Just a few months after unveiling its new DB12 “super tourer” coupe, Aston Martin has introduced the convertible version, called Volante. The British automaker first used the Volante name on a special run of 37 DB5 convertibles in 1965 and has used it on its convertibles since. The name is Italian for ‘flying’ or ‘moving lightly and quickly.’ The 671-horsepower DB12 Volante can certainly do that. The newest Aston Martin would seem to have just two direct rivals, the Ferrari Roma Spider and Bentley Continental GTC. Which would you choose?
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.
What better prelude to the 72nd Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance® than to buy a car (or few cars) from the auctions held in conjunction with this pinnacle event? If you’re bidding or selling, the action is at the auctions, of course. We’ve assembled the auction itinerary here and selected some highlights from the Bonhams, Broad Arrow, Gooding & Company, Mecum, and RM Sotheby’s sales.
Auction season is running at full speed going into Monterey Car Week this August 11-20. (Yes, a 10-day week!) Five major auctions will take place there, drawing buyers and sellers from around the world. Plan to be there? Whether you’re looking for your next dream car or planning to sell one from your collection, it pays to be prepared. Premier Financial Services has put together a quick refresher course with insights from auction and sales pros offering advice on finding the car you want and bringing it home.
This year, the Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction 2021 will feature vintage, classic, modern, and new cars. Marques and cars featured include Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lancia, plus a classic AC Fastback.
This summer, RM Sotheby’s, Bonham’s, and Gooding & Company hosted online auctions in place of their usually scheduled Monterey events. Topping the list of cars sold at these auctions are a 2001 Ferrari V12 berlinetta that sold for $4.29 million at RM and a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB “long nose,” which sold for $3.08m at Gooding & Co.
At “The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering” in Monterey, Calif. in August, Bugatti unveiled its ultimate model (so far), the Divo, which costs $6m. It is named for Albert Divo, who won the Targa Florio twice in the late 1920s driving a Bugatti Type 35.
It’s not just the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, dozens of displays, concours, and auctions packed into just a few days of Monterey Car Week this August.
Even compared to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, The Quail is Monterey Car Week’s most exclusive event and auction. Every year, Bonhams joins the car show with a similarly prestigious auction
