Drew Phillips and I were looking over the RM docket for tonight's auction and realized something: There are going to be more $1m+ vehicles going up on the block tonight than any other night we can remember. Among the highlights include 300 SL coupes, Daytona Spiders, a Ferrari 750 Monza and one magical Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadsterthat's sure to hit upwards of $5,000,000.
We'll be live-blogging it all after the jump, and just as an explainer: all prices listed include a 10 percent commission for the auction house, so if something – say, the 300SL above – hammers at $760,000, the final price would be $836,000. We'll just be listing the gavel price. And with that, let's get to it.
Related GalleryMonterey 2011: RM Auction
10:31PM And... we're out!
10:31PM Sold at $860k
1935 Bugatti Type 57 "Grand Raid" Roadster (220)
Bidding started at $200k
Hammer price $900,000
1974 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider (221)
Started at $400k
Hit $1m in less than 2 minutes
$1,020,000 and slowing...
And it doesn't sell. Didn't meet reserve.
1961 Austin-Healey 3000 MK II BN7
8:03PM Started at $20,000
8:04PM $97,500
8:04PM $97,500
8:05PM $105,000 - new bidder
8:05PM The auctioneer is begging for more bids. He's also British, so...
8:06PM Hammer price $112,500
8:07PM Skipping the Packard (224) and Chrysler Imperial (225)
8:15PM 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta (226)
8:15PM Bids starting at $400k
8:15PM And right up to $650k
8:16PM $675 to $700k in quick succession
8:17PM Gavel price of $825,000
8:23PM 1929 Bentley 4 1/2-liter Open Tourer (227) gavel at $610,000
8:23PM 1966 Aston Martin SB6 Vantage Coupe - LHD (228)
8:23PM Right up to $150,00
8:24PM Then $200
8:25PM Estimate is ranging for between $275 and 335k
8:26PM "Let's just say 5 because it's between friends."
8:26PM $270,000 then...
8:27PM Hammer falls at $270k
8:27PM And... video time. Ferrari retrospective.
8:27PM Here it comes...
8:27PM One of only 55 built
8:27PM 4.0-liter engine
8:28PM The 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Spider
8:28PM Estimated sale price: $2.5-3.25m
8:28PM Bidding starts at $1,000,000
8:28PM And right up to $2m
8:29PM $2.1m took a lotta time. And a lotta prying.
8:30PM And then right to $2.3m
8:32PM Finished. Done. Gone for $2.3m.
8:32PM Not a great take. But not bad.
8:32PM Two minutes feels like an eternity at an auction.
8:38PM 1938 Lagonda LG6 Rapide Drophead Coupe (230) goes for $495,000. Estimate: $650-900k
8:39PM The RM restoration probably cost more...
8:39PM 1965 Mercer-Cobra Roadster (231) - Estimate: $800k-$1.2m
8:41PM Lots of copper. Full runner. Looks like a water-bound phallus.
8:41PM Started at $300k and about to go for $550,000
8:41PM Whoa. The headlamps tuck into the fenders. Hydraulically acutated. Neato.
8:42PM Going for $600k. Once. Twice...
8:42PM Sold! For $600,000 at the gavel
8:43PM 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster (232). Coachwork by Singlefinger. Different from other roadsters. No running boards. Very French.
8:43PM $1m then $2m out of the gate
8:43PM and then right up to $2.5m
8:44PM $3m. Haven't seen anything escalate this quickly yet.
8:45PM $3.5 to $3.6 then $3.8 all within 5 seconds.
8:46PM Whoa. $4.2m. Crowd erupts.
8:46PM Sold for $4.2 from a new bidder. Nuts.
8:59PM Stepped out for a cocktail. 1932 Packard 904 Individual Custom Dietrich Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton (233) sells for $860k. 1938 Jaguar SS100 3.5-liter Roadster (235) gavels for $625,000.
8:59PM Here we go.
8:59PM 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Coupe. Seven total. 1936 Paris Motor Show car.
9:00PM Estimate: $3,250,000-$4,500,000
9:01PM Starts at $1m. Shoots right up to $2.5m within a minute.
9:01PM $2.75m and going. Bids coming from the phone.
9:02PM $3m. Then... no. $2.8m.
9:03PM Sold for $2.8m and going overseas.
9:05PM 1932 Ferrari 340 Mexico Berlinetta (237). A racer's racer for the Carrera Paniamerica. 4.1-liter V12. Shelby driven. McAfee driven.
9:05PM This is the car on the cover of the RM auction book. Bidding starts at $1.5m.
9:05PM No estimates published. Only available on request.
9:05PM And right up to $2m
9:06PM And then $3m
9:06PM LOOK AT THAT.
9:07PM Starting to slow at $3.1 then $3.2.
9:07PM Only three in the world.
9:08PM $3.3m. The bidding is sticking in the room. Which is awesome.
9:08PM Matching numbers drivetrain, with the engine number stamped onto the back of the gearknob. Yes, a matching numbers shift knob.
9:09PM "Gordon, would you like to come back in? Why not?"
9:09PM $3,350,000 from the phone.
9:10PM Gordon! I'm selling it to the phone!
9:11PM Sold for $3,350,000 to someone in the room.
9:13PM 1958 BMW 507 Roadster (238). Owned by Ursula Andress. Estimated between $800k and $1.m
9:13PM As a refresher:
9:15PM Started at $500k and up to $775,000 to an overseas bidder.
9:15PM $800k to Stephanie. Who's possibly drunk.
9:16PM $825k to another bidder that already has one. Matching pair anyone?
9:17PM $900k. "Make it a Million sir. Throw her off."
9:17PM $925k
9:18PM $975k. So close to a million. MC is begging Stephanie for 7 figures.
9:18PM "What do you mean wait. It's an auction Stephanie."
9:18PM Stephanie on the phone... and... Gone for $975,000 at the gavel.
9:28PM Video time again. This time for...
9:28PM The 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster (242)
9:29PM Utterly. Stunning.
9:29PM 5.4-liter supercharged engine.
9:29PM This should go for $5m+
9:30PM The first owner's son is in the car for the auction.
9:31PM Opening bid at $4m. And then right up to $5, then $6, then $6.5m. Then $7m. Holy. Hell.
9:32PM $8,000,000 in the room
9:33PM Germany is out at $8.2m
9:34PM $8.4 to $8.5 in 30 secs.
9:35PM $8.6 came quickly. There's wavering. There's hand-wringing. It's going... going...
9:35PM going...
9:35PM $8.7!
9:36PM $8.8 after much prying.
9:37PM This is getting really, really good.
9:37PM "It's not every day you bid $8,900,000 on a car."
9:37PM This will be first time it's left the original owner.
9:38PM The room is completely silent. Waiting for $8.9...
9:39PM SOLD! For $8.8m to a gentleman in the room. World record set for a Mercedes.
9:41PM This '73 Ferrari 265 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe (243) looks... surprisingly pleb.
9:42PM 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlineeta Competizione (244) from the Skip Barber collection. Fully restored in Maranello.
9:42PM Starting at $1.5m
9:42PM And right up to $2m. Estimates are between $3.8-4.5
9:42PM $2.5m from the phones.
9:43PM "I'm sorry. Was I ignoring you. That's bad customer service." And then the guy bids $3m.
9:44PM And right up to $4m from $3.5. Then $4.2
9:45PM $4.4 and back in the room. $4.45 from the phones.
9:45PM And then $4,500,000 from the room.
9:46PM $4.55 on the phones and then back to the room with $4.60. Then back to the phone at $4.65.
9:46PM $4.7 back in the room.
9:48PM Two very desperate people bidding on this. Stephanie on the phones gets it to $4.75. The bidder in the room comes back with $4.8m. Going once... twice... and... gone!
9:56PM 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Roadster (247)
9:57PM Starting bid at $1.5m. Goes from $2 to $3m in less than a minute.
9:58PM $3.3m and begging for $3.4
9:59PM $3.35 after much cajoling.
10:00PM $3.375 and slowing... rapidly?
10:00PM $3.4. Then $3.425. "Is that a joke? Let's blow him out of the water."
10:01PM And sold for $3,425,000.
10:03PM 1953 Ferrari 375 America Coupe (248)
10:04PM Bidding started at... $500k? Bidding went up to $1m quickly and then shot to $1.7m
10:05PM 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Sport Cabriolet A (249)
10:05PM I'm not a massive fan of the pre-war stuff, but this is rolling magic.
10:05PM Opening bid of $1m. No estimate.
10:07PM Right up to $2m. Now $2.5 from the phone. "Dana" is hemming and hawing.
10:07PM $2,500,000 going once.
10:07PM Twice.
10:07PM $2.6! From the room.
10:08PM $2.7m from the phone.
10:08PM Sold for $2.7.
10:14PM This Mercedes auction is the most entertaining of the evening. Just because of the MC.
10:15PM Like pulling $975,000 worth of teeth.
10:15PM 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupe (252). Short-wheelbase. Covered headlamps.
10:16PM Opening at $500k
10:16PM And right to $1m
10:17PM "Do I have $1.2m sirs?" Back of the room "FIVE!"
10:17PM $1.5 to $1.6 to $1.7 in 5 seconds.
10:18PM $1.85 to $1.9
10:18PM And sold for $1.9m. Exactly the high end of the pre-auction estimate.
10:26PM 1953 Siata 208/S Spyder (255). Previous Steve McQueen car and our last auction of the night (do you really care about a replica Benz Motorwagen and an SLR?). We don't and we're in need of strong drink.
10:26PM Referred to it as his "little Ferrari."
10:27PM McQueen spotted the man he sold it to in LA and gave him a drive.
10:27PM Starting at $400k
10:28PM And right up to $700k
Said owner ^
Said owner ^
