The entry ticket in 2016 was EUR 4.6 million or CHF 5.0 million to make the list of the twenty most expensive cars traded at auction. The total value of these 20 cars amounted to EUR 212 million or CHF 232 million, or over EUR 10.6 million or CHF 11.6 million per car.
This does not include the Ferrari LaFerrari auctioned by RM/Sotheby's towards the end of the year for seven million USD, which was in principle a new car.
The most valuable classics became even more expensive in 2016!
The irrepressible growth in classic car prices may have come to a (temporary) halt in 2016, but this was not the case for the most expensive cars that changed hands at auction. In fact, the 20 most valuable vehicles traded in the current year were around a quarter more expensive together than the most expensive 20 in the previous year.
Shifts in brands and eras
While 17 Ferraris were almost alone in the top 20 in 2015, only nine cars from Maranello made it onto the list in 2016. Instead, two Jaguar racing sports cars stormed into the group of the most valuable cars. Two Bugatti and two pre-war Alfa Romeo cars also showed that these vehicles still have a fan base.
In contrast to the previous year, however, when a McLaren F1 and a Ferrari Enzo, as younger cars, made the top 20, no car younger than 50 years old managed to do so in 2016 (the exception Ferrari LaFerrari, which is not included in the list, has already been mentioned).
The most expensive 2016 - Ferrari 335 S
The excitement in the packed auction room in Hall 2 of the Rétromobile Paris on February 5, 2016 was enormous. The approximately 2,000 observers had to wait around three hours until the Ferrari 335 S from 1957 was rolled onto the stage. The hall was darkened.
The sports car was pushed in by manpower, then the most beautiful moments of the car were recapitulated on film. Hervé Poulain took the opportunity to recite a few beautiful sentences from a past hero and then the bids were finally accepted.
Poulain called for 20 million euros as the starting bid and the sensational two-seater sports car with Le Mans and Mille Migla history quickly rose to 27 million euros, with increments of millions becoming increments of 50,000, prompting boos from the audience as if the five-figure sum was a pittance.
In the end, the car threatened to stop at 27.95 million. But then Max Girardo, the former RM/Sotheby's auctioneer who has been running his own company for several months, placed the final bid for a customer on his cell phone. The 28 million euros called for corresponded to a sales price including surcharge/commissions of EUR 32 million (CHF 35.6 million).
2nd place - Jaguar D-Type
The appearance of the Jaguar D-Type with chassis number XKD 501 attracted a lot of attention on August 19/20, 2016, as the car had won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1956. The car had been sold new to Ecurie Ecosse at the time and had spent the last 20 years as a particularly original example in a private collection in the USA.
The bidders fought over the magnificent sports car for 15 minutes, with the Le Mans winner ultimately being worth USD 21.78 million (EUR 19.2 million or CHF 20.9 million), making this Jaguar the most expensive English sports car of all time according to RM.
3rd place - Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Lungo Spider Touring
The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider, built by Touring in 1939, which was offered by RM/Sotheby's at the August auction in Monterey, was priced in similar regions to the Le Mans D-Type. The auction house compared the Alfa with the Bugatti Atlantic.
The bidders seemed to take a similar view and followed suit. At USD 19.8 million (EUR 17.4 million, CHF 19 million), the elegant car achieved the highest ever sale price for a pre-war classic, according to RM.
Of course, there would also be a lot to say about the other 17 classics that made it into the top 20, but we will leave it here with a table and the pictures. The respective auction items are also linked in the table.
The 20 most expensive cars traded at auction
| Rank | Car | Year | Auctioneer | Auction date | Where | Lot | Selling price € | Selling price CHF | % Est |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti | 1957 | Artcurial | Feb. 5, 2016 | EU | 170 | 32075200 | 35603472 | 0.93 |
| 2 | Jaguar D-Type | 1955 | RM/Sotheby's | Aug. 19/20, 2016 | US | 114 | 19166400 | 20908800 | 0.97 |
| 3 | Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider Touring | 1939 | RM/Sotheby's | Aug. 19/20, 2016 | US | 234 | 17424000 | 19008000 | 0.88 |
| 4 | Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione | 1959 | Gooding & Co | Aug. 20/21, 2016 | US | 33 | 15972000 | 17424000 | 0.96 |
| 5 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider | 1961 | Gooding & Co | March 11, 2016 | US | 69 | 15444000 | 16816800 | 1.07 |
| 6 | Shelby 260 Cobra "CSX 2000" | 1962 | RM/Sotheby's | Aug. 19/20, 2016 | US | 117 | 12100000 | 13200000 | |
| 7 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione | 1960 | Gooding & Co | Aug. 20/21, 2016 | US | 56 | 11880000 | 12960000 | 0.82 |
| 8 | Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza | 1933 | Gooding & Co | Aug. 20/21, 2016 | US | 128 | 10551200 | 11510400 | 0.89 |
| 9 | Bugatti Type 55 Roadster | 1932 | Gooding & Co | Aug. 20/21, 2016 | US | 135 | 9152000 | 9984000 | 0.87 |
| 10 | Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster | 1937 | RM/Sotheby's | Jan. 28/29, 2016 | US | 242 | 9108000 | 10098000 | 0.86 |
| 11 | Bugatti Type 57 SC Sports Tourer Vanden Plas | 1937 | Bonhams | March 10, 2016 | US | 139 | 8778178 | 9610349 | |
| 12 | Ferrari 340 America Barchetta Touring | 1951 | RM/Sotheby's | May 14, 2016 | EU | 232 | 7280000 | 8008000 | 0.79 |
| 13 | Jaguar XK 120 C "C-Type" | 1953 | Bonhams | May 13, 2016 | EU | 114 | 7245000 | 7986888 | 1.4 |
| 14 | Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans | 1950 | Gooding & Co | Jan. 29/30, 2016 | US | 33 | 5970800 | 6619800 | 1.06 |
| 15 | Porsche 1.5-liter TYPE 550/1500 Spyder | 1956 | Bonhams | Sept 10, 2016 | EU-UK | 140 | 5432365 | 5958762 | 0.75 |
| 16 | Mercedes-Benz 500 K Roadster | 1935 | Bonhams | Sept. 3, 2016 | EU | 16 | 5290000 | 5797311 | 0.88 |
| 17 | Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione 'Tour de France' | 1956 | RM/Sotheby's | Aug. 19/20, 2016 | US | 232 | 5033600 | 5491200 | 0.72 |
| 18 | Porsche 550 Spyder | 1955 | Gooding & Co | March 11, 2016 | US | 34 | 4801500 | 5228300 | 0.97 |
| 19 | Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta | 1950 | Gooding & Co | Aug. 20/21, 2016 | US | 68 | 4791600 | 5227200 | 0.78 |
| 20 | Ferrari 750 Monza Spider by Scaglietti | 1955 | RM/Sotheby's | Aug. 19/20, 2016 | US | 127 | 4598000 | 5016000 | 1.1 |
