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California dreaming of Ferraris, Porsche, and more
© RM Sothebys – Peter SinghofOne of the premier events at the 2023 Monterey Car Week will be the RM Sotheby’s auction, featuring a diverse range of exclusive classics and contemporary supercars.
Set to be held at the Monterey Conference Center, the first cars will be up for grabs on Thursday, August 17, and continue through Saturday, August 19 2023.
With more than 200 lots listed, these are our picks of the top vehicles set for sale in California.
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1964 Ferrari 250 LM
© RM Sothebys – Patrick ErnzenAs is typically the case with Monterey Car Week, rare Ferrari models are well represented on the auction scene. That includes this Ferrari 250 LM, boasting the highest pre-auction estimate in the RM Sotheby’s catalogue.
Used in the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans, this 250 LM is one of only 32 examples ever produced. Having won a number of races when new, it was driven by legends such as Mike Hailwood, Innes Ireland, and Michael Parkes.
Comprehensively restored, and with Ferrari Classiche certification, the 250 LM retains its original 3.3-l V-12 Colombo engine. Such provenance means the Ferrari is expected to sell for between $18 million to $20 million.
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1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider
© RM Sothebys – Sevian DaupiExamples of the Ferrari 250 GT California Spider often set auction records as part of Monterey Car Week, and this 1960 example has an extensive history behind it. Displayed by Ferrari at the 1960 Turin Motor Show, it later achieved third in class at the 1962 Targa Florio race.
Having passed through the hands of several collectors, the California Spider underwent a complete restoration between 2013 and 2016. The original engine and gearbox are still present, as noted in the Ferrari Classiche certification.
Proving the desirability of these cars, the pre-auction estimate suggests a price of $9.5 million to $11 million.
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1967 Ferrari 275 GTB4 'Del Rio’
© RM Sothebys – Robin AdamsShould you want your Ferrari 275 GTB/4 to be a truly unique model, this is the car for you. The paint-to-sample finish of Del Rio Verde Medio makes this a truly one-off vehicle, and proves that not all classic Ferraris have to be painted red.
The ability to have a Ferrari painted in a custom finish was unusual for the 1960s, but the buyer of this 275 GTB/4 opted for a long list of individual requests. Along with the paintwork, Borrani wire wheels, a competition-style fuel filler, and an interior upholstered in orange Connolly leather were included.
Being such an unusual example of a rare classic means the very green Ferrari could sell for $4 million to $5 million.
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2001 Ferrari 550 Maranello Prodrive GTS
© RM Sothebys – Alex PenfoldMotorsport engineering company Prodrive is best known for its exploits in the World Rally Championship with Subaru. But, it also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, developing and building ten GTS-specification examples of the Ferrari 550 Maranello for Care Racing.
The car up for auction was the third 550 Maranello built, and competed at Le Mans five times between 2002 and 2006. For 2004, this included being driven by former World Rally Champion, Colin McRae, where the Ferrari finished third in class.
It remains the twelve-cylinder Ferrari with the most Le Mans starts, and an important part of endurance racing history. Accordingly, an estimate of $8 million to $9.5 million has been given.
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1978 Ferrari 512 BB Competizione
© RM Sothebys – Darin SchnabelTaken from the ‘Lost and Found Collection’ of 20 barn find Ferraris, this 512 BB Competizione also comes with 24 Hours of Le Mans history behind it. This was one of three factory-supported cars built for the 1978 endurance classic, entered on behalf of the famous North American Racing Team (NART).
After running as high as second in class, the 512 BB Competizione was forced to retire with gearbox failure. Acquired by the current owner in 1981, the Ferrari remains unrestored, so will need work before hitting the track again.
Even still, on the auction block it could achieve from $1.8 million to $2.8 million.
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1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I
© RM Sothebys – Darin SchnabelAlso forming part of the ‘Lost and Found Collection’, prepare for a little more work should you be the winning bidder on this early Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider. Taken from Enzo Ferrari’s experimentation with four-cylinder engines, this is the second of 13 examples made with Pinin Farina bodywork.
Crashed in the early 1960s, the 500 Mondial has been left unrepaired ever since. Supplied with a period-correct 3.0-l four-cylinder engine, the Ferrari would be eligible for entry into the Mille Miglia Storica.
In terms of sheet metal for the money, this looks like a potentially expensive way to spend $1.2 million to $1.6 million.
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1953 Siata 208 CS
© RM Sothebys – Jasen DelgadoProving that not all rare Italian exotica has to come with a Ferrari badge is one of just six examples of the Siata 208 CS to come with coachwork by Balbo. Societá Italiana Auto Trasformazioni Accessori (SIATA) existed between 1926 and 1970, producing cars based upon Fiat models.
The 208 CS was launched in 1952, acting as the coupe counterpart to the 208S roadster. A total of just 18 examples of the 208 CS were made, combining a tubular chassis with lightweight bodywork. Power comes from a Fiat 2.0-l V-8 engine, matched to a five-speed manual gearbox.
Restored during the 2010s, this 208 CS appeared at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2017. Such rarity could see a sale price of $1.6 million to $1.8 million.
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1957 Jaguar XKSS
© RM Sothebys – Zach BrehlFollowing Jaguar’s withdrawal from motorsport after 1956, the company found itself with a batch of D-Type racers without a purpose. The answer was to produce the XKSS, with only minimal changes compared to the D-type competition car. Powered by a 3.4-l six-cylinder engine, the XKSS was a street-legal version of a model that had won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Jaguar had planned to build 25 XKSS models, but a factory fire left only 16 completed. A later continuation run between 2016 and 2017 completed the full 25, but the original cars will always be more desirable.
Owned by some of the biggest car collectors in the world, this XKSS competed in the West Coast of the USA when new. A pre-auction estimate has been set of $12 million to $14 million.
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2020 McLaren Speedtail
© RM Sothebys – Patrick ErnzenDesigned as a modern interpretation of the iconic McLaren F1, the McLaren Speedtail retains the special three-seater layout and ferocious performance. With a twin-turbocharged 4.0-l V-8 engine producing 750 hp, the Speedtail is able to hit a top speed of 250 mph.
McLaren made only 106 examples of the Speedtail, with this car’s Athera Grey paintwork combined with Rich Brown and Tan Semi-Aniline leather upholstery. It has covered only 177 miles since first being delivered.
In the United States, the McLaren Speedtail can only be sold under a “show or display” exemption with the NHTSA. Despite this, the huge performance of the Speedtail still commands a pre-auction estimate of $2.2 million to $2.6 million.
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2015 McLaren P1
© RM SothebysBefore the Speedtail, McLaren’s most modern hypercar creation was the wild P1. Combining a 3.8-l twin-turbocharged V-8 engine with an electric motor, results in a huge output of 903 hp.
This allowed the P1 to reach a limited top speed of 217 mph, but still be able to officially travel almost 20 miles on electric power alone. Of the 375 examples made, this is of the 128 cars made for the United States, featuring $60,000 (£47,000) of options.
Driven for just 390 miles, the McLaren P1 comes with a pre-auction estimate of $1.8 million to $2.2 million.
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1973 Aston Martin V8 from The Living Daylights
© RM Sothebys – Erik FullerThe 1987 James Bond movie The Living Daylights saw the return of Aston Martin to the spy franchise. A total of four Aston Martin V8 models were used in filming, with this being one of the actual cars that appeared on screen.
Bought on the used market, this V8 Saloon was heavily modified by EON Productions to look like a newer model. More importantly, skis and a simulated rocket booster were added. A roll cage and thick underbody protection was added to ensure the safety of stunt drivers during filming.
Previously kept in a museum, followed by a private collection, this is a rare opportunity to own a genuine movie star. Accordingly, the Aston Martin could sell for between $1.4 million and $1.8 million.
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1973 BMW 3.0 CSL
© RM Sothebys – Alex StewartOne of the most famous touring car racers of the 1970s, the BMW 3.0 CSL remains an icon of the track. Designed to FIA Group 2 specifications, BMW Motorsport built this particular example to be a factory-backed racer.
Chassis 2275997 competed in the 24 Hours of Spa, Nürburgring 1000 Km, 4 Hours of Zandvoort, and the 6 Hours of Nürburgring during 1973. It also made appearances at the 1973 RAC Tourist Trophy at Silverstone Circuit, before heading to the United States.
Restored back to full FIA Group 2 specification, the BMW 3.0 CSL has a $800,000 to $1 million pre-auction estimate.
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1986 Ford RS200 Evolution
© RM Sothebys – Chris SzczypalaThe FIA’s Group B regulations produced some of the wildest racing cars ever made, resulting in crazy street-legal models built for homologation purposes. That included the Ford RS200, with its radical mid-mounted design ensuring it looked like nothing else in the Ford range.
Ford’s delay in getting the RS200 into competition saw an upgraded Evolution version outlawed before it could even compete. This saw 24 examples being built for road use, with a 2.1-l turbocharged engine capable of 600 hp.
Presented in original condition, having spent much of its life in a museum, this example has undergone a recent engine rebuild. Expect it to achieve $550,000 to $650,000 in Monterey.
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2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition
© RM Sothebys – Darin SchnabelAnother mid-engined Ford, powered by a turbocharged engine? Coming several decades after the RS200, the second-generation Ford GT boasts even more horsepower than the rally icon of the 1980s.
Ford created a seemingly endless roster of special editions for the second-generation GT, with this being one of 50 examples made in 1966 Heritage trim. This paid tribute to Ford’s victory at the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona, with a livery inspired by the GT40 of Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby.
Driven for less than 500 miles since being delivered, the 3.5-l EcoBoost engine has been used sparingly. It could sell for $1.1 million to $1.5 million on the block.
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2020 Ford GT Mk II
© RM SothebysAlso inspired by the Ford GT40 Mk II of 1966, the modern namesake was intended to be the ultimate track-only version of the reborn GT supercar. Unveiled at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Ford intended to build just 45 examples with motorsports partner Multimatic.
The 3.5-l EcoBoost V-6 engine has 700 hp, and is fed air through a roof-mounted intake. There is a gigantic rear spoiler, producing 400% more downforce than a regular street-legal Ford GT. Inside, the interior has been stripped to just Sparco bucket seats, along with an FIA-specification roll cage.
Representing the very first car from the production run, this Ford GT Mk II is predicted to sell for $1 million to $1.25 million.
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1966 Shelby 427 Cobra
© RM Sothebys – Darin SchnabelShould you prefer your Ford power with eight cylinders, and in something a little more traditional, how about a classic Shelby Cobra? Fully restored, this particular example was once the property of British Touring Car Champion, Frank Sytner.
First delivered to an owner in Detroit, the Cobra crossed the Atlantic in 1982. Various European owners, including Sytner, had the car until it returned back to the United States in 2003. Much work has been undertaken since, including putting the 427-cubic inch V-8 back to its period-correct specification.
As a well-preserved and maintained example, this Shelby Cobra has a pre-sale estimate of $1.2 million to $1.4 million.
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1972 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Development Car
© RM Sothebys – Peter SinghofLikely to draw attention at the RM Sotheby’s sale for more than just the eye-searing fluorescent yellow paint, this is an important part of the Porsche RS history. Porsche engineers had to convince the company to create the legendary 911 Carrera 2.7 RS, with this being the development model used to do the persuading.
Along with the experimental paintwork, the development car gained one of the earliest Porsche ducktail spoilers, along with a prototype 2.7-l flat-six engine. Passing through several owners, the car has since been fully restored in Germany.
For a piece of Porsche history, expect to pay $780,000 to $900,000.
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1991 Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer
© RM Sothebys – Drew PhillipsLos Angeles-based Singer has become renowned for its work in ‘reimagining’ the Porsche 911, taking more modern 964-generation cars and making them look like classic models. But, with huge power and contemporary technology underneath.
This car was delivered to its consignor in May 2023, and comes with a 4.0-l flat-six engine producing 390 hp. As a result, it can accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 3.3 seconds, with a five-speed manual transmission fitted. Adjustable Ohlins suspension is included, along with high-performance brakes.
Driven just three miles since completion, this is a rare chance to own a Singer creation. The pre-auction estimate suggests a price of $950,000 to $1.25 million for this unique car.
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1997 Porsche 911 Remastered by Gunther Werks
© RM Sothebys – Albert ManducaGunther Werks, also based in California, takes the 993-generation of Porsche 911 sports cars, and ‘remasters’ them as if they have never stopped being produced. This involves the use of plenty of lightweight carbon bodywork, along with an interior that sees 80% of it created from bespoke parts.
At the heart of the Gunther Werks 911 is an air-cooled 4.0-l flat-six engine, developing 400 hp and 300 lb ft of torque. There are also Brembo brakes, and 18-inch alloy wheels.
With the waiting time for a Gunther Werks commission typically several years, this is an opportunity to skip the queue. It comes at a cost, though, with a pre-auction estimate of $1.1 million to $1.3 million.