30 top cars sold at auction in 2023

Big numbers in 2023

2023 proved to be a very strong year for cars at the top end of the auction ladder.

To make it into the top 30, a car needed to sell for more than $4m and the top price paid was more than $50m.

Ferrari still rates as the most numerous name among the highest auction prices, with 18 spots in this top 30 list.

There is considerable diversity among the cars sold, however, with the oldest dating from 1912 and the newest from 2022, and anything with racing pedigree is in demand.

More sales were hammered down in the US than anywhere else, with 21 of the top 30 cars sold at auction there.

So dive into our countdown of the 30 top cars sold at auction in 2023.

All prices are from Glenmarch for cars sold at auction, and quoted in Sterling and the currency of where the sale was held

=28. 2003 Ferrari Enzo (£3,309,710/$4,075,000)

This 2003 Ferrari Enzo was built to US specification in November of that year and was sold new through Al-Tayer Motors in Dubai to a local resident.

A few months after it was delivered, the car was imported to the US and later gained its Ferrari Classiche certificate in 2020.

Finished in Rossa Corsa with a Pelle Rossa interior, it was presented for sale by RM Sotheby’s at its Monterey auction in August 2023.

With only 2687 miles on the clock from new, this car was sold with its owner’s manual, its warranty book in its pouch, a torch, a tyre compressor and a battery charger.

=28. 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari (£3,309,710/$4,075,000)

One of three cars in this top 30 of 2023 that sold for an identical $4,075,000 when the hammer came down, this Ferrari LaFerrari stood out from others of the same model for its Blue Elettrico paint and cream-leather interior.

Sold new to collector Greg Whitten through Ferrari of Seattle, Washington, it stands out as a superb example of an Enzo.

At the time of the RM Sotheby’s sale in January, this 2003 car had only covered 3186 miles and was described as ‘on the button’ for whoever bought it.

=28. 1912 Simplex 50hp Toy-Tonneau (£3,309,710/$4,075,000)

One of two Simplex cars to make it into the 2023 top 30 auction sales, this one is a 50hp model that came from 111 years of single-family ownership.

Such a wonderful history helped it exceed its upper estimate of $4m when it crossed the block with Gooding & Company at its Pebble Beach sale in August.

The 1912 car came with its original sales documents and correspondence with the factory, and it also won the Briggs Cunningham Trophy at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

As expected for a car with this sort of history, it still wore its original JM Quinby lightweight Toy-Tonneau bodywork.

27. 2007 Koenigsegg CCGT GT1 Competition Coupé (£3,319,000/$4,214,217)

Just one car in this top 30 was sold in the UK and it is this Koenigsegg, which was offered by Bonhams at its Goodwood Festival of Speed sale in July 2023.

It is the only CCGT built by the Koenigsegg factory and had been with its original private owner, Bård Eker of Sweden, from new until it came to auction. 

Made to race at Le Mans, it was unveiled at the 2007 Geneva motor show and used a 600bhp+ 5-litre V8 engine to comply with racing regulations.

However, the car never competed at Le Mans due to a change in the rules. It has since had twice-yearly engine-maintenance runs, plus some rare demonstration appearances.

26. 1995 Ferrari F50 (£3,339,674/$4,240,000)

One of two Ferrari F50s to make it into the top 30 in 2023, this example was sold by Broad Arrow at its Monterey sale in August.

A European-specification example of the 349 F50s made, this one had been owned by two Japanese collectors between 1996 and 2023, and was part of the Matsuda Collection in that time.

With 7150 miles on the clock when it arrived at auction, it had its original engine plus the tools, luggage, tonneau, hardtop and flight case it was sold with when new.

25. 1931 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Convertible Coupe (£3,382,995/$4,295,000)

The lure of a Duesenberg remains strong, particularly in the US market, where this Model J with Disappearing Top bodywork by Murphy found a buyer willing to pay $4,295,000.

This car’s sale was helped by some film appearances, including Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, to add to its appeal when sold by RM Sotheby’s in March at its Amelia Island auction.

The car had been restored by former owners Chris and Kathleen Koch in the early 2000s, which cost $500,000.

It then went on to win a number of concours awards to further its credentials as a collection-quality example.

24. 2003 Ferrari Enzo (£3,492,800/€4,055,000)

Painted from new in rare Nero black, this 2003 Ferrari Enzo was sold to its first owner in France and spent much of its early life on the Côte d’Azur.

It remained in the same region with its second keeper, which is backed up by its service records with Ferrari dealers, and there was some other maintenance work carried out in Berlin.

The black exterior is matched by the interior finish. This unusual combination for an Enzo made it stand out at the RM Sotheby’s sale in Paris back in February.

23. 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Cabriolet (£3,556,280/$4,515,000)

An Alfa Romeo 8C is guaranteed to cause a stir when one comes to auction, and this 1933 2300 sold right in the middle of its lower and upper estimates.

With handsome coachwork by Castagna of Milan, this car had featured in Simon Moore’s book The Legendary 2.3.

Prior to Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auction in August 2023, this Alfa had had just four owners since 1942, plus it retains its matching-numbers engine, it has benefited from a full restoration by Paul Russell and Company in Massachusetts, and it scooped a first-in-class prize at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

22. 1914 Mercer Type 35-J Raceabout (£3,772,886/$4,790,000)

Selling for considerably more than its higher estimate when auctioned by Gooding & Company at Pebble Beach in August 2023, this 1914 Mercer Raceabout came with a superb history file.

Among previous owners were collectors including James Melton, Ed King and Tom Lester, and it was a key car in the collection of Jerry S Foley III for more than 50 years.

It was also driven by Ralph De Palma in the 1936 Vanderbilt Old-Timer Race.

A genuine four-speed T-Head Raceabout, this Mercer sold well because it represents the best of early US motoring.

21. 1912 Simplex 50hp 5 Passenger Torpedo Tourer (£3,816,207/$4,845,000)

This Simplex 50hp was owned from new by Eleonora Sears, the tennis player and socialite.

She had it for 25 years and it remains a matching-numbers car.

The Torpedo Tourer body is by JM Quinby and Company, while this 50hp model is reckoned by many to be the best car Simplex built.

This example was owned and restored by Charles Chayne, the chief engineer for General Motors, and it has been used consistently throughout its long life.

It crossed with block with Bonhams in January 2023.

20. 1995 Ferrari F50 (£3,989,492/$5,065,000)

Proving that the Ferrari F50 has now fully stepped out of the shadow of its F40 sibling, this car topped the $5m mark when sold by RM Sotheby’s at its Amelia Island sale in March 2023.

The sale price of this particular car was assisted by it coming from one ownership from new up to 2022 and covering a mere 834 miles in that time.

Full Ferrari luggage, plus the original flight case for the removable hardtop were also included in this sale.

There was a Ferrari Classiche Red Book, too, and it had a comprehensive refresh by specialist DK Engineering in 2022, so the car was sold in ready-to-use condition.

19. 1959 Ferrari 250GT TdF (£4,160,353/€4,830,000)

Effortlessly glamorous, this 1959 Ferrari 250GT Tour de France was the last long-wheelbase example built by Scaglietti and had been used for competition when new.

Its first owner was Luigi Taramazzo, who campaigned the 250 in the 1959 GP della Lotteria in Monza, as well as in a number of hillclimbs.

The car was repainted metallic gold by its second owner, Gérard Spinedi of Geneva, Switzerland, who also used it for competition.

During its restoration between 2016 and 2018, this Ferrari was reunited with its original engine and subsequently awarded its Ferrari Classiche Certificate of Authenticity.

18. 2010 Pagani Zonda R Revolución Specification (£4,206,100/$5,340,000)

Any Pagani is a rare car, but this Zonda R Revolución Specification is one of only 10 made. It was the fifth produced and upgraded to full Revolución spec by the factory in December 2010.

The upgrades for the Revolución included a 30bhp power increase, magnesium-alloy wheels and Ohlins suspension.

Sold by RM Sotheby’s in March 2023, it had recently been fully serviced by Pagani of Beverly Hills in the US, and it also came with uprated driveshafts.

The car’s winning bidder also received an invitation to Pagani’s 2023 Arte in Pista programme.

=16. 1937 Bugatti Type 57 SC Tourer (£4,249,420/$5,395,000)

One of only two Bugatti Type 57s sold new with a four-seat open body by Corsica, this one still has its original body plus chassis, engine and gearbox. The supercharger fitted to this car was added in 1946.

It was delivered new to Maurice Fox-Pitt, who went on to become the Vice Chairman of Rolls-Royce and was a friend of Jean Bugatti.

With a fully documented history, the car arrived at auction in Monterey with RM Sotheby’s after a recent restoration by RM Auto Restoration that took almost 6000 hours to complete.

=16. 1967 Ferrari 275GTB/4 (£4,249,420/$5,395,000)

The first name in this Ferrari 275GTB/4’s logbook is none other than Steve McQueen, film star and avid owner of fast cars.

He ordered it to replace his 275GTS/4 NART Spider and he promptly had the car repainted in a darker maroon colour called Chianti Red. It was also fitted with the Borrani wire wheels and a side mirror from the NART Spider.

McQueen sold the car to another actor, Guy Williams, in 1971 and it then passed through various hands, suffering from collision damage in the late 1970s. It was converted into a Spider in the 1980s.

When Le Mans racer Vern Schuppan bought the car, he had it restored by Ferrari Classiche to how it was when first delivered to McQueen, including reinstating the correct roof. It now has a certificate of authenticity from Ferrari.

15. 2002 Ferrari Enzo (£4,651,326/€5,400,000)

The Ferrari Enzo is steadily establishing itself in the upper echelons of the classic-car market and the best examples are now routinely fetching more than $4m.

This example exceeded that by some margin thanks to being the very first Enzo built, plus it was owned from new by one-time Ferrari Formula One driver (and double F1 drivers’ champion) Fernando Alonso.

The car was sold from Alonso’s collection in June 2023 by Monaco Car Auctions and set a new record price for this model.

Dating from 2002, this is one of 399 Enzos built and had covered just 3000 miles with Alonso at the wheel.

14. 1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta Touring Superleggera (£4,914,900/€5,706,000)

Showing that provenance counts for a huge amount with buyers, this Ferrari 340 America Barchetta Touring Superleggera was campaigned at Le Mans in 1951, and, according to Artcurial, Mike Hawthorn also drove it at the Tourist Trophy.

It later went on to race at the 1953 12 Hours of Sebring and at 1954’s Daytona Speed Week.

Its sale in Paris last February was the first time it had come to market since the previous owner acquired it in 1975, plus the car still wore its original bodywork and was said to be on-the-button.

13. 1955 Ferrari 121 LM Spider (£4,946,340/€5,742,500)

RM Sotheby’s did well to consign this car for its Le Mans sale in June 2023, because the 121 LM Spider had competed in the 1955 race.

As well as that, it had period Mille Miglia history from 1955, making this a ticket to all the very best events, as well as a great Ferrari to drive and race in.

One of four surviving 121 LMs, this car had been fully restored to original specification by Ferrari Classiche over a five-year period.

It still retained its original matching-numbers chassis, engine and gearbox at the time of this sale.

12. 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupé Series III (£5,202,487/$6,605,000)

It’s all in the details, that’s what makes this Ferrari 410 Superamerica unique and why it sold so well at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale in August 2023.

It is one of 12 Series III versions of this model and one of the seven with factory-fitted covered headlights.

This is also the only one that was supplied new in Nero Tropicale IVI, in which it was painted as part of a three-year restoration by RM Auto Restoration in the USA.

The 410 Superamerica here comes with its Ferrari Classiche certificate, plus wins at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, 2021 Cavallino Classic, and best of show at the Cavallino Modena and Concours d’Elegance Suisse in 2023.

11. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta (£5,673,110/€6,586,250)

Sought after by most serious collectors, the Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta is assured of making strong money when sold at auction.

So it was with this 1961 car at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale at Lake Como, Italy, in May 2023.

Having spent a long time in California in the US, this car was acquired by David Piper and then passed to Claude Trippier, who owned it for 20 years.

During Trippier's time with the 250GT, it was restored and had its original engine refitted. It now has Ferrari Classiche certification.

An unusual bit of history with this car is it appeared in the ’60s Disney film The Love Bug.

10. 1962 Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta (£7,432,390/$9,465,000)

When news of this 250GT SWB Berlinetta’s sale broke, it sent big ripples through the Ferrari world.

Unrestored, it came to auction in superb condition and wearing its original colour scheme of Grigio Metallizzato with a beige-leather interior.

If that wasn’t enough to tease out serious buyers, the 250’s history of only four owners from new and never being offered for public sale before was sure to do the trick, and it did.

Bought new by Italian industrialist Giovanni Renato Scalabrin, the car now has a lovely patina and retains its matching-numbers engine.

No surprise, then, that this car made it in to the top 10 of cars sold at auction in 2023.

9. 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Roadster (£8,061,690/$10,235,000)

Hailing from a period of outlandish homologation specials to compete in the FIA GT Championship, this Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Roadster is rare even by the standards of its era.

The third of only six Roadsters made, it has a 6.9-litre V12 engine and this example had only covered 170km (106 miles) when RM Sotheby’s sold it in November 2023 at its Las Vegas sale.

The car came with meticulous maintenance records, but had been on static display since 2018, so would require some recommissioning if the new owner wanted to add to the minimal distance covered in its lifetime.

8. 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée (£8,434,836/€9,792,500)

The newest car to make it into the 2023 top 30 of car auction sales, this Bugatti Chiron Profilée earned its considerable price by being the only one of its type ever made.

Bugatti had intended to make more Profilée models, but it then completed its allotted 500 Chiron sales and gave up on the project.

The Profilée had revised steering, suspension and aerodynamics to put a focus on handling, rather than outright top speed.

Offered by RM Sotheby’s in Paris last February, this Chiron is one of nine cars sold outside the USA to make it into this list.

7. 1972 Ferrari 312 PB (£9,485,383/$12,042,500)

The purposeful Ferrari 312 PB may lack the svelte lines of a 250GT SWB, but this car’s history of winning the 1972 Buenos Aires 1000km race and the Nürburgring 1000km the same year captured the hearts of several keen bidders at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale in Italy in May.

Unusually for a car with a racing past, this 312 PB retained its original engine and gearbox, and it came with a large spares package so the new owner could continue to compete in it.

It also had a continuous history of careful owners to further burnish its appeal as an important classic Ferrari sports-racing car.

6. 1957 Jaguar XKSS (£10,401,037/$13,205,000)

One of the original 16 Jaguar XKSS cars sold new, this example was supplied to the US in cream with a red-leather interior.

Its initial buyer was Lou Brero Snr, who died before the car was delivered, so it was sent to Sammy Weiss and then on to Sidney Colberg in 1960. He used the car on road and track throughout the 1960s.

Later, Anthony Bamford and IG Campbell McLaren owned the Jaguar, the latter using the registration JAG 1 on it.

McLaren had it painted in Ecurie Ecosse blue, which is how it was presented for sale by RM Sotheby’s at Monterey in August 2023.

There was extensive work carried out by Chris Keith-Lucas’ specialist company and it was said to be in a very original state with matching-numbers engine block, cylinder head, gearbox, rear axle and bodywork.

5. 1964 Ferrari 250LM (£13,584,629/€15,771,200)

This Ferrari 250LM was sold new to the US through importer Luigi Chinetti.

It was used as a spare car at the 1966 Daytona 24 Hours, but did not race, and then passed through a series of owners in the US until it was sent to DK Engineering for a sympathetic restoration in 1998.

After this, the 250LM was lightly used and spent 20 years in a private collection up until 2022, when it was consigned for sale by Artcurial at its Paris auction in July 2023.

One of 32 250LMs produced, this one was the 10th made and comes with its matching engine, chassis, gearbox and bodywork numbers.

4. 1962 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider (£14,213,306/$18,045,000)

It seems the wealthiest buyers still want a Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider in the garage, because this one made $18,045,00 when it was sold by Gooding & Company at its Amelia Island auction in March 2023.

The striking Azzurro Metallizzato metallic-green paintwork of this car was original and unusual, adding to its appeal.

It was also in immaculate condition and one of only 37 covered-headlight, short-wheelbase California Spiders built.

This example had been used as the 1962 New York International Auto Show car on the Ferrari stand, and it came with its original chassis, body and drivetrain.

Certified by Ferrari Classiche, this is about as perfect as it gets with this model.

3. 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 (£14,819,804/$18,815,000)

It might not have sold for as big a sum as the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR did in 2022, but this Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 Formula One car achieved an impressive price.

This is the only F1 car driven by Lewis Hamilton to be sold outside of the Mercedes company and it was used by the Brit for 14 out of 19 races in 2013, including winning that year’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

This was his first win for Mercedes-AMG Petronas, plus he used this car to achieve three other podium-place finishes in 2013. That was also the last year of V8 engines in F1.

The car sold by RM Sotheby’s at its Las Vegas sale in November 2023 is chassis W104-04.

2. 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta (£23,830,623/$30,255,000)

There can be few cars with a more illustrious list of drivers to their name than this Ferrari 412P Berlinetta.

It was driven by Richard Attwood and Piers Courage at Le Mans in 1967, as well as Attwood and Lucien Bianchi to take third place in the 1000km of Spa in 1967.

Jo Siffert and David Piper then drove it to seventh in that year’s Brands Hatch 6 Hours race. It also competed in Germany and Sweden in 1968.

The car was restored over a nine-year period between 2006 and 2015, and was returned to the spec it was in when it competed at Brands Hatch in ’67.

It still wears most of its original bodywork, plus has its matching-numbers engine, gearbox and chassis.

1. 1962 Ferrari 330LM/250GTO (£40,725,900/$51,705,000)

The most expensive car sold at auction in 2023 was a Ferrari 330LM/250GTO.

Anything with ‘250GTO’ in its name is always going to fare well when sold, but the price achieved by this car still raised eyebrows.

Much of the reason for its strong outing at the RM Sotheby’s sale in New York in November was that this is the only 250GTO raced by Scuderia Ferrari in 1962. It won its class and was second overall at that year’s Nürburgring 1000km, and competed at Le Mans.

It is also one of 34 250GTOs built to the 1962 specification and the only one fitted with a 4-litre engine when new.

Prior to its sale, chassis number 3765 had been owned for 38 years by the same collector, who had the car restored, after which it won numerous awards.