The all-important collectible automotive auction market continued to show indications of change in the Scottsdale auction week, though the total sales for the week are little different from last year: US$251 million versus $248 million and an 81 percent sell-through rate down from 84 percent.
Such differences could be due to a different sub-set of cars, sellers and buyers being available this year, but it looks much more complex under the hood. The texture of the market was different this year as Hagerty's figures suggest the sell-through rate of vehicles above $1 million fell dramatically, while the market below $250,000 was much stronger than last year.
If there was an overall theme to the week, it was that the hot rods and metallurgical sculptures produced by America's legions of modders are finally being recognized on the auction block. There's every reason to believe that the trends of the art world towards contemporary masters is beginning to happen in the automotive market.
This year we've assembled the 100 most interesting lots, regardless of whether they sold or not, and ordered them with the highest bid counted.
It reflects the diversity of the automotive market this year more than ever.
$16,800 | 1967 Abarth AU1000 Berlina Corsa
Auction Link: Bonhams
Proof that there's something for everyone, regardless of budget. The Abarth reputation as a "giant killer" was cemented on the racetracks, rallies, and hill climbs of Europe and America. Solidified when the funny-looking, but potent, little Fiat sedans stormed to class wins and group championships in event after event. The 850TC, for "Turismo Competizione," boasted an 847cc Abarth tuned engine. Then came the 850TC Nürburgring Corsa with additional power and the large front-mounted radiator. This, combined with the propped-open rear engine lid, gave this series of cars their very distinctive look. Next up was a further development of the block to 982cc, which gave birth to the 1000TC. Running against the Mini Coopers in the D Sedan class, they proved a formidable adversary. In fact, they ended up being banned from SCCA competition, such was their record!
$33,600 | 1968 Volkswagen Beetle Sedan
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
We've been tracking the rise of the Volkswagen Beetle at auction for many years now, from our major feature entitled The Volkswagen Bug becomes an unlikely auction hero to the tracking of the most expensive Beetles in The 50 most valuable Volkswagen Beetles ever sold.
This particular example was subject to a no-expense-spared, full rotisserie restoration lovingly commissioned by the car's original owner, in an effort to make it as perfect as possible. This was his very first car and he was passionate about it, so cost was no object. The paint and body work, performed by Becker Automotive Restorations in Tempe, Arizona, was done at a cost of over $60,000. Truly a labor of love, the restoration quality, fit and finish, authenticity, and thoroughness are beyond reproach. Every mechanical component has been expertly rebuilt and highly detailed to perfection, including the original, numbers-matching engine rebuilt by noted Porsche and German car specialist, Beck's European in Scottsdale, Arizona. The undercarriage, floor pans, and suspension system appear better than new. The restoration is spectacular and done to factory specifications.
Properly stored and driven only test miles since restoration, the current owner states that approximately $140,000 was spent on the restoration. This exceptional, classic Volkswagen is the perfect choice for concours, club events, or for the discriminating Volkswagen enthusiast seeking the very best Beetle available of this vintage. The final hammer price indicates that dreams can be purchased at an auction, complete with a $100,000 discount.
$52,640 | 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen Replica
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
This fascinating vehicle is an exacting replica of the first self-propelled, four-stroke, internal-combustion-engine-powered motor vehicle. The original, designed and built by Karl Benz, was granted patent no. 37435 in Mannheim, Germany, on November 2, 1886, and exhibits numerous engine-design principles still in widespread use. The Motorwagen represents the dawn of motoring as we know it today.
$53,200 | 1957 Ford Thunderbird
Auction Link: Bonhams
Conceived to challenge Chevrolet's Corvette sports car, the iconic Thunderbird debuted in October 1954 and was one of the first models produced with Ford's new overhead-valve V8 engine. Introduced in two-seat "personal car" form, the Thunderbird was intended to appeal to image-conscious younger customers and beat the Corvette hands down in the sales war thanks to its superior V8 engine and greater refinement. There were few alterations made for the '56 model year, yet a more thoroughgoing re-style for 1957 saw the adoption of a longer tail section featuring prominent fins. Today, the original 1955-1957 Thunderbirds are among the most desirable and sought after of all post-war American automobiles.
$57,500 | 3/4-scale Shelby Cobra Tribute Go-kart
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
The amount of love lavished on children's cars these days is always evident at Scottsdale in general and Barrett-Jackson in particular, which seems to attract the very best. This year the highest priced such car is a ripper. It's a 3/4-scale Shelby Cobra tribute go-kart, built over two-years by McLaren Classic Restorations. Powered by a 36-volt lithium battery, it can accommodate an adult (just as well really) and includes custom light-up seats, built-in stereo, opening doors and much more.
$67,200 | 1952 Willys M38 Korean War Jeep
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
This 1952 Jeep M38, from its final year of production, was subject to a ground-up restoration by a well-known father and son team, once known for their meticulous restorations of Rolls-Royce automobiles but since focusing on the preservation of military vehicles, and achieving national recognition for these efforts since the late '80s. The standard of authenticity on this 45th Infantry Thunderbird Division example is breathtaking, with a correctly detailed engine bay and chassis as well as an impressive host of accessory features, including an M2 50-caliber machine gun (equipped with a simulated firing mechanism that produces realistic flame blasts with appropriate sound), two M1 Garand rifles, several machetes, bayonets, helmets, side-mounted axe and shovel, and various accessories, an array of dormant grenades and ammo, two Jerry cans, various ammo cans, and G.I. duffel bags, tool bag, footlocker, 48-star American flag, and a US Army flag.
Interestingly, a distressed Korean flag was discovered under the rear seat at the time of restoration, dated 1953, and is also included with the Jeep. During restoration, three 50-caliber bullet holes were found on the vehicle. Two were filled, but one was left as found for the ultimate in authenticity.
This historically significant M38 Jeep is a rare and unusual find, a perfect complement to any display of American military history, whether for a museum or private collection or use as a parade vehicle.
$71,680 | 1963 Amphicar Model 770
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
The Amphicar remains the only mass produced consumer amphibious car in history, but the enterprise failed, inviting the conclusion that the product was flawed, and at the very least warning others against pursuing the amphibious vehicle concept.
Time magazine, once a champion of innovation, listed the Amphicar as one of its 50 worst cars of all-time. That so many Amphicars are still on American roads and deeply loved by their owners bears testimony to the contrary.
Designed by Hans Trippel, who sold Mercedes-Benz his patent for the gullwing door, the Amphicar was built in Germany and aimed at the American market. With clever features such as watertight door seals, it was the only car on the road offering bilge pumps, twin propellers, and a hood-mounted horn.
Former President Lyndon B. Johnson, known for his practical jokes, was said to enjoy frightening visitors at his Texas ranch by driving them downhill in his Amphicar directly into his lake while shouting that he had malfunctioning brakes. In 1965, two Amphicars crossed the English Channel, enduring 20-foot waves and gale-force winds.
$78,400 | 1989 Nissan Skyline GT-R
Auction Link: Bonhams
Routinely voted by the classic car magazines as one of the greatest Japanese cars of all time, Nissan's high-tech Skyline GT-R burst onto the motoring scene in 1989 to universal acclaim. Built specifically to contest Group A, the original R32 GT-R Skyline dominated the Australian racing scene, earning the nickname "Godzilla" and ultimately, banishment from the ATCC.
Debuting at Mallala in June 1990, the R32 race program was run by Gibson Motorsport and from the outset it was clear the car had the potential to be a race winner but it wasn't until 1991 that everything came together for the team and drivers Jim Richards and Mark Skaife crushed the opposition, including a win at the all-important Bathurst enduro. Despite increased minimum weight and reduced boost bar for 1992, the Skyline continued its winning ways, famously scoring a repeat win at Bathurst in the toughest conditions – and a hostile reception from the crowd when Richards and Skaife took the podium.
In road going form, the R32 was powered by a twin-turbo in-line six allied with a sophisticated 4WD system and HICAS all-wheel steering, the R32 was a devastating road car. Unofficially the Skyline held the lap record on the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife.
The auctioned car is a superb, unmolested specimen of the iconic "Godzilla" GT-R with less than 24,000 km from new.
$81,200 | 1938 Mercedes-Benz 230 B Cabriolet B
Auction Link: Bonhams
Excellent value for a rare and elegant 80-year-old Mercedes-Benz model that often sells for twice this amount and more.
$89,600 | 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z 432
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
Nissan's Fairlady Z Car lineage turns 50 this year and in many ways, the six-generation dynasty democratized sports cars, becoming the first really affordable and potent two door coupe. Though the original 240Z sold several hundred thousand units, the limited edition Japanese domestic market Fairlady Z 432 is still the pick of the litter. Under that long graceful bonnet is a race-bred 432 motor (four valves per cylinder, three sidedraft Mikuni carburetors, and two overhead camshafts) from the legendary Skyline GT-R. It sold new in Japan for nearly double the price of a standard Fairlady Z and production was a fairly sizeable 420 units, though most are still in Japan.
The Z 432 is an absolute bargain at that price because it has been to auction before and sold for $170,500 at Amelia Island in 2017.
The record price at auction for a Nissan Fairlady Z 432 is $253,000fetched by RM-Sotheby's at Amelia Island in 2015.
$105,280 | 1902 Yale Rear-Entrance Tonneau
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
Built by the Kirk Manufacturing Company of Toledo, Ohio, the Yale was produced from 1902 to 1905. The history of this lovely example was painstakingly researched by the consignor's father. According to his findings, Arthur Kirk, son of the company president, drove this car, chassis 1002, out West as part of a promotional tour.
By happenstance, Kirk ended up in a poker game with legendary lawman Pat Garrett, the man who shot Billy The Kid. Garrett has been portrayed in movies more than 30 times, by such notable actors as Lee Marvin and Ethan Hawke, with Rolling Stone Keith Richard playing Pat Garrett in the TV Series Buffalo Bill Junior.
Garrett was a card sharp, and the local Sheriff when he relieved Kirk of his vehicle. Garrett died under suspicious circumstances in 1908, and this Yale was used in his funeral procession. The car has been appreciated by enthusiasts its whole life, and has twice participated in the London-to-Brighton Veteran Car Run.
$112,000 | 1954 Kaiser-Darrin Roadster
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
The Kaiser-Darrin had its beginning in secret, in the shops of Howard "Dutch" Darrin in California. Darrin had designed the 1951 model Kaisers, but fell out with Kaiser management. The car's fiberglass body incorporated the hallmark "Darrin dip" along the doors, which were of a novel sliding design. To enter the Kaiser-Darrin, one twisted the door handle and pushed the door forward into the front fender.
Henry Kaiser was not initially impressed, but his wife, Bess, was. Through her influence, Kaiser was convinced to put it into production. An F-head Willys six was chosen as the powerplant (Kaiser had bought Willys in 1953), and a few cars were finished toward the end of that year. At $3,668 it was expensive – more than a Series 62 Cadillac or a Lincoln Capri – but came with lots of standard equipment: a three-position landau top, tinted windshield with washers, and a tachometer. Weather protection was furnished by side curtains. Production began in January 1954, eventually topping out at 435 cars. Alas, sales were slow. At year's end, about 100 remained unsold.
This handsome Kaiser Darrin in the distinctive light green Pine Tint hue was completely restored during the period 1999–2001. It has received accolades in SCCA Concours competition, as well as concours events at Carmel, Hillsborough, Palo Alto, Palos Verdes, and many other venues where it was the recipient of numerous trophies and awards. It was the cover car on the February 2012 issue of Motor Market magazine. The restoration and subsequent servicing are documented in a portfolio of invoices that accompanies the car. It also includes Kaiser-Darrin sales brochures and memorabilia of the 2005 US Postal Service stamp issue "50s Sporty Cars," which pictured a Kaiser-Darrin in this very color.
Although some 60 percent of production survives, it amounts to barely 300 cars.
$115,500 | 1978 Pontiac Firebird from 'The Rockford Files'
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This was one of three Firebird Formulas provided by Pontiac Motor Division to the TV show The Rockford Files, and was used from 1978 until the series ended in 1980. With a special Sierra Gold exterior and tan interior, the factory Formula 400 model was modified to look like an Esprit for the show. This car was the sound car, used for close-ups while driving, and still has the original mic box, holes drilled to run recording wiring, and a skid plate to protect the engine and transmission from damage during stunts. It's powered by a 6.6-liter V8 engine mated to an automatic transmission, and features air conditioning and Rally gauges, as well as power windows, steering and brakes.
This car, which was purchased by actor James Garner at the conclusion of the series and driven by him until May 1981, was the only one used in the show that had power windows and an AM/FM radio. It was recently frame-on restored by noted Pontiac restorer Mike Flaherty and presents just as it would be to start a season of filming The Rockford Files. Included is a copy of the dealer invoice showing the car was delivered to Pontiac Motor Division in Sherman Oaks, CA (the location Vista Group/Product Placement used to get their vehicles from GM), as well as a letter from James Garner's production company identifying the car as an actual screen-used Firebird Formula 400, and that he drove this car during the filming of The Rockford Files.
$159,500 | 1958 Jeep FC170 Custom SUV
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This 1958 Jeep FC170 was completely hand-built by Daystar, being featured in the 2015 SEMA show. The combination of the all-terrain wheels and tires, and separate Mattracks 88 Series tracks, the vehicle can tackle any terrain on tires or treads. Both wheels and tires, and Mattracks tracks were included in the sale.
$160,000 | 1956 Austin-Healey 100M BN2 Le Mans
Auction Link: Bonhams
One of the 640 genuine factory-built Austin-Healey 100M BN2 Le Mans Roadsters, which unfortunately, didn't find a new home.
$165,000 | 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Cutaway Engine Display
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
The General Motors Futurama Pavilion was the largest exhibit at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, with three unique elements in 1965: the new Mako Shark II (later transformed into the Manta Ray that's now part of the GM Heritage Center collection), a very special cutaway '65 Sting Ray fuel-injected coupe and a cutaway Mark IV 396 engine. It was a banner year in technology for the Corvette.
This unique Cutaway Engine from the World's Fair display has been restored to its 1965 glory, powered by a starter motor, with careful and well-thought-out incisions made into all the major components to illustrate its build quality and overall operation.
As part of the Futurama exhibit at the World's Fair, presenting the world's most advanced technology, GM engineers were eager to showcase this new engine they were introducing in mid-1965, which produced 425 hp with 396 ci – more horsepower than any of the other 396 engines manufactured from mid-1965 until production ended in 1969.
$170,500 | 1940 Ford Ute Custom Truck
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This custom Ford Ute had $273,000 spent on the build, and is both fast and luxurious. Power windows, aircon and a leather interior on the inside, and performance equipment such as a 32-valve, DOHC 4.6-liter Cobra V8 engine and four-wheel discs make this a complete package. As with many custom builds, the car was sold with a complete build book including all receipts and over 1,000 photos documenting every aspect the car's construction.
$170,500 | 1971 Plymouth Cuda Resto-Mod
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Resto-Mod, nicknamed "Striker," is a multiple-award-winning ISCA show car that took 9,500 hours to build. Every part of the body has been modified.
$173,600 | 1970 Plymouth Cuda 426/450 Hardtop
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
Despite being expected to sell for between $200,000 and $250,000, the $173,600 fetched by this car was not the highest price achieved in Scottsdale for the legendary muscle car.
$187,000 | 2017 Launch Edition Aston Martin DB11
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
One of the bargains of the auction, in that this Launch Edition Aston Martin DB11 has just 2,208 miles on the clock and sold new less than two years ago for $253,704 with $20,273 in factory-installed optional equipment (see description for details) plus full front-end paint-protection film that was professionally installed by the dealer.
$187,500 | John Lennon's Mercedes-Benz 230SL Roadster
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
Purchased by Beatle John Lennon in 1965 just after he had been awarded his MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), the original sale documents list him with his freshly minted title), this car has been in long term museum ownership prior to this sale. It was sold with documentation that includes a copy of the original UK registration bearing John Lennon's iconic signature, a photo of the car in front of Lennon's home in Weybridge, a photo of Cynthia Lennon with the car, a photo of the car at Abbey Road Studios with Ringo in the foreground, a photo by Pattie Boyd (George Harrison's wife) of George Harrison on a motorbike with the 230SL in the foreground, and other notable memorabilia.
$190,400 | 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 23 Window Microbus
Auction Link: Bonhams
Two years ago, we produced a feature article entitled How the Volkswagen Kombi became a family heirloom, and since then we've been regularly updating the prices fetched at auction by the Volkswagen Type 2 Microbus/Samba. Check out those articles because there are five such vans that have fetched more than this one did.
$200,000 | 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
Sold to benefit charity, this pre-production 50th Anniversary Cobra Jet is a racing car and not street legal. It incorporates the latest in drag-racing technology, delivering speed and consistency for NHRA Stock and Super Stock Racing. The purpose-built 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet sold as one of just 68 to be built.
$212,800 | 1964 Citroën DS 19 Décapotable by Chapron
Auction Link: Bonhams
Citroën leaped to the forefront of the automotive world in 1955 with the launch of the "DS," a word-play with the French "Déesse" (goddess). Stylish, aerodynamically efficient and with all-independent, self-leveling, hydro-pneumatic suspension, no European car would match the DS's ride quality. The top of the range sportscar version was the two-door Décapotable (convertible) with coachwork by Henri Chapron. This particular car comes with an engine that has been upgraded to a more modern Citroën unit, fitted with electronic fuel injection and ignition for better drivability, while the original engine was also sold with the car.
$212,800 | 1932 Packard Twin-Six Coupe Roadster
Auction Link: Bonhams
One of the bargains of the auction, this car was expected to fetch between $300,000 and $400,000, but sold for just $212,800 when similar cars often sell for much more. Indeed, Clark Gable's very similar 1932 Packard Twin Six Roadster sold for $1.2 million less than two years ago.
$212,800 | 1948 Spurgin-Giovanine Roadster
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
One of the most famous hot rods of all time, sold with a complete history file of all the awards, magazine articles and covers, ad infinitum. The story of how this car won the 1948 SCTA championship series is worth a read. In its first meet it set a Class A record with a two-way time of 113.95 mph. At the El Mirage meet two months later, it set another record of 117.515 mph. At the July meet, it attained 118.48 mph, and that September, it finally broke the 120 mph barrier. During the season's final meet that October, the Roadster set a two-way time of 123.655 mph, breaking its own record yet again. By placing first and setting a record at every meet, the Spurgin-Giovanine Roadster attained a perfect 1,800-point score, securing the 1948 SCTA Class A Championship. Seventy years of age and still going very strong.
$214,500 | 2012 McLaren MP4-12C High Sport
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This 2012 McLaren MP4-12C High Sport is one of 10 limited editions in the spirit of the McLaren 12C GT3 racer. The High Sport includes improved redesigned front and rear bumpers with side air extractors and louvers on top of the front fenders to increase downforce and reduce drag, while significantly improving braking and tire cooling. The High Sport engine modifications increased power to 675 hp, a 0-60 mph time of under three seconds and a top speed in excess of 200 mph. McLaren CEO Ron Dennis commissioned this particular car in McLaren Vodafone F1 racing colors.
$224,000 | 1963 Watson Indianapolis Roadster
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
This is one of the Indianapolis cars built by Californian A.J. Watson, and started the 1964 Indianapolis 500. While it didn't win, Watson cars won the race six times between 1956 and 1964, so this rare and historic Indianapolis 500 Roadster can be a crowd favorite at any concours display, or very competitive in vintage racing events.
$235,200 | 1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Salamanca
by Rolls-Royce Custom Coach Work (Boardwalk Empire)
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
Not a "screen featured" car, but the genuine article. This is the car owned and used by high-flying gangster-politician Enoch "Nucky" Johnson, the man who ruled Atlantic City from 1910 to 1941 and was subsequently immortalized as Enoch "Nucky" Thompson by Steve Buscemi in the HBO series, Boardwalk Empire.
Johnson was backed by Al Capone et al, and ruled over the city state during prohibition and the "Roaring Twenties," clipping the ticket on every form of vice in the fabled party town for three decades. "Nucky" wore a new custom-grown carnation in his lapel every day, and hosted a "who's who" of Roaring Twenties celebrities in his suite in the Ritz-Carlton. This car was part of Johnson's mystique and was sold complete with genuine period bullet holes. If cars could talk, this one would have a great story to tell.
$231,000 | 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 COPO
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
Only 69 1969 ZL1 Camaros were built, of which this car is number #27. It was previously owned by baseball great Reggie Jackson.
$231,000 | 1971 Plymouth Barracuda
Auction Link: Russo & Steele
The most expensive Plymouth Cuda of January, 2019, with plenty of competition from Mecum's Kissimmee auction where cars sold for $214,500 and $187,000, and got passed in with high bids of $220,000 and $210,000.
$250,000 (high bid) | 1950 Jaguar XK 120 Alloy Roadster
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
The Jaguar XK 120 was first shown at London's 1948 Earls Court Motor Show, powered by a new 3.4-liter twin-cam engine and boasting a top speed of 120 mph as signified by the name, but when Jaguar test driver Ron Sutton was timed at 126.448 mph, then 132.596 mph, the XK 120 became a celebrity automobile and the ultimate badge of success in post-WW2 Britain
The first 242 cars were built with aluminum panels over a wood frame but insatiable demand forced the remainder of the 7,631 XK 120 roadsters to be built with steel bodies. The earliest aluminum-bodied XK 120 roadsters are hence the most desirable examples and this is the 111th of only 184 left-hand-drive alloy-bodied XK 120 roadsters.
Despite $250,000 being one of the highest amounts ever bid for an XK120, the estimate was $300,000 to $400,000 and the car is still for sale.
$252,000 | 1987 Rolls-Royce Camargue Retractable Hardtop by Niko Sokol
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
Long Island artisan Niko Sokol's remarkable craftsmanship won him numerous dedicated clients among collectors who loved his custom convertibles and touring cars, based on Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz luxury limousines. Having recently completed his last coachbuilt automobile, Sokol has retired and is now devoting his time to exquisite sculptures inspired by automotive design and materials.
This is the only retractable hardtop Camargue ever produced, and despite being over 30 years of age, has covered only 927 miles from new. The car was featured in the July/August 2011 issue of The Flying Lady.
$255,200 | 1955 Chevrolet Custom "X-Box"
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
Known as "X-Box," this car began life as a 1955 Chevrolet but everything has been modified to such an extent that you can see where the 6,000 hours of artisan labor went in recreating it. Every corner of the car has been modified for aesthetics, comfort and performance. The new engine i a 427ci LSX ProCharger running through a Turbo 400 automatic transmission with a Gear Vendors overdrive unit. The chassis is by Max-G Art Morrison and the front end is from a C6 Corvette front end, and it wears huge Wilwood brakes and ... the car was built by Pro Rides and as Hot Rod magazine proclaimed on the cover which featured this car, this is the "World's Baddest 55."
$269,500 | 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Custom "Transitions"
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This '54 Corvette custom known as "Transitions" was built over six years by Larry Griffey's Hot Rods & Restorations, and was created as a tribute to the GM Concept Corvette displayed as one of the "Dream Cars" in the 1954 GM Motorama. The vision was to combine the stylish looks of the '54 Motorama Prototype with modern-day technology, handling and performance. Since its debut at the 2017 Detroit Autorama, the car has won countless awards, which are all listed in the auction description. Works of mechanical sculpture are at last becoming recognized on the auction block, and this is unquestionably one of them.
$319,000 | 2005 Ford GTX-1 Roadster
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This 2005 Ford GTX-1 is one of the few roadster conversions produced by Ford. The GTX-1 was introduced by Ford at the 2005 SEMA Show. One of the Ford engineers, Kip Ewing, who had been involved in the development of the Ford GT conceived the idea for the GTX-1. He also supervised the project to completion. The involvement of Ford in the process meant that the warranty and other obligations on the car were unaltered.
Less than 100 orders for the GTX-1 were received and completed over a two-year planned production period, including the exact copies of the SEMA show car. The GTX-1 was featured in various automotive publications along with several reviews, including that of famous motor journalist Jeremy Clarkson, who had quoted that it was one of the best cars that he had ever driven. The design was inspired by the open-top GT40, which was conceived in the 1960s.
$329,500 | 1937 Jaguar SS100 2½-Liter Roadster
Auction Link: Bonhams
It's a Jaguar but when it was produced, it was made by Swallow Sidecar Company – the company changed its name to Jaguar in 1945. Launched in 1936, the SS100 Jaguar sports car marked the company's first use of the "Jaguar" name, a pristine specimen of which appeared at auction in Scottsdale.
SS100 cars did exceedingly well in racing events pre-war, and as the auction description so perfectly puts it: "With prices of the contemporary BMW 328 Roadster and Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 selling for far bigger figures, these sporting and extremely good-looking Jaguars offer great bang for your buck."
$330,000 (high bid) | 1928 Hispano-Suiza H6C Transformable Torpedo by Hibbard & Darrin
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
The Hispano-Suiza H6 is a luxury car that was introduced at the 1919 Paris Motor Show, and produced until 1933, with around 2,350 H6, H6B, and H6C cars made in total, and very few remain to this day. Only 10-15 of these quality automobiles have reached auction in the last decade, which begs the question as to why they aren't more sought after.
This car features coachwork by automotive couturiers Hibbard & Darrin whose most famous product was a four-door convertible dubbed the Transformable Torpedo, the hallmarks of which were a snug-fitting convertible top, which dropped in a "tent flap" to fill the space between the trapezoidal side windows, and a wide beltline molding also seen in other Hibbard & Darrin creations. This body design was utilized on numerous chassis, including the Rolls-Royce of actress Marlene Dietrich (see #25 in our list of the top 100 movie cars), and this particular Hispano-Suiza.
This car was delivered new to America where its entire and fascinating history is well documented, yet it went to auction at Amelia Island in 2018 (est. $475,000 - $600,000) and failed to sell with a high bid of $420,000. This time the estimate was lowered to $375,000 to $450,000 but could only raise a bid of $330,000. Obviously, the tastes of the marketplace are changing.
$335,000 | 2008 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
In late 2003, Alfa Romeo was preparing a return to the North American market and needed a flagship car to remind buyers of the Italian automaker's glorious past. That September, at the Frankfurt auto show, the world embraced the dramatic reemergence of Alfa Romeo with the reveal of the 8C Competizione concept.
Approved for a limited-production run of 500 units that began in the 2007 model year, just 84 were destined for US shores, and most were pre-sold through Maserati dealerships.
A modern coachbuilt sports car, the 8C features a carbon fiber body formed by the Italian firm ATR Group. The chassis is a hybrid Maserati platform and the F430-derived, 4.7-liter DOHC V-8 engine was assembled by Ferrari. Final construction took place at Maserati's historic Viale Ciro Menotti factory in Modena, with each example personally vetted by Alfa Romeo factory test drivers in the nearby hills around the Italian city.
$350,000 (high bid) | 1953 Bentley "Blue Train" Recreation
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
The legend of the Blue Train Races, where automobiles raced against the Le Train Bleu from Calais to the French Riviera, makes for fascinating reading, but it appears that those who wrote about the feats of playboy millionaire and Bentley Chairman Woolf Barnato failed to record the facts adequately.
For many years it was thought that the car driven by Barnato was a special produced by J. Gurney Nutting (as above), but research by Bruce and Jolene McCaw, now suggests that the actual Blue Train car was a Barnato's Mulliner-bodied Bentley Speed Six. The McCaws own both of Barnato's cars, so they're not biased either way.
It does, however, make life difficult if you've just reconstructed an atom-perfect replica of a car that has been discredited. It's still beautiful and very functional, but ...
$363,000 | 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Convertible
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This custom 1955 Bel Air convertible was professionally restored by Patrick's Classy Cars of Phoenix, AZ. It has a GT Sport chassis by Art Morrison and includes chrome independent front and rear suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and coil-over shocks. The power plant is an 8-cylinder LT4 Eaton supercharged engine with a Tremec TKO600 5-speed manual transmission, polished-aluminum driveshaft and ceramic-coated dual exhaust. It sits on custom polished wheels, specifically designed for the handling and performance of its chassis, and has Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.
This one-of-a-kind custom has a deep Gloss Black exterior and a red Italian leather interior with perforated appointments. The power top is a European cloth canvas with a glass back window. It features power rack and pinion steering with tilt column and a customized original steering wheel. Some of the convenience options included are power windows, air conditioning routed through the original Chevrolet in-dash vents, smoked glass, leather-covered center console with cup holders, custom instrument gauges, keyless entry, remote gas door and smoothed front and rear bumpers.
$375,000 (high bid) | 1993 Jaguar XJ220
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
The XJ220 is one of those cars which history has treated particularly unkindly, and through no fault of its own. It was the fastest production car in the world from 1992 to 1993 after being timed at 212.3 mph (341.7 km/h) and subsequently lapped Nürburgring in 7:46:36 in 1991, making it the fastest production car around the benchmark circuit.
Demand for the car was also unprecedented, with 1,500 people putting down £50,000 deposits before the early 1990s recession bit hard and in the end, just 275 cars were produced with the equally unprecedented retail price of £470,000 in 1992. The extent of the financial meltdown can be readily seen from the exchange rates: £470,000 was US$940,000 in July, 1992, and $700,000 in November.
Then came the McLaren F1, which gazumped the XJ220's all important top speed by 23 mph and overshadowed the XJ so comprehensively that it quickly became yesterday's news.
The McLaren F1 is now established as one of the best cars of all time, and sells for more than $10 million at auction. By comparison, the XJ220 has yet to attain its new car price again. The corollary of all this is that you can still buy one of the best cars in history at a discount price.
$387,500 | 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500: screen-used Eleanor from "Gone in 60 Seconds"
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
There's something very special about seeing your car on the silver screen, which is why movie cars go for a premium at auction, and movies where the car is the hero of the movie are particularly susceptible to this phenomena.
Few hero cars are as heroic as Eleanor in Gone in 60 Seconds (2000) and when the "beauty car" for the movie went to auction at Mecum in 2013, the Shelby Mustang GT500 sold for an even $1,000,000 and scored a place in our Top 100 most valuable movie & TV cars.
This is the car that appeared in the street scenes in that movie, driven by retired master car thief Memphis Raines (Nicolas Cage) with Sway (Angelina Jolie) beside him.
The car was sold with all the documentation required to validate its cultural gravitas, with a $612,500 discount!
$425,750 | 1967 Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
This model is the ultimate development of Lamborghini's first car. The 3.5 liter V12 350 GT was that car and 135 were built between 1964 and 1966, before it evolved into the 400 GT with a new 4.0 liter V12 engine. It's a slice of history that has yet to be fully appreciated.
$435,000 (high bid) | 1986 Ford RS200 Evolution
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
The world's most expensive car (the Ferrari 250 GTO) was a homologation special, as is this car. Unlike Ferrari, Ford didn't fudge the numbers to achieve the required number of cars for Group B Rally competition, and it built 200 Ford RS200 cars to meet its obligations.
Then RS200 became a legend in competition, and that legend was built on just 24 cars, the special cars built as Evolution models for the race teams. This car is one of those 24, making it rarer than a Ferrari 250 GTO, and much more capable in the real world of imperfect roads. This is a driver's car!
$484,000 | 1954 Chrisman Bonneville Coupe
Auction Link: Mecum
The auction description for this car begins with: "One of the most important automotive icons in 20th century American popular culture."
The auction description includes the history of the Chrisman family, the Southern California Timing Association, this car, and its Bonneville records (180.87 mph in 1954 and 196 mph in 1955) and its role in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, the first American television program produced for a major network to feature teenagers as leading characters. The car embodies many of the values of that series which have been characterized as "the end of innocence of the 1950s before the oncoming 1960s revolution."
Born at a turning point in the formative years of California's Hot Rod culture, a multiple-class record holder, a Hot Rod magazine feature car, one of the first TV cars and an inaugural Pebble Beach class winner, and in retrospect, the very car that established the parameters for an entire automotive design genre, the Chrisman Brothers Coupe is one of the most important automotive icons in 20th century American popular culture.
Given its immense cultural role, a price of less than half a million seems way too cheap.
$495,000 | 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Auction Link: Mecum
Just 69 were produced of this car, which is one of the most important cars of the muscle-car era.
$500,000 | 1993 Vector Avtech WX-3R Roadster Prototype
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
The history of Jerry Wiegert's Vector Aeromotive Corporation is worth reading. The company still exists, but for a brief few years in the 1990s, it rocked the world.
This prototype roadster from 26 years ago was the star of the 1993 Geneva Motor Show. Stars rise and fall, but few automotive start-ups have ever burned this brightly.
$500,000 | Four Transformers Bumblebee Chevrolet Camaros
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
The bargain of the entire auction month, and perhaps the bargain of the year, the $500,000 paid for four star cars of the first five feature films of the monumental Transformers multimedia franchise undoubtedly rates as one of the finest automotive investments at any auction anywhere anytime.
With far-reaching and compelling children's sci-fi fantasy links into toys and every form of media, these are all screen-used Bumblebee cars covering the first five films: Bumblebee from Transformers (2007) and Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Bumblebee from Dark of the Moon (2011), Bumblebee from Age of Extinction (2014) and Bumblebee from The Last Knight (2017).
Indeed, so popular is the Bumblebee character that a spin-off movie Bumblebee, has just been released (December 21, 2018). These cars will one day be worth a fortune.
$500,000 | 2015 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350R
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This rare race spec Mustang GT350R was donated by Petersen Automotive Museum Founding Chairman Bruce Meyer (pictured) and was sold with all proceeds benefitting the Petersen and the Henry Ford Museum. The winning bidder was celebrated collector and Petersen museum supporter Ron Pratte. Pratte is best known for his collection of automobiles, motorcycles and automobilia that sold for a record $40.4 million in 2015. Obviously, he's not finished yet.
$506,000 | Wilhelm Hennecke Carousel
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
For grown up children of the right vintage, many of their earliest automotive fantasies began on carousels such as this, and when one of these rarities popped out of the woodwork and sold for $557,500 at Scottsdale last year, it catalyzed a second one being located for the 2019 auctions. This time around it was in even better condition.
$522,500 | 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Roadster
Auction Link: Worldwide
From Hagerty's feature article, The Five most expensive Corvettes ever sold at auction: "At one point or another a Corvette is likely going to make your sports car wish list regardless of your budget. Whether you have seven figures to plunk down on a classic or whether you have nine grand burning a hole in your pocket, there is a worthy version of "America's sports car" in every price bracket. For who take Corvette collecting seriously and have the means to buy almost anything, the L88 is pretty much the cream of the crop with few, rare, exceptions."
$566,000 | 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Coupe
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
Essentially, this car should be in a museum. It is one of the most important road-going Aston Martins of the era, being one of just seven DB2/4 units built, and the only Coupe. It was bodied by Bertone for S.H. "Wacky" Arnolt and displayed by Bertone at the 1957 Torino Auto Show.
$577,000 | 1946 Fiat 1100C Spider by Frua
Auction Link: Bonhams
From the auction description: "There can only be one 'first.' This sleek, dramatic two-place sports spider is the calling card of one of the most talented and prolific automotive designers of the 20th Century, Pietro Frua. Frua would go on to have a brilliant career in design, which lasted until his passing in 1983. Frua was perhaps best known for his work on Maserati chassis from the '50s through the '70s but he also worked to create memorable styling for AC, Glas, BMW, Fiat, Monteverdi and Lancia among others."
This was Pietro Frua's first original design for his own company. It debuted at 1947 Concorso di Como (Coppa Villa d'Este) and was immediately hailed as new direction in automotive design and since then has won countless awards and featured in the most important automotive fashion shows: Mille Miglia Storica 2016, Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2017 and Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2018. Well bought, heh what!
$600,000 | Jeff Gordon's 2016 Chevrolet Corvette C7
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
Owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, this rare Corvette C7.R was sold with 747 miles on the odometer. Beginning life as a C7.R with the Special Edition Package, it was also built with the Z07 Performance Package and the 3LZ Preferred Package. It is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V8 engine with 650 hp, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. With carbon-fiber ground effects and a carbon-fiber hood, the car also features magnetic ride suspension damping, traction control, active handling stability control, four-wheel ABS brakes with slotted rotors and six-piston front calipers, rear differential cooler, multi-mode performance exhaust, electronic limited-slip differential, high-intensity xenon headlamps, and LED park and turn signals ... and impeccable provenance.
$615,500 | 1993 Vector Avtech WX-3 Prototype
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
Like the Vector Avtech WX-3R Roadster Prototype above, an artifact that will go down in American automotive design history.
$620,000 (high bid) | 1931 Bugatti Type 46 Superprofilée
Auction Link: Bonhams
Estimated to sell for US$ 750,000 to $1,000,000, this is the last new Bugatti from the original company, sold via Roland Bugatti to his friend Richard Baudens in the 1950s. This immensely important vehicle has an incredible story which is told in full in the auction description, and it is still for sale.
$632,500 | 1935 Auburn 851 Supercharged
Auction Link: Worldwide
Two examples of the iconic boattail 150 bhp Supercharged Auburn Speedster 851 were sold in Scottsdale, both by Worldwide Auctioneers. This was the less expensive of the pair.
$670,500 | 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona NART Spider
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
An important car that went relatively cheaply. This is the third of five examples rebuilt to the order of Luigi Chinetti (American Ferrari Importer) and the personal car of Chinetti's wife, Marion. It was displayed at the 1980 Turin Motor Show and the Le Mans Museum and has been in the long-term care of former Microsoft President & CEO, Jon Shirley.
$675,000 (high bid) | 1963 Shelby 289 Cobra
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
An excerpt from the auction description says it all: Chassis CSX 2195 is unique as it was one of very few Shelby Cobras especially ordered by Ford for exhibition and demonstration purposes. It was shipped to Los Angles on 1 October 1963. The Bright Blue Shelby body fitted with the 289 Ford powerplant was transported to S.P. Spaulding Ford in Richmond, Virginia.
This example was special-ordered by Ford with extruded rear wings to accept wider tires and a factory rollbar. It came with a black interior and 'Class 1' accessories package, which included chrome rocker covers, WSW tires, and a luggage rack. After exhibition at several promotional events, this Shelby Cobra was retired by Ford and sold to Tony Fisher of North Carolina who repainted it gold and drag raced it for two seasons. Fisher ran the Cobra extensively in 1964 with his all-female pit crew. According to correspondence included with the car, he was 'undefeated' and won over $18,000 in prize money and side bets.
In 1967, the Cobra was purchased by Jim Walker of Canada and raced under the pseudonym 'Jay Walker' in the US, where it is believed to have won various events, including the NASCAR Gold Cup Championship. The car was eventually acquired by Larry Epworth, also of Canada, where it remained until 1985 when chassis CSX 2195 was purchased by a collector and race enthusiast in Clackamas, Oregon. The car was never raced again and has remained within his family until today.
Extensive documentation, detailing thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of labor, show that this amazing Shelby Cobra was 'restored incrementally' between 2006 and 2018, as every component and element has been replaced, renewed, rebuilt, or upgraded. The car was repainted the original Bright Blue and the interior and exhaust were returned to factory-correct specification. Accompanying this Shelby Cobra is a portfolio of documentation, including an event program on which the late great Carroll Shelby himself penned 'Chassis CSX 2195' and his own signature.
This Shelby Cobra 289 is one of only 580 built between 1963 and 1965, but unlike many of its siblings, this car has truly lived the life it was built for. It is the apogee of the bare-bones sports racer and with its unique history and racing pedigree, this Shelby Cobra is by anyone's standard an excellent example for continued spirited driving.
$687,000 | 1968 Ferrari 330 GTC
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
Filling a gap in Ferrari's line-up between the four-seat 330 GT 2+2 and the high-performance 275 GTB, the two-seat 330 GTC was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966. It was essentially a coupe version of the 275 GTS. Pininfarina's elegant coachwork combined elements of the latter at the rear, with the 500 Superfast influencing at the front. It would be hard to argue with Car & Driver's assessment that "the GTC is a tasteful blend of the mean-and-low look of Ferrari competition GT cars, with the elegance of super-luxury street Ferraris of the past. Detail work, finish, panel fit – every aspect is superlative."
Junior Conway of Junior's House of Colors painted this striking Fly Yellow Ferrari in 2005 and the quality of paintwork is exceptional. This Ferrari Classiche certifiedwas the first-ever 330 GTC invited to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Eleganceand is a two-time Platinum Award winner.
$687,500 | 1935 Auburn 851 SC Boattail Speedster
Auction Link: Worldwide
Automotive industry giant E. L. Cord was a man who had reason to believe in his abilities. When Cord assembled his empire under the banner of the Cord Corporation in 1929, he was just 37 years of age, and already controlled 150 companies, including Auburn, Duesenberg and Cord automobiles, Lycoming Engines, New York Shipbuilding, Checker Cab, Stinson Aircraft Company and American Airways (now American Airlines). He is one of very few people in history to have twice made the cover of Time magazine.
This art deco masterpiece is just one of the mechanical sculptures bearing witness to his genius. Nice buying at that price too!
$687,500 | 2005 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
Auction Link: Barrett-Jackson
This limited edition 2005 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo 7.0-liter Ford V8 produces 750 hp and 700 lb.ft of torque. Pulling 1.1 Gs in lateral acceleration on a skid pad, the S7 Twin Turbo has achieved some world-class acceleration numbers, reaching 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and 0 to 100 in a mere 5.9 seconds. A standing-start quarter-mile resulted in an elapsed time of 10.5 seconds at 145 mph. This particular car made its public debut at the Top Marques Show in Monaco, where its admirers included Prince Albert of Monaco and actor Roger Moore.
$800,000 (high bid) | 1993 Bugatti EB110 GT
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
Between the two French incarnations of Bugatti automobile production was an Italian line – Bugatti S.p.A. – established by respected entrepreneur Romano Artioli after he acquired the rights to the marque in 1987. Bugatti S.p.A. introduced its signature model, christening it the EB110 in 1991, to commemorate Ettore Bugatti's 110th birthday.
This is the 47th of 136 examples of the EB110 built and one of 84 GT Spec cars. It is a mildly used example benefiting from a well-maintained life in a Japanese Collection. It is still for sale at an asking price of $850,000.
$800,000 (high bid) | 1960 Maserati 3500 GT Spider Prototype
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
This is the prototype car for one of Maserati's most important models. It was displayed on Maserati's Stand at the 1959 Torino Auto Show, and was the first of 242 cars built. An older Italian restoration, this car spent a decade in the famous Blackhawk Collection and was offered in Scottsdale after 17 Years of dedicated ownership. Still for sale at an asking price of $925,000.
$830,000 | 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K
Auction Link: Bonhams
Just 342 examples of the Mercedes-Benz 500K were built from 1934 to 1936 before it was superseded by the mighty 540K of which 419 were constructed. Most of those chassis were fitted with factory coachwork in various long- and short-wheelbase styles from Sindelfingen, but no more than 70 are known to have been delivered to custom coachbuilders. According to marque authority Michael Frostick, 56 right-hand drive chassis were sent to England, eight of them as rolling chassis. Those eight received bespoke bodies, both open and closed, to the buyers' specifications. This long-wheelbase (129.5-inch) right-hand-drive chassis carries Daimler-Benz commission number 207792, and was delivered through Norwich dealer Mann Egerton to its first owner, Sir Everard Talbot Scarisbrick (1896-1955), the 2nd Baronet and 30th Lord of Scarisbrick in Lancashire.
This car is one of the few not bodied by Sindelfingen, having four-passenger touring coachwork crafted by Mayfair Carriage Works Ltd. of London.
$885,000 | 2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package
Auction Link: RM-Sotheby's
Three cars will move into The 20 most valuable Japanese cars in history from the Scottsdale sales, and they all came from the same company. Only 500 Lexus LFA supercars were built, and only 50 of them were blessed with the Nürburgring package and a $465,000 price tag when they sold in 2012. Thanks to one of them setting a Nürburgring Nordschleife production lap record of 7:14.64 in 2011 (an unofficial record for a production car on non-competition tires), LFA Nurburgring models are now selling for a lot of money.
$885,000 | 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sc Roadster
Auction Link: Gooding & Company
One of just 53 examples built of Stuttgart's sporting, hand-built 300 Sc, having benefited from a comprehensive five-year restoration by a 300 Sc specialist that was completed in 2002. The car was sold accompanied by a six-piece fitted luggage set.