RM Sotheby's Continues its Track Record as the Market Leader for High End Collector Cars with $53.8 Million Arizona Auction

January 21, 2017 by RM Sotheby's

• RM Sotheby's kicks off 2017 with $53.8 million in sales at its 18th annual Phoenix, Arizona event, 19-20 January

• Top-sellers led by one-off 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster at $6,600,000, followed by series of exceptional Ferraris, with new auction benchmarks set for a Ferrari 365 GTS and Ferrari F50

• Tommy Hilfiger's low-mileage 2003 Ferrari Enzo passes to its second owner for $2,695,000

• Bidders hail from 30 countries, with approximately 20 percent representing first-time RM clients

• Complete results from the two-day sale now available at www.rmsothebys.com

• RM Sotheby's continues its 2017 calendar with its annual Paris sale, 8 February, during the world-famous Rétromobile week, followed by its two-day Amelia Island sale, 10-11 March

PHOENIX, Arizona (21 January, 2017) – RM Sotheby's ushered in 2017 with another strong performance in Arizona, generating $53,772,775 in total sales with 89 percent of all lots sold at the Arizona Biltmore. The company's 18th annual Phoenix sale, held 19-20 January, was a truly global event, attracting bidders from 30 countries—20 percent of which were new RM Sotheby's clientele—once again illustrating that Arizona is the epicenter of the collector car world in January.

Amongst the 141 lots that found new homes, the top-seller was the one-off, owner-commissioned 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster. Originally built for Rolf Horn of Berlin with a rare five-speed transmission and various unique design cues, the beautifully restored Roadster drew eyes and bids, selling for a final $6,600,000 during Friday evening's sale session. Throughout Friday's sale, numerous best-of-category Ferraris also took top honors, led by a highly awarded, matching-numbers 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS. One of just 20 built, the exceedingly rare road-going Ferrari surpassed its pre-sale estimate, realizing $3,602,500, nearly triple the previous auction record for the model. Rounding out the top three, a pristine 1995 Ferrari F50, one of just two U.S.-delivery examples finished in black, demonstrated its desirability, bringing $3,135,000—a new auction benchmark for the model. Friday night also saw the exquisitely restored, ex-Greg Garrison and Skeets Dunn 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Coupe Aerodinamico generate a strong result of $3,080,000, while perhaps the world's finest 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS sold at the top end of its estimate at $2,475,000.

'Our Arizona sale is consistently a bellwether for the collector car market, setting the pace for the auction season to come,' says Ian Kelleher, Managing Director of RM Sotheby's West Coast Division. 'This year's top ten sales clearly indicate that demand for modern supercars remains strong, while exceptional pre-war classics—such as the 540 K—anchor the strength and resilience of the market. When it comes to specific marques, four decades of Ferrari production were represented in our catalogue, from the 400 Superamerica through to the Enzo, each of which attracted multiple bidders and achieved impressive results – a reflection of their outstanding provenance, restorations and condition. We now turn our attention to Paris, where we'll open our European calendar next month.'

To cater to the growing appetite for modern high performance motor cars, RM's Arizona offering had a strong emphasis on vehicles from 1980 and later. As a group, these examples comprised approximately 25 percent of the catalogue. In addition to the F50, leading this segment was Thursday's headliner, a 2003 Ferrari Enzo, purchased new and offered by renowned designer, Tommy Hilfiger. Fastidiously maintained and driven just 3,620 miles, the 218 mph hypercar roared onto the auction stage before selling for a final $2,695,000. Among other notable modern collectibles, a 2003 Aston Martin DB AR1 Zagato with 800 actual miles exceeded estimate at $379,500; a U.S.-specification 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, showing just 1,132 miles from new, garnered $742,500; and a F22 Raptor-inspired 2008 Lamborghini Reventón, the third of only 20 examples built, realized $1,320,000.

With more than 60 percent of catalogue entries offered without reserve, the Arizona auction catered to a variety of collector tastes and budgets. Additional stand out lots include a much-admired 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-Litre Roadster, striking in Opalescent Dark Blue, which exceeded pre-sale expectations at $308,000, while a 1938 Mercedes-Benz 200 V Sport Roadster, offered from the Jules Barsotti Collection, far-surpassed its pre-sale estimate of $50,000 - $70,000 at a final $176,000.

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RM Sotheby's Arizona Top 10 sales:

1. Lot 258 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster (Chassis 408383) $6,600,000

2. Lot 263 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS (Chassis 12489) $3,602,500

3. Lot 227 1995 Ferrari F50 (Chassis ZFFTG46A6S0104092) $3,135,000

4. Lot 231 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Coupe Aerodinamico (CHASSIS NO. 2841 SA) $3,080,000

5. Lot 151 2003 Ferrari Enzo (Chassis ZFFCW56A330133026) $2,695,000

6. Lot 220 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS (Chassis 10689) $2,475,000

7. Lot 256 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C (CHASSIS NO. 08431) $2,117,500

8. Lot 228 2013 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport 300 (Chassis VF9SG2C27DM795300) $2,090,000

9. Lot 160 1948 Tucker 48 (Chassis 1044) $1,347,500

10. Lot 138 2008 Lamborghini Reventón (CHASSIS NO. ZHWBU77SX8LA03148) $1,320,000

RM Sotheby's focus now turns to France, where the company kicks off its 2017 European calendar with its annual Paris sale, 8 February during the world-famous Rétromobile week. Held at Place Vauban immediately after Festival Automobile International (www.festivalautomobile.com), this thrilling evening sale will present a curated roster of 78 vehicles, all of which can be viewed in the digital catalogue: http://bit.ly/2j8RyxC.

RM Sotheby's continues its 2017 North American calendar in Amelia Island, Florida, 10-11 March. The official auction of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, RM's Ritz-Carlton sale has been extended to two days this year with the addition of A Gentleman's Collection: The Pride and Passion of Orin Smith. A superlative group of Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and other sporting icons, the Smith collection will be offered largely without reserve during an exclusive evening sale on 10 March, ahead of RM's traditional Amelia Island day auction on 11 March.

Further information on upcoming events, along with complete results from RM Sotheby's Arizona sale, can be found at www.rmsothebys.com.

*Results are listed in USD and inclusive of 10 percent buyer's premium for automobiles and 15 percent for all other lots. Results tally includes auction and post-auction transactions.

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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. 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.