Saturday, May 28, 2011

Rare vehicles auctioned for hundreds of thousands

RM Auctions carried out its first auction this last weekend in Cernobbio, Italy. The auction happened at the Villa d’Este concourse. The event boasted a catalog to make antique auto lovers drool. There were a cadre of rare and historically essential vehicles on sale. Multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars were paid for several of the automobiles.

A highly anticipated event

Several were excited for the auction to come around. Collectors were especially excited. Automobile correspondent Paul Lienert, said before the event, “The first-ever Villa d’Este sale will feature the crème de la crème of classic European hardware.”

Rare Ford roadster revered

The highlight of the sale was the rare 1965 Ford GT40 Works prototype roadster which collectors were looking forward to on May 21. The coveted vehicle was a works entrant in the 1965 Targa Florio. It was co-piloted by Sir John Whitmore and Bob Bondurant. Although it was among the top sellers, by the time the dust settled it had not topped the sales at the much-anticipated event.

Some cars cost hundreds of thousands to purchase

The top sellers went for multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars. Among them were the 1955 Ferrari 375 MM, which sold for $4.8 million. Selling at $4 million was the 1938 art-deco Talbot-Lago T150-C SS. Almost $4 million was paid for the four-cylinder Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa. About $3.6 million was paid for the 1959 Ferrari 250 California. Just less than $3 million was paid for the 1965 Ford GT40 roadster prototype also as the 1947 Bugatti Type 57sc Atlante.

The 1953 250 MM Ferrari was built specifically for Mexican collector Efrain Ruiz Echeverria and sold for $3 million. He drove it in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana.

Also going for more than $1 million

About $2.1 million was paid for the 1967 Lamborghini Marzal and $1 million for the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero.

Some go for under a million

About $900,000 and $370,000 were paid for two automobiles. These were two Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeos from the 1960s. Lots of money was made on the auction. It was $32 million total.

Citations

Autoblog

autoblog.com/2011/05/24/rare-classics-sell-for-millions-at-villa-deste-auction/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weblogsinc%2Fautoblog+%28Autoblog%29

Top Gear

topgear.com/uk/photos/rm-auctions-villa-d-este-2011-05-17

Edmunds Inside Line

insideline.com/ford/gt/ford-gt40-prototype-headlines-villa-d-este-auction.html



No comments: