What does $400 million buy today? It was enough to take home about 1,200 of the world’s finest collector cars offered at the 2023 Monterey auctions held from August 17-19. That was down from $475M in 2022, and the sell-through rate was lower, too. Just the same, some stellar automobiles traded hands in Monterey at auctions held by Bonhams, Broad Arrow, Gooding & Company, Mecum, and RM Sotheby’s. The top sale was a 1967 Ferrari 412P racecar for $30.2M at Bonhams, while a 1957 Jaguar XKSS, one of just 16 made, was #2 at just over $13M.
Giotto Bizzarrini, who died in spring 2023, left a legacy that includes the Ferrari 250 GTO, the first Lamborghini V12 engine, and the car that bore his name, the Bizzarrini 5300 GT. Few of these stunning Italian sports/GT cars were made, all powered by Chevy Corvette V8s for spellbinding performance and easy serviceability. A class win at Le Mans in 1965 established racing pedigree. At its Monterey Auction this month, RM Sotheby’s is offering an impeccably finished 5300 GT with a pre-sale estimate of $880K-$1M.
If you’re heading to Monterey Car Week in August, consider Concorso Italiano a must-see event Saturday, August 19 on the fairways of the Bayonet Golf Course in Seaside, California. This unique show displays nearly 700 cars and motorcycles, covering the gamut of 10 different marques. Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Lamborghini dominate in sheer numbers, while other Italian classics, exotics, and obscure models offer many more compelling treats to see. The atmosphere is casual-festival, with an emphasis on fun.
Carroll’s Cobra Goes for Nearly $6 Million Auction action may have been a little cooler in Scottsdale last month, that was not the case in Kissimmee, Fla., where Mecum Auctions held its annual 10-day spectacle from Jan. 7-16. The $122.8 million total was the highest single-auction result in Mecum’s 34-year history. That take was spread […]
The Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada Berlinetta are 50 A3/C-based road cars, named after its 5.3-litre Chevrolet V-8 engine and Grand Touring purpose. Giotto Bizzarrini remains a living legend today at age 93.
The Grifo was a rarity, with 402 built from 1964-1974 in several versions. The car was actually the first of that series and the show car for that year’s Turin Auto Show. And to think, it all began with a little bubble car.
