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  • 1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta tops the lots at RM Sotheby's €27.5 million Monaco sale

1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta tops the lots at RM Sotheby's €27.5 million Monaco sale

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  • 1951 Ferrari 340 America achieves €7.280.000 in packed auction room at Le Sporting Monte Carlo
  • Six lots achieve prices in excess of €1.000.000
  • 1939 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet highlights the Quattroruote Collection, achieving €660.800
  • 1995 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Jota also achieved a record price €672,000
  • Complete RM Monaco results available at www.rmsothebys.com
  • RM Sotheby’s continues summer auction calendar in Monterey, California, 19-20 August, closely followed by its 10th annual London sale, 6-7 September in the UK

MONACO (16 May, 2016) - RM Sotheby’s, the world’s largest collector car auction house for investment-quality automobiles, returned to Monaco this past weekend (14 May) for another successful sale alongside the Grand Prix Historique. Conducting two separate sales sessions during a single day, RM’s 2016 Monaco tally exceeded €27.5 million* ($31,187,305 US) and saw several records tumble.

All eyes were on the star lots offered during Saturday’s evening sale, which was packed with an audience of international bidders, creating the electric atmosphere that we have come to expect from the magnificent Le Sporting venue. The top sale of the night was the 1951 Ferrari 340 America Touring Barchetta, chassis no. 0116/A, known as one of the first ‘big engine’ competition Ferraris. Boasting an exceptional competition pedigree, it was raced in the 1951 and 1952 Le Mans 24 Hours and entered in nine Mille Miglia road rallies from 1984 to 2006, and deserved to make €7.280.000. The second highest price paid on the night was for the incredible 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Evolution, chassis no. GT1 993-117, the only known road-registered example, and one of just 14 GT1 race cars in private hands.  Also boasting an extensive competition history, the GT1 came to auction following a recent comprehensive restoration, passing onto its third owner for a record-breaking €2.772.000. Rounding out the top three sales was the beautiful and incredibly original 1966 Ferrari 275 GTS, chassis no. 07805, a very desirable car which realized €1.792.000.

Earlier in the day, eager enthusiasts took their seats for the sale of the famous Italian Quattroruote Collection, which contained an eclectic mix of 37 cars, motorcycles and memorabilia, all offered without reserve. The collection sold well and was headlined by the beautiful 1939 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet, chassis no. 57731, which exceeded estimate at a strong €660.800. The imposing 1930 Hispano-Suiza H6B Coupé Limousine, chassis no. 12306, was the second most valuable car in the collection, bringing a final €106.400.

Peter Wallman, Managing Director of RM Europe says: “By any standards, we have enjoyed a successful sale this weekend with in excess of €27.5 million sold. The Ferrari 340 America was the most expensive car sold in Monaco this weekend and a number of model specific records have also been achieved. We remain broadly positive about the continued growth in certain areas of the market and are looking forward to a summer of strong sales.”

Proving that demand for modern era supercars remains strong, other notable sales included the 2004 Aston Martin DB AR1 for an auction record-breaking €336.000, while the 1995 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Jota also soared past high estimate to bring €672.000 – a record for a Diablo at auction. The 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was another notable sale, achieving an excellent, above-estimate €504.000.

RM Sotheby’s Monaco 2016 – Top 10 Sales

1.     Lot 232 - 1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta: €7.280.000

2.     Lot 261 - 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Evolution:  €2.772.000

3.     Lot 243 - 1966 Ferrari 275 GTS: €1.792.000

4.     Lot 266 - 1948 Tucker 48: €1.344.000

5.     Lot 224 - 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing:  €1.232.000

6.     Lot 262 - 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet : €1.176.000

7.     Lot 253 - 1988 Porsche 959 'Komfort' Stage II: €896.000

8.     Lot 241 - 1995 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Jota: €672.000

9.     Lot 139 - 1939 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet: €660.800

10.   Lot 244 - 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring: €610.400

RM Sotheby’s returns stateside to continue its busy summer schedule, hosting its annual Motor City sale, 30 July in Michigan, closely followed by its flagship Monterey, California sale, 19-20 August, during the world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance week. RM Sotheby’s returns to Europe, 6-7 September to celebrate a decade of central London sales. A fixture on the global collector car calendar, the London event – the official auction of the UK’s Concours of Elegance – will present approximately 100 blue-chip motor cars.

For complete results from RM Sotheby’s Monaco sale and further information on upcoming events, please visit www.rmsothebys.com or call RM’s London office at +44 (0) 20 7851 7070.

*Results are listed in Euros and include 12 per cent buyer’s premium for automobiles and 17 per cent on all other lots. Sale totals include post-sale transactions. Exchange rate used: €1 = $1.13 USD, €1 = 79p GBP.

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About RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s (formerly RM Auctions) is the world's largest auction house for investment-quality automobiles. With 35 years’ experience in the collector car industry, RM's vertically integrated range of services, from private treaty sales and auctions to estate planning, and financial services, coupled with an expert team of car specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. As a company, RM Sotheby’s has established numerous auction benchmarks, including the current record for the highest-grossing collector car auction of all time, with $172.9 million in sales at its 2015 Monterey event. In February 2015, RM formed a strategic partnership with Sotheby’s, uniting the two companies for the full calendar of future automobile auctions. For further information, visit www.rmsothebys.com.  

Hi-res catalogue and event images are available upon request

All RM Sotheby’s catalogues are available online at www.rmsothebys.com. If you are interested in attending an upcoming RM Sotheby’s event as a member of the media, please visit www.rmsothebys.com/credentials to register for media credentials.

Peter Haynes | +44 7738 883 259 | phaynes@rmsothebys.com