Monrovia, CA, June 6, 2008 – RM Auctions will raise the green flag on a winning line-up of vintage sports, racing and classic cars when they return to Monterey, California in August for their much-anticipated Sports & Classics of Monterey auction event. Now in its 23rd year, the two-day event will be held August 15th and 16th in the heart of historic downtown Monterey, and offer the year’s most diverse collection of automotive style and innovation. In addition to the sports and racing cars, the event will also offer a magnificent selection of luxurious classics, exotic customs and hot rods. “Sports […]
Monrovia, CA, June 6, 2008 – RM Auctions will raise the green flag on a winning line-up of vintage sports, racing and classic cars when they return to Monterey, California in August for their much-anticipated Sports & Classics of Monterey auction event.
Now in its 23rd year, the two-day event will be held August 15th and 16th in the heart of historic downtown Monterey, and offer the year’s most diverse collection of automotive style and innovation. In addition to the sports and racing cars, the event will also offer a magnificent selection of luxurious classics, exotic customs and hot rods.
“Sports and racing cars continue to be the hottest segment of the collector car market,” said Ian Kelleher, Managing Director of RM Auctions.
“Our exciting line-up of consignments, coupled with the recent success of our record-breaking Ferrari sale in Maranello, has attracted significant interest from around the world,” he added.
It was at the Ferrari sale in May that RM Auctions set a new world record for the ‘most expensive car ever sold in auction history’. This prestigious title went to a stunning 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder, formerly owned by Oscar winning actor James Coburn, which sold to a UK buyer for an impressive $10.9 million USD.
For Ferrari enthusiasts who missed RM’s Italian sale, no less than 15 milestone Ferraris are set to cross the Monterey auction block. Included in the line-up is one of the earliest road models produced, a storied 1951 Ferrari 340 America, as well as an ultra-rare 1953 Ferrari 212 Vignale Coupe (one of seven produced), and a desirable 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Ellena. To coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Daytona Spyder, a beautifully restored, multi-award winning, triple black 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder will also cross the block.
Consignments for the RM Monterey sale span well beyond the Ferrari marque to include a number of other historically important cars. Falling into this category is a Jim Hall designed 1961 Chaparral 1 Sports Racing Car (chassis #004), one of only five built by Troutman and Barnes. As one of the last of the classic front-engined sports racers, this car was driven by Skip Hudson in 1963 for Chuck Jones’ Team Meridian. In 2005, this example was correctly restored to race-ready condition.
Another significant racing car set to cross the block in Monterey is a historic 1961 F-1 T55 Cooper. The example offered here was an original factory works car driven by the legendary Bruce McLaren during the 1961 Formula One season, closely followed by numerous drives in 1962 by Tony Maggs and John Love. The car maintains its original Coventry Climax FPF engine and six-speed Cooper Jack Knight gear box, and is fitted with a modern fuel cell and fire system to qualify for today’s vintage race events.
Other notable sports and racing highlights for RM’s Monterey sale include:
* 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400SV supercar – one of the finest of the series, superbly restored with full documentation
* 1952 Alfa Romeo 1900C Corto Gara – a 1952 Mille Miglia participant, the only survivor of six built
* 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio Cabriolet – fully restored
* A matched pair of his and her 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwings
* A rare, alloy body 1950 Jaguar XK 120 Roadster, one of only a handful produced with right hand drive
* 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra – fully restored and one of two examples previously owned by the Ford Motor Company
* An all new 2009 Corvette ZR1 supercar to benefit the Texas-based Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange (GRACE)
RM Auctions’ Sports & Classics of Monterey auction event will be held August 15th and 16th at the Portola Hotel and Spa and Monterey Conference Center, in Monterey, California. Admission to the Sports & Classics of Monterey auction event is $40 per person, with children 12 and under admitted free of charge. An auction catalog is available for an additional $100 US, including shipping and handling within North America.
RM Auctions also offers the option to bid via phone or online. For further information on online bidding, please visit www.rmauctions.com/onlineauctions or contact our Client Services department. The auction can be viewed live on auction day at www.liveauctioneers.com.
For more information, visit www.rmauctions.com.
