Showing the continuing strength of pre-war American classics, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction was led by a 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Convertible Victoria by Dietrich, which was the top seller at $4.13 million.
The Canadian auction company’s 23rd annual sale on the Florida island totaled $46,636,640 and a solid 89 percent sell-through rate in a single day of bidding at the Ritz-Carlton at Amelia Island resort, adjacent to The Amelia concours d’elegance.
Great 1930s coachbuilt classics and modern exotic sports cars shared the top-5 results, with a 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari in second place at $3,662,500, followed by an exquisite a 1930 Duesenberg Model J convertible sedan by Murphy, which shattered its high estimate by over a $1 million, selling for $3,525,000.
Then, it was back to the exotics, with the fourth highest seller achieved by a 2019 Bugatti Chiron Sport that went for $3.36 million and 2020 McLaren Speedtail at $2.7 million.
In all, 11 cars exceeded the $1 million threshold.
“The 2022 auction season has continued to show us that the collector car market further gains momentum,” Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, noted in a news release. “We broke records in Arizona and Paris, and Amelia Island has proven to be a great success as well, having sold over $46 million on Saturday.
“One of the most exciting moments of the auction was selling the 1930 Duesenberg for more than $1 million over its high estimate.”
RM Sotheby’s called the Dietrich-bodied Packard Twelve convertible “one of the most significant Packards ever produced,” and one of only three known examples remaining.
“Boasting excellent provenance along with show-winning history, this incredible Packard won First in Class and runner-up to Best of Show at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance,” the news release says. “Such a magnificent Packard is extremely rare to find at auction.
The auction company also called attention to the sale of the Bugatti Chiron Sport, one of the world’s fastest production cars and “the first example to ever be publicly sold at auction in North America.” One of just 60 produced, the low-mileage Chiron was presented in the striking color combination of Nocturne exterior over Beluga Black and Italian Red interior.
“This once-in-a-lifetime Chiron is an exquisitely optioned, beautifully maintained example of the world-renowned hypercar, and sold with a mere 3,950 miles on the clock,” the release says.
The top-10 highest sellers at the Amelia Island auction were:
1. 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Convertible Victoria by Dietrich, $4,130,000
2. 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari, $3,662,500
3. 1930 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan by Murphy, $3,525,000
4. 2019 Bugatti Chiron Sport, $3,360,000
5. 2020 McLaren Speedtail, $2,700,000
6. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, $2,040,000
7. 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, $1,545,000
8. 1953 Cunningham C-3 Cabriolet by Vignale, $1,215,000
9. 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra, $1,132,500
10. 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo S ‘Package,’ $1,105,000
(All results include auction fees)
For full results and news about upcoming auctions, visit the RM Sotheby’s website.
