as RM Sotheby’s stages the company’s 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 150 diverse collector cars during the long-running Techno-Classica fair, recognized as the first great German car salon for vintage cars and collector vehicles.

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

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. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for six of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction. 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.