RM/Sotheby's London 2022 - Record price for Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow

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Created on November 6, 2022

Reading time 5min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Neil Fraser - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Simon Clay - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Tom Gidden - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Tom Wood - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

- Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Peter Seabrook - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Ahmed Qadri-Pixelhaus Media - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Keith Mulcahy - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

RIIKO-ANDRE NUUD - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Vecchio - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Neil Fraser - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Simon Clay - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Tom Gidden - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Tom Wood - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

- Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Peter Seabrook - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Ahmed Qadri-Pixelhaus Media - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Keith Mulcahy - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

RIIKO-ANDRE NUUD - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Vecchio - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow (1974) - ex Freddie Mercury, als Lot 105 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Die Granturismo-Collection - angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow (1974) - als Lot 105 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Rover Mini Cooper Sport 500 (2001) - als Lot 106 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Citroën DS 19 Prestige (1967) - als Lot 107 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 (1984) - als Lot 108 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Toyota Supra RZ-S Twin Turbo (2002) - als Lot 109 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type-A (2002) - als Lot 110 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Honda NSX-T (2001) - als Lot 111 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nür (2002) - als Lot 112 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Aston Martin DB5 'Project' (1964) - als Lot 113 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari 365 GT4 BB By Scaglietti (1974) - als Lot 114 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Frazer Nash Mille Miglia (1952) - als Lot 115 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina (2000) - als Lot 116 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari F40 (1991) - als Lot 117 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Lamborghini Countach LP5000 S By Bertone (1984) - als Lot 118 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Bugatti EB110 Super Sport (1996) - als Lot 119 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari Enzo (2003) - als Lot 120 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Jaguar XJ220 S (1993) - als Lot 121 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Audi Sport Quattro E2 Group B Works (1985) - als Lot 122 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari Superamerica (2006) - als Lot 123 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Bugatti EB110 GT (1993) - als Lot 124 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari 288 GTO (1985) - als Lot 125 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Lancia Delta S4 Group B Works (1985) - als Lot 126 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Jaguar XJR-15 (1991) - als Lot 127 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari LaFerrari (2014) - als Lot 128 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Lamborghini Miura SV By Bertone (1971) - als Lot 129 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari 599 SA Aperta (2011) - als Lot 130 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Lancia 037 Group B Works Evolution (1982) - als Lot 131 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari F50 (1997) - als Lot 132 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ (2022) - als Lot 133 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari Testarossa Pininfarina Spider 'Special Production' (1990) - als Lot 134 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Jaguar XJ220 (1993) - als Lot 135 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta By Scaglietti (1973) - als Lot 136 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring (1973) - als Lot 137 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Maserati 3500 GT Spyder By Frua (1958) - als Lot 138 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Morgan Plus 4 (1952) - als Lot 139 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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BMW 503 Coupé (1959) - als Lot 140 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (1959) - als Lot 141 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari 348 Challenge (1992) - als Lot 142 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari F355 Challenge (1998) - als Lot 143 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale (2004) - als Lot 144 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari 430 Scuderia Spider 16M (2009) - als Lot 145 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Aston Martin DB5 (1964) - als Lot 146 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Delahaye 135M Convertible By Franay (1950) - als Lot 147 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet (1952) - als Lot 148 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Delahaye 175S Convertible By Franay (1949) - als Lot 149 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Delahaye 175S Convertible Franay (1949) - als Lot 149 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Ferrari 512 BBi (1981) - als Lot 150 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Talbot-Lago T26 Record Cabriolet By Antem (1950) - als Lot 151 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Delahaye 135M Coupé By Van Leersum (1946) - als Lot 152 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Aston Martin 15/98 Short-Chassis Open Sports By Abbey Coachworks (1938) - als Lot 153 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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Jaguar E-Type Series 1 3.8-Litre Roadster (1962) - als Lot 154 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

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RM/Sotheby's has been organizing an auction in London in late autumn for several years now. For the past two years, this has taken place in the context of the London-to-Brighton Veteran Run. For November 5, 2022, the auction house pulled out all the stops to make new superlatives possible.

49 cars worth over GBP 41.5 million went under the hammer at Marlborough House. Almost one million EUR/CHF was expected per car. On average, the cars were just under 40 years old, i.e. comparatively young. Only 43 percent of the cars were right-hand drive, which also made the offer more interesting for non-Britons.

Bild Die Granturismo-Collection - angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

Overall, 78% of the vehicles with a total value of GBP 27.2 million (EUR/CHF 31 million) were successfully brokered, with an average of GBP 715,635 or EUR/CHF 815,824 paid per car. There was a very special reason why the average bid was 105% of the median estimate.

Ex-Freddie Mercury Rolls-Royce gilded

The first car lot after a few automobilia was a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow from 1974, estimated at GBP 20,000 to 30,000 and offered without a reserve price, like around half of the vehicles.

Bild Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow (1974) - als Lot 105 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

After a long bidding battle, however, the Rolls was knocked down for GBP 250,000, i.e. ten times the middle estimate, meaning that the luxury limousine found a new owner for a whopping GBP 286,250 (EUR/CHF 326,325) including surcharge/commission.

Until his death, the car had belonged to Freddie Mercury, known as the lead singer of Queen. Although Mercury was unable to drive himself, he bought a used 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow through his company in 1979, which he probably used more than just occasionally as a chauffeur. I wonder if he listened to his own music on the original radio or the retrofitted Sharp cassette radio?

Bild Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow (1974) - ex Freddie Mercury, als Lot 105 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

The sales price achieved puts the Rolls in the top league of "celebrity cars", as only particularly sought-after cars achieve ten times their usual value.

13 out of 16 Ferrari sold

The auction was dominated by the Ferrari brand, from which 16 of the cars came. On average, they were only 26 years old. All other manufacturers were represented by a handful of cars at most.

Bild Ferrari Testarossa Pininfarina Spider 'Special Production' (1990) - als Lot 134 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

With the exception of three Ferraris, all were sold, meaning that the sales rate here was higher than for the auction as a whole.
In general, however, younger cars were sold more successfully than older ones. Of the earliest vehicles, only six out of ten were sold, while the youngest cars all found new owners.

Super sports cars from five decades

The so-called "Granturismo Collection" accounted for more than a third of the cars on offer and offered almost everything that super sports car drivers could dream of.

Bild Ferrari F40 (1991) - als Lot 117 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

In addition to many Ferrari sports cars (288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari), of which neither the 288 GTO nor the F50 met with sufficient interest, there were also two legendary Lamborghini cars up for auction, namely a Lamborghini Miura P400 SV from 1971 and a Lamborghini Countach LP5000 S from 1984.

Bild Lamborghini Miura SV By Bertone (1971) - als Lot 129 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

The Miura found a new garage for GBP 2.1 million (EUR/CHF 2.346 million), the Countach for GBP 477,500 (EUR/CHF 544,350).

Bild Bugatti EB110 GT (1993) - als Lot 124 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

Three Bugatti cars went under the hammer, including two EB110 derivatives and a Chiron. While the EB110 Super Sport stopped at GBP 2.2 million, the other two Bugatti were sold slightly below their estimates.

Bild Jaguar XJR-15 (1991) - als Lot 127 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

From Jaguar there was an XJ220, a particularly rare XJ220 S and the Walkinshaw-built XJR-15. They all achieved top bids just below the lower estimate, but the "normal" XJ220 could not be sold, while the more racing XJ220 S and the XJR-15 passed into new hands.

Lots of interest in young Japanese super classics

The small collection of Japanese sports cars from the early 2000s was sold in its entirety.

Bild Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type-A (2002) - als Lot 110 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

However, while the Toyota Supra RZ-S Twin-Turbo from 2002 and the Honda NSX-T from 2001 were somewhat disappointing, at least compared to the perhaps optimistic estimates, the Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type-A from 2002 and, above all, the Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II from 2002 performed significantly better than expected.

Bild Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nür (2002) - als Lot 112 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

At GBP 224,250 (EUR/CHF 255,645), the latter was the most expensive Nippon sports car of the quartet.

Group B cars sold

Three rally cars went under the hammer in London, two Lancia and one Audi. The estimated values were high, but could not quite be achieved.

Bild Audi Sport Quattro E2 Group B Works (1985) - als Lot 122 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

Nevertheless, all three works cars found a new owner: the 1985 Audi Sport quattro S1 E2 Group B for GBP 1.805 million (EUR/CHF 2.06 million), the 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Group B for GBP 1.636 million (EUR/CHF 1.865 million) and the 1982 Lancia 037 Group B for GBP 1.05 million (EUR/CHF 1.192 million).

Bild Lancia Delta S4 Group B Works (1985) - als Lot 126 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

Less in demand was the road-going Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, for which "only" GBP 165,000 was offered, which was not enough for the consignor.

French cars with special bodies

Although super sports cars dominated the auction, RM/Sotheby's was also able to find several French sports cars from the post-war period with special bodies. Following the premature withdrawal of one of the cars, two Delahaye and a Talbot-Lago came under the hammer, all of which had interesting shapes but did not have an easy time with the bidders.

Bild Delahaye 175S Convertible By Franay (1949) - als Lot 149 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

Only the Delahaye 175S Convertible with Franay bodywork from 1949 was successfully knocked down, the other two were left standing.

Bild Frazer Nash Mille Miglia (1952) - als Lot 115 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

The same fate befell the Frazer Nash Mille Miglia from 1952, one of only 11 examples built. Nobody wanted to bid more than GBP 520,000 and this was obviously not enough for the seller.

Two DB5s in very different conditions

The auction of two Aston Martin DB5s from 1964 was followed with interest, as one was a restoration project and the other an example restored in 2015/2016.

Bild Aston Martin DB5 'Project' (1964) - als Lot 113 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

However, while the project was successfully knocked down at GBP 375,000 (selling price therefore GBP 426,875, EUR/CHF 486,638), the highest bid of GBP 550,000 for the restored example was not enough for a sale.

Bild Aston Martin DB5 (1964) - als Lot 146 angeboten an der RM/Sotheby's London Versteigerung vom 5. November 2022

Instead, an Aston Martin 15/98 from 1938 was sold above expectations. At GBP 230,000 (EUR/CHF 262,200), it was the most expensive pre-war car.

Overall, things did not go badly for RM/Sotheby's in London, even if some expensive cars did not find a new owner. The high proportion of "no reserves" certainly contributed to the good sales rate. Nevertheless, there were no real bargains, even though it was possible to become the owner of an interesting car with bids well below the estimate.

Offered and Sold Vehicles

The following table lists all offered and sold vehicles with estimated prices, highest bids, and sale prices. The price conversion was made at the exchange rate valid on the auction day. All information is provided without guarantee.

Lot	Car	Year	GBP Est from	GBP Est to	GBP HP	GBP SP	CHF SP	EUR SP	% Est	S
105	Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow	1974	20'000	30'000	250'000	286'250	326'325	326'325	+1045%	V
106	Rover Mini Cooper Sport 500	2001	30'000	40'000	50'000	57'500	65'550	65'550	+64.29%	V
107	Citroën DS 19 Prestige	1967	25'000	45'000	28'000	32'200	36'708	36'708	-8%	V
108	Peugeot 205 Turbo 16	1984	180'000	220'000	165'000					N
109	Toyota Supra RZ-S Twin Turbo	2002	80'000	120'000	60'000	69'000	78'660	78'660	-31%	V
110	Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type-A	2002	70'000	100'000	92'000	105'800	120'611	120'611	+24.47%	V
111	Honda NSX-T	2001	70'000	100'000	55'000	63'250	72'105	72'105	-25.59%	V