Scrolling through the results of the top classic car auctions post-event is always fascinating. Not for the quality of the sales, but for what I always thing stands to as anomalies. I like these spikes in pricing for several reasons. There’s the low sales which raise your eyebrows a little, then there’s the spectacular headline figures which give your eyebrows Roger Moore dimensions.
The RM Auctions Monaco Historic 2014 event was no different in that respect, however this time the entire world was able to watch proceedings, something which surely must be replicated by other auction houses very soon. Here’s a few eyebrow raisers we spotted.
The Ayrton Senna race suit from 1991. Sold for €55,575. With a provenance certificate from an ex-keeper of none other than Ron Dennis, I thought this was one to buy and keep. OK, it’s not a classic car you can take out and drive, but as a long term investment and a lovely thing to own, I didn’t think it expensive.
Similarly, the 1972 Lola CanAm Sypder was a lovely car, selling for €224,000. With a big American V8 engine, this must represent a cheap entry into Historic motorsport and comes with an entry for this year’s Goodwood Revival meeting. Get this car out in some European series with a good team and driver combination and you’ve the chance of some great racing on iconic circuits for a fraction of the costs of running a more contemporary modern day car. A few wins at significant events will increase the value too.
The Lamborghini Muira Jota replica sold for €448,000. OK, so it’s not the greatest of histories having been converted in Japan to the Jota spec in 2013, but to try and replicate one of these for anything approaching this figure is impossible.
The crazy prices? The Porsche 964RS left hand drive with just 12,000kms made a staggering €268,000. Just over a year ago, a friend of mine debated buying a 964RS for £95,000. His judgement was perhaps clouded by memories of cars he passed on at £60,000. It’s a difficult call when buying into collectable cars as to whether you’re buying at the bottom, the top or the middle. Who’s to say? The only thing we’re blessed with for sure is 20/20 hindsight…
Finally, the Type 35 Bugatti at €728,000 is cheap. For sure, it’s a ‘kit car’ assembled from various sources of some years, but with a continuous history for more than 50 years, if provenance isn’t too important to you, that’s a cheap car.
I didn’t get chance to watch the full proceedings online, but enjoyed what I saw. RM Auctions set new standards for presenting not just an auction, but a sale, a show and a party all rolled into one. The room will be electric when that Steve McQueen Ferrari hits the stage in August…
Read the full Monaco results list on the RM Auctions website here
