RM Sotheby’s Icons sale in New York on December 6 featured a wealth of modern and classic cars.
The headliner was a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider with a desirable Le Mans pedigree.
It sold for $17.9m.
This is one of eight alloy 1959 Ferrari California Spiders
The car is one of only eight alloy models built exclusively for the racetrack. Luigi Chinetti, Ferrari dealer and founder of the North American Racing Team (NART) ordered it new in 1959, selling it on to racer Bob Grossman – who entered it into that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Grossman achieved fifth overall in the gruelling event.
After the race, the car was shipped to the US and competed for a year before being re-tuned for civilian use.
The other top seller was a 2018 Bugatti Chiron, the world’s fastest production car – capable of speeds of up to 261mph (280 mph should the buyer be tempted to remove the limiter).
It realised $3.7m, a figure that reflects the fact only 500 will be made. This is also the first example to be approved for use in the US.
Steve Jobs’ own BMW Z8, easily the most in-demand car of the early 2000s, realised $329,500 – a record for the model.
The Z8 is one of few cars from that time to be worth considerably more now than it was new ($128,000).
Other examples are selling for up to $200,000 on the secondary market.
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