The sales began as scheduled Thursday on Amelia Island, where Bonhams posted $15.6 million in transactions with an 87 percent sell-through rate.
According to Hagerty, which monitors each of the auctions taking place this weekend, most significant was that 8 of the top-10 lots on the docket were hammered sold, topped by the 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider that brought $2.425 million and the 2015 McLaren P1 that sold for $1.71 million.
“So far this year the top of the market has had some stumbles, with several high-profile misses at both the Arizona and Paris auctions,” Hagerty noted in its daily news release, “but Bonhams sold eight of their top 10 lots.”
‘Rijkspoliti’ served as a police car in the Netherlands. It sold at Bonhams for $84,000
Hagerty also noted that Bonhams’ overall results Thursday were up 56 percent compared to the same auction in 2017. Average price for vehicles sold was up, by around $36,000.
“The 13 pre-war lots offered by Bonhams were only slightly behind the overall sell-through rate at 85 to 87 percent, but the final sale price to low-estimate ratio was lower at 59 vs. 80 percent for the entire auction,” Hagerty added.
“The first of the flurry of 17 Porsche 964s (911s manufactured and sold between 1989 and 1994) offered at Amelia Island this year sold well, with Bonhams’ 1992 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3 selling for over the high estimate at $343,800.”
Porsches have been strong sellers lately at collector car auctions, that figures to continue this year as the company celebrates its 70th anniversary.
Friday will be a frantic day for bidders, consignors and auction companies on the island as Gooding & Company, RM Sotheby’s, and Hollywood Wheels collectively will send 254 cars across the block. RM Sotheby’s sale was moved up a day when threatening weather forecasts caused the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance to advance its show from Sunday to Saturday.
Among the high-dollar cars crossing auction blocks Friday are the 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo that finished second at Le Mans (Gooding & Company), a 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica (Gooding & Company), and a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB long nose coupe (RM Sotheby’s).
Following are results from Thursday, as reported by Hagerty, which bases its figures on observations in the auction room and does not include any post-block sales.
Amelia Island auction sales
Bonhams
Cumulative total: $15.6 million
88/101 lots sold: 87 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $177,192
Overall Top 10 Sales:
1. 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider, $2,425,000
2. 2015 McLaren P1 Coupe, $1,710,000
3. 1959 Porsche 356A Carrera GS Coupe, $632,000
4. 1968 Ferrari 330 GTC Coupe, $545,100
5. 1936 Horch 853 Roadster, $544,000
6. 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Convertible, $480,200
7. 1947 Delahaye 135MS Coupe, $478,000
8. 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta Convertible, $450,500
9. 1957 Porsche 356A 1600 Super Speedster, $445,000
10. 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Coupe, $368,000
Prior year (2017)
Total: $10.0 million
71/86 lots sold: 83 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $141,342
