The RM Sotheby's international auction season will begin on January 26, more precisely at the Arizona Biltmore Resort Spa in Phoenix. Here will be held the traditional car auction that opens the 2023 season, scheduled at 2 pm (local time), with the chance to inspect the lots on Wednesday 25 from 10 to 19 and Thursday 26 from 10 to 14.
Looking at the catalog we can see how the selections made reflect mostly US tastes (as obvious), while still winking at a more international clientele with Italian and European cars of great value. Miore in deep, there are 92 lots available, mainly cars (lots 105-192) with a more marginal automobilia ones (lots 101-104).
Ferrari and Lamborghini on top
Many top lots refer to Italian production cars, certainly destined to reach important prices.
As first we point out a marvellous Ferrari 275 GTB/4 with bodywork by Scaglietti. Assigned to lot 132 and estimated between €2,800,000 and €3,300,000, it was sold in 1967 by Luigi Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, Connecticut, embracing his first owner. After several changes of ownership, in 1971 it became the property of Wade Carter, a well-known Volkswagen dealer in Seattle, where it remained until 2016. It subsequently entered the collection of a Louisiana enthusiast who restored the engine at a cost of almost $45,000. Matching numbers and beautifully preserved in its silver grey, it represents the 203rd example of 330 built.
Also from Maranello comes lot 160, a Ferrari 500 Superfast designed by Pininfarina. Belonging to the second series of the model, it is one of twelve examples built, Entered in the Turin coachbuilder's atelier in November 1965 it has been refined as a true flagship. Completed in April 1966 in Blu sera color with Vaumol gray Connolly leather interior, it became the property of John Von Neumann, historic Ferrari importer in the western USA.
In the 70s it has been separated from its original engine that regained in 1993, adopting in the meantime another Superfast engine. In the early 2000s we find it again winning the Ferrari category at the Amelia Island elegance concour and then being evaluated 95/100 at Pebble Beach in 2005. Exhibited at the Cavallino Classic in January 2006, it underwent a complete restoration and returned to Amelia Island in 2007 winning the Amelia Award. It was then further perfected in 2009 and then auctioned by RM Sotheby's in 2010. Used very little, it was pampered and loved for the following 12 years and therefore is valued between €2,050,000 and €2,600,000.
Lot 164, a Lamborghini Miura P400 SV, also confirms that the Motor Valley is a harbinger of motoring emotions. Born in November 1971, according to information from Simon Kidston's Miura register, it originally sports a Sun Yellow color with a black leather interior. From the documentation it appears that it was sold by the Carpanelli dealership in Rome to an Italian customer in Louisiana.
In 2001 it passed to Randy Simon, a well-known film producer, who made a total restoration. During this process the engine is completely rebuilt and the body is enhanced by a midnight blue color with light gray bands. It is one of the 150 SVs produced and its matching numbers place the estimate between €2,800,000 and €3,300,000.
Ghia specials
Two cars up for auction have Turin origins, at the glorious Ghia body shop. It is interesting to underline how, despite the marked mechanical differences given by the starting platforms, there is a minimum common denominator in the elegance and stylistic traits that make them very similar.
The first of the two, a 1953 Fiat 8V Coupè Ghia, is the only 8V of the 15 with bodywork from the famous atelier not to feature the Supersonic aesthetic trim. It is not clear what led to this choice, which also has many differences inside, but it seems that the model was explicitly intended for overseas customers.
Born as chassis 000042 in June 1953 at Fiat and subsequently completed at Ghia, it emigrated to the States in 1957. Over the decades, the original engine, marked 000067, gave way to another 8V unit marked BS099, a code denoting engines intended originally for Siata 208 S model.
In the United States, the car changed many owners, being restored between the 1990s and the early 2000s. In 2014 it was auctioned by RM Sotheby's in Arizona and now history repeats itself, with lot 152 and an estimate that varies between 1,050. 000 and €1,200,000.
The second pearl of the Turin coachbuilder resides in lot 159 and has the sensual shapes of a 1953 Chrysler Special Ghia. Very similar in style to the contemporary Fiat 8V Ghia, it made its debut at the 1952 Paris Motor Show based on the shortened platform of the Chrysler New Yorker.
The France Chrysler importer understood its potential and thus a small production of 19 specimens has been made. The auctioned example, in a candy apple red tone, underwent a restoration in the '90s and is still in excellent condition. Winner of the Most Elegant Award at the 2014 Pacific Northwest Concours, it is estimated at between €470,000 and €750,000.
One-off & US made beauties
Moving on to the “stars and stripes” cars, we find real unique pieces of great historical and, consequently, economic value.
Let's start with lot 144, a splendid 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 Convertible. The ZL-1 version is a race-ready car with its 560 hp 7-liter aluminum V8, coupled with an automatic transmission .
Sold at double the price of a normal C3 Corvette, it improved the suspension and brakes while losing all the accessories dedicated to comfort, such as air conditioning, power steering and so on.
This model, one of only two produced, is distinguished by the convertible bodywork combined with the Monaco Orange color, as desired by the racer John W. Maher. The driver competed between 1969 and 2007 with flattering results in a nice Gulf livery, even if that activity led to the replacement of the original engine with a spare unit.
Maher remained the owner until 2007, when the ZL-1 changed hands before being restored in 2014 back to its original condition. More unique than rare, it has a valuation that fluctuates between €2,450,000 and €2,800,000.
Still remaining in the American automotive “mythology” we find a splendid 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra, credited with lot 156. Built with the CSX3011 chassis at AC in January 1965 and completed by Shelby in Guardsman Blue the following May, it was immediately immortalized in “Sports Car Graphic” with Ken Miles. It is also one of the cars in the “Shelby Cobra Caravan”, i.e. the celebratory caravan organized by Carroll Shelby to celebrate the FIA constructors' championship won in 1965 and the release of his book “The Cobra story”.
In 1966 the car also became a movie star, inextricably linked to the myth of Elvis Prestley and accompanying him in white livery in the film “Spinout”.
During October 1966 it leaves Shelby passing to a Mexican F1 driver who makes it run with excellent results. In Mexico it suffers a serious accident and is saved by a fan of the brand who takes it back to the USA and takes care of the restoration in the Red Rangoon shade.
In 2007 it underwent a new restoration returning to the original shade, with a cost of approximately $ 300,000. In mint conditions, the car comes with all invoices and FIA homologations, thus earning an estimate ranging between €2,800,000 and €3,400,000.
The latest American-style “pearl” is a car so particular that it has also become famous in the cinema. A 1963 Intermeccanica Apollo 3500 GT. Assignee of lot 170, it boasts mechanics of Buick origin with a 3500cc V8 engine coupled to a 4-speed manual gearbox.
To crown the whole with a touch of elegance the car spots a stupendous body designed by Franco Scaglione. Specifically, the model auctioned is the second built and spots a dark red color with black interiors. The bonnet, doors and tailgate are in aluminium, a feature that makes the first units produced unique.
Restored several years ago, it remains one of the most beautiful fruits of an industrial project not kissed by commercial success and its valuation fluctuates between €140,000 and €190,000.
Between rarities and German old friends
We end our review with two very different cars, namely a BMW born in a “dark” period of the Bavarian brand and a Posche which represents an old acquaintance of the London auction house.
In fact, the first of the two cars is a 1958 BMW 501-8, the first production of the German company after the end of the Second World War.
Here we see the latest version of a model defined as a “baroque angel” due to its bodywork characterized by soft and curved lines. In fact, this 501-8 was born in the last year of production and mounts the 2600cc 8-cylinder engine. Sold in Belgium to its first owner, it remained there until 2006 when a brand enthusiast took it to Colorado after having it totally restored. Credited with lot 168, it still has enviable conditions and, given the few existing specimens, the valuation fluctuates between €85,000 and €95,000.
Last highlight is a known car, as we already met it at at the RM Sotheby's London auction back in 2021.
This is a Porsche 959 Komfort, in Gran Prix White color with dark blue leather interior, assigned to lot 130. Delivered new in Germany in 1987, (one of 292 produced) it has been resold in Great Britain after a few months and always maintained by official Porsche dealers. Over time it has had the original speedometer replaced with one having the scale in miles per hour.
Becoming part of the collection of a Canadian enthusiast with the November 2021 auction, it received a complete service carried out in October 2022, also including the replacement of the air conditioning compressor. With a total mileage of around 27,000km, it is in excellent condition and is therefore estimated at between €1,500,000 and €1,850,000.