For vintage auto addicts, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction is either the worst tease of the year—or a reason to break out the checkbook.
The parade of rare and classic autos is breathtaking, and this year, the auctioneer has extended the sale to two full days, making room for a plethora of cars in auto enthusiast Orin Smith’s spectacular collection. With the Florida auction coming up on March 10-11, RealClearLife has scoured the auction catalog for all the choicest rides money can buy:
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing – One of just 73 built in 1957 and one of the last ever built, this fire-engine red Benz was once owned by New Jersey philanthropist and aviator George Mennen (who was behind such brands as Speed Stick and the greatest brand jingle of all time). Offered without reserve, it has a pre-auction estimate of $950,000–$1,050,000.
1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic by Ghia – Fiat’s may have been viewed as the car of commoners at one point, but this is no common car. Described by Road & Track in 1952 as “the biggest surprise of the year,” this powerful sports car model is just one of 15 produced in the “Supersonic” style. For that reason, it comes with a hefty price tag: $1.6 million to $1.9 million.
1966 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante – Aston Martin has James Bond to thank for adding a few extra zeroes to the end of its orders. And this stunner, which was the most desirable touring model of its day, its the rarest convertible from the company (with no need for a passenger-side ejection seat). With a pre-auction estimate of $1.6 million to $2 million, this one’s sure to get heavy paddle interest.
1952 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback Sports Saloon by H.J. Mulliner – Although Aston Martin’s starred in the Bond film franchise, the British spy had Mulliner fix him up one in the 1961 novel, Thunderball. Only 207 of these were made—and just 43 left-hand drivers (this being one of them). The pre-auction estimate on this one is set at $1,250,000–$1,500,000.
1936 Lancia Astura Cabriolet Series III ‘Tipo Bocca’ by Pinin Farina – This was Pinin Farina’s entry at the ’36 Milano Motor Show, and it makes sense: as a nod to Italian nationalism, the company named the car Astura, after an ancient island castle south of Rome (instead of the traditional and not-so-creative Greek letters each of its forebears were named after). All naming excluded, this auto won’t come cheap; it’s set to sell for between $2 million to $2.6 million.
1995 Ferrari F50 – Those who read RCL‘s story on sports figures who weren’t super good at money management probably remember reading about “Iron” Mike Tyson. This ’95 Ferrari F50 was originally delivered to him—and by the looks of it, he barely used it (it has just 5,694 miles on the odometer). It takes a better money-manager to score it nowadays: It’s expected to reach between $2.2 million and $2.4 million at auction.
1937 Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet by Vanvooren – There’s rarely an estimated price tag on a classic car in the $10 million range, but that’s what this insanely rare automobile will probably land. One of just four type 57S cabriolets designed by Vanvooren of Paris, this remarkable car is in its original, and unrestored glory. Even the low-end estimate of $8.5 million outweighs a lot of the other “talent” in the catalogue.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta by Scaglietti – Another one of Amelia Island’s potential $10 million gems, this Berlinetta may be from ’61, but it packs a punch many modern day autos would not be able to come near. Sporting a V12 engine, this baby can do 150 mph and boasts a five-second 0-60 mph acceleration time. Pure class for some serious cash.
2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport – This hypercar literally looks like it’s swallowing a second one. And in a sense it is. It had to look that cool, because it was unofficially the first of the hypercar class, sporting 1,000 hp, 253 mph top speed, and 0-60 in 2.5 seconds. This example only has 538 miles on it, so it still has plenty of tread in the tires so to speak. The price is right, too: At $1.5 million to $1.8 million, it’s a steal compared to the $10 million club that surrounds it, at least on this list.
1950 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta by Touring – It’s entirely possible that Canadian prog-rockers Rush had this car in mind when they wrote “Red Barchetta.” With a high-end estimate of $10 million, it’d be the perfect ride to find yourself in at a stoplight, air-drumming your way through “Tom Sawyer.”
View all the lots for the upcoming auction here.
—Will Levith for RealClearLife
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