At the Rétromobile in Paris at the beginning of February 2024, we also met David Gooding, who was showing a Mercedes Simplex and a 300 SL at his "Gooding & Company" stand.
Gooding & Company has been responsible for sensational auctions for many years, has broken countless world auction records and has easily exceeded the billion-euro turnover mark over the 21 years of its existence. At the two-day Pebble Beach auction in 2023 alone, vehicles worth over USD 93 million were sold. This puts Gooding & Company in the "premiere league" of auction houses. For many, the company is even the leading force in the international auction business.
So it comes as no surprise to anyone that Gooding & Company will be auctioning cars from the now defunct " Mullin Automotive Collection " in Amelia Island.
Gasoline in the blood
The fact that David Gooding auctions classic cars today is no coincidence - he was almost born into it. His father was the curator of the internationally renowned "Harrah's Automobile Collection" in Reno. And he learned to drive in the Mercer Raceabout from 1913, which left its mark on him.
First, however, young David received a decent education and studied philosophy and economics at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. But he was magically drawn to the automobile and soon made a career at Christie's, where he was responsible for auctions in the USA and Europe. He moved to RM Auctions as President for three years before finally setting up his own business in 2003 as co-founder of Gooding & Company.
Loves old cars
David Gooding still owns the Mercer, he also has a 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, which he likes to drive a lot. He now owns almost a dozen cars in total, but one of his absolute favorites is the 300 SL from 1958. He would probably have preferred the Uhlenhaut Coupé 300 SLR, which was auctioned off two years ago (not by him). Many years ago, he once described this car as the "Mona Lisa" of automobiles.
Although he also appreciates restored cars, he is always drawn to cars in their original condition. "I grew up with old cars, so I love original paintwork and the taste of aged interiors," smiles Gooding in conversation.
No wonder he is so enthusiastic about the Mercedes Simplex that he will be auctioning off at the Amelia Island sale. It is an honor for him, especially since he has known the car for decades. The car is expected to fetch more than ten million American dollars when the hammer falls at the end of February 2024.
Many changes
"When we started Gooding & Company in 2003, I was the only salesman. We didn't even have a website. And yet we managed to sell cars for USD 12 million at our first major auction at the Pebble Beach Concours and set a new world auction record for a Duesenberg," says David Gooding, looking back.
A lot has changed since then, not least during the Covid phase. Today, Gooding & Co also auctions online ("shared online"). And tastes have changed.
"20 years ago, we sold a lot of Packards, but today the 'P' clearly stands for Porsche," says Gooding, analyzing the modern offering. The business has also become much more global. When an important car goes under the hammer, collectors around the world are bidding.
Gooding does not like all new developments, for example he tends to reject auctions in secret (one competitor calls them "sealed bids") as he prefers transparency.
Young followers
Gooding is not worried about the future of the classic car (and probably also about his business). He is keeping a close eye on the constant generational change. Young people are also attracted to historic vehicles. And the more the modern automobile resembles a moving computer, the more the qualities of the old car stand out. In recent years, many younger people have started to collect old cars. They have a lot of money and are striving for the best classics ("going for the best").
Gooding is therefore convinced that special historic cars will always retain their value or could even continue to increase in value. On the other hand, cars that were built in large numbers and have no particular history could suffer in terms of value in the coming years.
Good entry-level classics
When asked which cars he could recommend as ideal entry-level classic cars today, Gooding initially refers to Porsche models such as the 911 or 356. However, he also finds the British classics of the 1960s attractive, of which there are always many on the market at reasonable prices. It doesn't necessarily have to be an Aston Martin DB4, as he owns one himself.
Savoir vivre
The fact that David Gooding can be found in Paris actually fits in very well with his lifestyle and personal preferences. In addition to cars, he is also interested in art and music (e.g. Beatles, Rolling Stones, jazz and blues) and enjoys drinking good wine, although he is actually a "beer drinker", as he once revealed in an interview.
He also knows the Kronenhalle in Zurich well, a restaurant that for him combines his love of good food and art in an almost perfect way.
Expansion into Europe
Gooding & Company has also been organizing auctions in Europe for a few years now, but is currently still focusing on the UK. In 2024, the "Hampton Court Palace" auction will take place on September 1.
He could also imagine an auction in Paris, but with the events already taking place around the Rétromobile, the field is already well filled.
It will be interesting to see what automotive treasures David Gooding can gather for the official Pebble Beach auction in summer 2024. After all, Pebble Beach and its auctions are something like the "Super Bowl" of the industry.
