Vintage Ferraris once again dominated the year's high-end auction results, but modern hypercars including the Pagani Zonda. Mercedes CLK GTR and Bugatti Chiron also changed hands for huge sums
Rising mortgage and rent costs and more expensive food and electricity bills meant that many of us have been tightening our belts this past year. But none of those proletarian concerns, or reports of classic vehicle prices softening, prevented the world’s hyper-wealthy car enthusiasts from splashing huge amounts of cash on collector cars at auctions during 2023. Join us as we count down the 20 biggest auction results from the past 12 months.
20. 1995 Ferrari F50 – $5,065,000
RM Sotheby’s – Amelia Island, March
Can you imagine owning an F50 for 27 years and only managing to put 834 miles (1,342 km) on it in that time? Sounds like a criminal offence to us, but one man’s loss is another man’s gain. Despite the low mileage the interior was re-trimmed as part of a $79k pre-sale refresh in 2022.
Related: Time Has Been Kind To The F50, Can We Now Call It One Of The Best Ferraris Of All Time?
19. 2010 Pagani Zonda R – $5,340,000
RM Sotheby’s – Amelia Island, March
Twenty-five years ago Pagani had barely delivered its first car, but now the brand’s back catalog of carbon-bodied creations are among the most valuable vehicles on the planet. To be fair, this Pagani is a little more special than most, being one of only 10 R Revolución Specification Zondas ever built.
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18. 1959 Ferrari 250 GT TdF – $5,365,598
Bonhams – The Zoute Sale, October
This 250 Tour de France – a model named in recognition of Ferrari’s success in the then-famous auto race – was originally red, but its second owner chose to have it repainted in Oro Chiaro (Light Gold) only a few months after it left the factory, and that’s the color the restorers opted for in 2016.
17. 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 – $5,395,000
RM Sotheby’s – Monterey, August
Two details in this 275’s family tree stand out, the first being that its original owner was movie star Steve McQueen, and the other, that it was converted to a spider after an accident in the early 1980s. Fortunately’s it’s since been returned to its McQueen-era coupe configuration by the artisans at Ferrari Classiche.
16. 1937 Bugatti Type 57 SC Tourer – $5,395,000
RM Sotheby’s – Monterey, August
Bugatti’s Type 57 SC is probably best known as a coupe with a strikingly modern-looking (for the time) teardrop-shaped body, but there were convertibles too, including this one bodied by British coachbuilder Corsica. The “C” in “SC” denotes a compressor or supercharger that upped power to 200 hp (203 PS) and gave a 120 mph (193 kmh) top speed.
15. 2002 Ferrari Enzo – $5,998,805
Monaco Car Auctions – L’Astarossa, June
With only 399 examples sold, the Enzo is a special car, but this one is particularly noteworthy, being car number 1, and having been owned from new by two-time F1 champ, Fernando Alonso. The Enzo cost $659k when new, and even allowing for inflation, this car’s near-$6 million sale price means Alonso made some serious dough on it.
14. 1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta – $6,338,737
Artcurial – Rétromobile, February
Owned by the same collector for 48 years, this dinky Barchetta placed as high as third at Le Mans in 1951 before a broken starter forced it out of the race after a pit stop. Other big-name appearances in its history file include the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1953 and 1954’s Daytona Speed Week.
13. 1955 Ferrari 121 LM Spider – $6,379,285
RM Sotheby’s – Le Mans, June
This 121 LM Spider competed at Le Mans in 1955, and 68 years later it was back at the track for a less dangerous mission, that being to find a new owner at RM Sotheby’s sale. One of four surviving examples, it also competed in the Mille Miglia when new and has just received a full Ferrari Classiche restoration.
12. 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica – $6,605,000
RM Sotheby’s – Monterey, August
A proven concours competition winner, this glamorous coupe is one of only seven cars built with covered headlights, and the only one of those dressed in stealthy Nero Tropicale IVI paint. The Superamericas were designed specifically for the power-hungry U.S. market and this one was built with a meaty 400 hp (406 PS) Lampredi V12.
11. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta – $7,316,598
RM Sotheby’s – Villa Erba, May
Not being able to find your car’s service book when you’re trying to sell it is a pain, but just imagine not being able to find your 250 GT’s Ferrari Classiche documentation. Fortunately a digital version still came with this 250, which had a 1960s cameo in the original Herbie movie, and the lack of the “Red Book” didn’t prevent it making big money.
10. 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta – $9,465,000
Gooding & Company – Pebble Beach Auctions, August
Yes, another 250 GT SWB because the model is a regular in big-ticket classic car auctions and the same cars tend to crop up over the years. But not this exact 250 GT. An unrestored gem that has had just four owners from new, it was offered for public sale for the first time ever in 2023.
9. 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Roadster – $10,235,000
RM Sotheby’s – Las Vegas, November
Arguably even more outrageous than the current AMG One, the CLK GTR Roadster was a road-going, but roofless version of Mercedes’ late-1990s endurance racer, and incredibly rare – this is the third of only six cars. It’s also done just 106 miles (170 km), having been on static display for the past five years.
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8. 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée – $10,878,388
RM Sotheby’s – Paris, February
Bugatti abandoned plans to produce a series of Profilée Chirons, leaving this pre-series car as the only finished example. The idea was to take advantage of the powertrain and chassis upgrades that came with the Chiron Pur Sport, but without the heavy-handed spoilers.
Related: Bugatti Chiron Profilée Is The Most Expensive New Car Ever Sold At Auction
7. 1972 Ferrari 312 PB – $13,377,890
RM Sotheby’s – Villa Erba, May
This particular 312 played a key role in Ferrari’s successful assault on the 1972 World Sportscar Championship, securing wins at the 1972 Buenos Aires 1,000 KM and Nürburgring 1,000 KM, a second-place finish at the 1972 12 Hours of Sebring, and third spot at that year’s Monza 1,000 KM.
6. 1957 Jaguar XKSS – $13,205,000
RM Sotheby’s – Monterey, August
Essentially a Jaguar D-Type Le Mans racer for the street, the XKSS was meant to have a small 25-unit production run, but a devastating factory fire destroyed nine examples meaning the survivors are incredibly rare. This unrestored car is claimed to be one of the most original and best-preserved.
5. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM – $17,520,065
Artcurial – Paris, July
The car that superceded the legendary 250 GTO, and even more rare – this is one of only 32 cars built. It’s not the example that claimed Ferrari’s last Le Mans victory for almost 60 years in 1965, but we’d still make space for it in our garage.
4. 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider – $18,045,000
Gooding & Company – Amelia Island, March
One of only 37 SWB Californias fitted with the desirable covered headlights, this 250 was the only one painted in Azzurro Metallizzato and was built for the 1962 New York International Auto Show. It was later crashed and acquired buy the most recent owner in the early 1970s for just $2,400…
3. 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 – $18,815,000
RM Sotheby’s – Las Vegas, November
The first of the modern Silver Arrows F1 cars to be sold outside of the Benz empire, this 2013 car was driven by Lewis Hamilton in 14 of that year’s 19 races, and took first place at Hungary. It’s also the last of the V8 grand prix cars – F1 switched to hybrid-assisted V6s in 2014.
2. 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta – $30,255,000
Bonhams – The Quail Auction, August
This gorgeous Fantuzzi-bodied 412P’s history file shows it came third at the Spa 1000 KM in 1967, competed at Le Mans the same year and achieved outright wins at the Nuremburg 200km and Swedish Grand Prix.
1. 1962 Ferrari 330 LM/250 GTO – $51,705,000
RM Sotheby’s, November
There was plenty of arguing online from enthusiasts over whether this car counted as a real GTO, since it came from the factory with a larger 4.0-liter V12 and was built around a different chassis, hence the 330 LM part of the name. But not in doubt was that it was a really special car and the most expensive automotive auction buy of 2023.
Image credits: RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams, Gooding & Co, Monaco Car Auctions, Artcurial
