Canadian auctioneer RM Auctions kicked off its 2011 sales season in a masterly way with its Phoenix, Arizona, event. The auction house earned a total of 30.8 million USD in sales and sold 96% of its vehicles, four of which for over one million dollars.
As expected, the 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta was the most highly sought after model, going for a whopping 1,870,000 USD. Second place went to completely restored 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. The coupe even started an all-out battle between European and Middle-Eastern bidders and was finally sold for an estimated 1,375,000 USD, a record for a steel-bodied 300 SL with gullwing doors.
The auction illustrated the diversity of RM’s clients, who, in this case, hailed from some 20 different countries, from Argentina to the United Arab Emirates, from Monaco to Australia.
British cars as popular as ever
Again this year, RM’s executives chose to hold a gala reserved exclusively for British cars on the eave of Friday’s auction. Under the theme “The British are Coming,” the evening was another resounding success.
The Rolls-Royce brand attracted both buyers and visitors, garnering two of the most important sales of the evening. A 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Newmarket Sport Sedan, one of just three original Brewster-bodied examples, was acquired for 440,000 USD, while an imposing 1921 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Phaeton, originally created for the Calcutta Motor Show, sold for 379,500 USD.
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| The star of RM Auction’s Phoenix, Arizona, event, this 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta was sold for 1,870,000 USD. (Photo: RM Auctions) |
As expected, the 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta was the most highly sought after model, going for a whopping 1,870,000 USD. Second place went to completely restored 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. The coupe even started an all-out battle between European and Middle-Eastern bidders and was finally sold for an estimated 1,375,000 USD, a record for a steel-bodied 300 SL with gullwing doors.
The auction illustrated the diversity of RM’s clients, who, in this case, hailed from some 20 different countries, from Argentina to the United Arab Emirates, from Monaco to Australia.
British cars as popular as ever
Again this year, RM’s executives chose to hold a gala reserved exclusively for British cars on the eave of Friday’s auction. Under the theme “The British are Coming,” the evening was another resounding success.
The Rolls-Royce brand attracted both buyers and visitors, garnering two of the most important sales of the evening. A 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Newmarket Sport Sedan, one of just three original Brewster-bodied examples, was acquired for 440,000 USD, while an imposing 1921 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Phaeton, originally created for the Calcutta Motor Show, sold for 379,500 USD.
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| A buyer parted with 1,375,000 USD to get his or her hands on this 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. (Photo: RM Auctions) |