Top 21 lots at the Scottsdale 2021 sales

The results are in!

The 2021 car auction season is well and truly under way, following this month’s Scottdale sales.

Through a mixture of in-person and online bidding, big names Bonhams, RM Sotheby’s, Gooding & Company and Worldwide Auctioneers put countless classic cars – and some moderns, too – under the hammer, and here we’re counting down the top 21.

And, as you might’ve guessed, there are some absolute stunners, which are the escapism we definitely need right now. Let’s dive in…

21. 1968 Ferrari 330GTC ($517,000)

We start with this Blu Ultra Scuro Ferrari, that beat its lower estimate of $500k when the gavel fell at $517,000 on 22 January.

This Pininfarina-bodied, matching-numbers Prancing Horse has been with the same keeper for the last 19 years, and was the fourth most expensive car sold in Gooding & Company’s Geared Online Scottsdale Edition sale.

From its Colombo V12 engine to its dark-brown leather-upholstered interior and sparkling Borrani wire wheels, it is said to be a very usable car and is an exciting prospect for its new owner.

20. 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante ($538,500)

It’s time to scroll forward a few decades to this, the first of only 99 Vanquish Zagato Volantes produced, which was delivered to its first – and until last week only – owner in New York in January 2018, who did fewer than 1500 miles in it.

And if you thought that the fact it features more than $50,000 of options was mind-boggling, consider that its MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) when new was a little under $900,000 and that just three years later it has gone to a new owner in Bonhams’ Scottsdale sale for $538,500 – that’s some painful depreciation.

19. 1993 Cizeta V16T ($665,000)

This rarity crossed the block with RM Sotheby’s on 25 January and fell in the middle of its $600-750,000 pre-sale estimate.

Displayed at the 1993 Geneva show, it is one of nine built, it was sold new to the Brunei royal family and it has done fewer than 1000km (620 miles).

That it wears bodywork by the great Marcello Gandini and is powered by a V16 engine (as you might’ve guessed from its name), are surely the icing on the cake.

18. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300Sc Roadster ($698,000)

One of two such models in our list, of just 53 ever produced, this example appears to still present very well following a restoration about 25 years and 500 miles ago.

And over six decades since it became the 16th 300Sc Roadster, it is still as prestigious, luxurious and glamorous as ever, the glossy black paint and whitewall tyres only accentuating its voluptuous, chrome-accented lines.

17. 1998 RUF Turbo R ($764,000)

It’s a change of pace with our next lot, which achieved $764,000 with RM Sotheby’s – well, it is one of 14 built, plus it is thought to be one of just four to have power going to all four wheels.

Described by the auction house as ‘quite possibly, the world’s ultimate air-cooled street machine’, it was sold new to California in May 2000, and when bought by its second owner in November 2019, it had fewer than 37,000 miles on its odometer and had been in storage for more than a decade.

Its new custodian will probably be reassured to know that it received mechanical attention last October.

16. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300Sc Roadster ($775,000)

And here’s that second 300Sc Roadster, which beat the other by $77,000.

This super-early example – body number 00001 – doesn’t retain its original engine, but has received specialist care in recent years.

It left the factory finished in white with a cream-leather interior and a black soft-top, but we rather like its current, darker finish, which it gained during a subsequent restoration.

15. 1958 Lister Jaguar ‘Knobbly’ ($802,500)

The first in this list to crack the $800k mark, this is the last of three Knobbly-bodied works cars built for 1958, and that year was campaigned by Ivor Bueb, Walt Hansgen and Bruce Halford.

It is also believed to be the sole surviving Jaguar-engined works Knobbly, and when Lister withdrew from racing it was sold to the US and entered in SCCA events, before later being raced in Europe – including at the first Goodwood Revival in September 1998.

It was sold with spares, lots of period documentation, invoices, press clippings and more – its new owner is a very lucky person indeed.

14. 1933 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Convertible Sedan ($819,000)

Another lot to slip inside its estimate (which in this instance was $800-900,000) was this Packard with coachwork by Dietrich.

Chassis number 100628, it represents 50% of the remaining 1006 Individual Custom Convertible Sedans and still has its original chassis, engine and body.

A former concours trophy-winner, its older restoration still looks super in 2021.

13. 1926 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix ($935,000)

Smashing its $650-850,000 pre-sale guide price to set a new world record at Gooding & Company’s Scottsdale sale, this patina-heavy Bugatti went to auction having been with the same family for 60 years.

Its winning bidder gets not just a fabulous, 95-year-old classic, but one with an extensive history file detailing its (short) racing life, and previous owners including long-term keeper and Tony Award-winning set designer Peter Larkin who parked it on the street in New York, as well as driving it enthusiastically on events and at weekends until he was around 90 years old.

12. 2019 Ford GT ‘Lightweight’ ($967,500)

With fewer than 10 miles on its odometer when consigned to RM Sotheby’s Scottsdale sale, this Ford GT with carbonfibre stripes was predicted to achieve $900,000-1.2m.

The Lightweight package was a $70,000 option and as well as those stripes, it added 20-inch exposed carbonfibre wheels, a titanium exhaust, an Alcantara and carbonfibre steering wheel – and more.

Straight after it was delivered to its first owner, more than $6000 was spent applying paint protection – all of which seems a lot of time and money when it has barely been driven.

11. 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupé ($968,000)

Coming in just south of its $1-1.4m guide price is this striking Aston Martin – one of two DB2/4 Drophead Coupés bodied by Bertone.

Its first owner was, understandably, so proud of her car that it was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1955.

Later, it was owned by Formula One race-winner Innes Ireland and, following a restoration, was back on the concours lawn in September 2011, where it won its class.

10. 1932 Cadillac V-16 Convertible Coupe ($1,022,500)

We enter the top 10 with the first car to achieve more than $1m at the 2021 Scottsdale sales – well, it is a former Pebble Beach class winner.

It is also one of four known survivors of its type – of which just 14 were built in the first place – and it still has its dramatic-looking heron radiator mascot.

Finished in Bottle Green with a tan-leather interior, it was carefully restored in the ’90s and meticulously maintained ever since.

9. 2019 McLaren Senna ($1,044,000)

At number nine it’s another modern supercar with low miles (fewer than 500), carbonfibre detailing and a great many expensive options (coming to more than $360,000 in this case).

The 95th of 500 created at McLaren’s Woking factory, this left-hand-drive example beat its $1m lower estimate at RM Sotheby’s Arizona auction on 25 January.

8. 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster ($1,066,500)

You’ll see that RM Sotheby’s dominates our top 10 and that’s who this car was sold through, and it was the top Mercedes-Benz across all the Scottdale sales.

Its unusual light-green metallic paint and dark-green interior may not be to everyone’s taste – indeed, it left the factory in ivory with a red-trimmed cabin, bound for California – but these are factory-correct shades.

That it was recently reunited with its original engine might be of more importance to this SL’s new owner.

7. 1956 Ferrari 250GT Boano Alloy Coupé ($1,352,500)

Selling well against its $1.2-1.4m estimate, this is one of 14 alloy-bodied coupés built by Carrozzeria Boano, and it still has its matching numbers V12 engine, gearbox and differential.

Its current colour was inspired by a repaint done by its third owner and it was raced in period, too, including by noted privateer Bob Grossman.

Today it is Ferrari Classiche-certified and it was shown at the 2019 edition of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.

6. 1959 BMW 507 ($1,809,000)

Next it is Bonhams’ top Scottsdale lot at its 10th-anniversary sale.

This lovely-looking BMW 507 Series II Roadster was the subject of a tense bidding battle, although it just failed to creep into its $1.9-2.3m estimate.

Restored in the late ’80s at which point it gained this black paintjob, it has been stored in a climate-controlled environment since the early 1990s – no wonder it looks so fine.

5. 1966 Ferrari 275GTB ($1,936,000)

And this Scaglietti-bodied, 275GTB Long Nose was the car to achieve the highest hammer price during Gooding & Company’s Scottsdale sale – although it, too, was just shy of its ($2-2.4m) estimate.

One of the things that makes this Ferrari so special is that it has never been restored – in fact, it has never been shown in public and this was its first-ever public sale.

With just over 40,000 miles in its 55 years, this Rosso Chiaro, V12-engined classic is a real treat.

4. 1954 Ferrari 375 America Coupé ($2,557,000)

We’re into the top four and we’ve crossed the $2m mark with this unusual Prancing Horse that, believe it or not, went to auction in its original colours.

A former star of both the 1954 New York and Geneva motor shows, it is one of a trio of 375 America Coupés bodied by Vignale – but the design of the front and rear lights on this one make it unique.

And it seems RM Sotheby’s was bang on the money with its $2.4-3.4m estimate.

3. 2020 McLaren Speedtail ($3,277,500)

Yes, that’s right, here’s another almost-new supercar with minimal mileage (only 30 when consigned to this sale) and an enormous number of options (in this case, costing more than $170,000).

This 1035hp, three-seat Speedtail, the 36th of 106 created in tribute to the 106 McLaren F1s, fetched an impressive sum, although it fell a little way short of its $3.5-4.5m guide price.

2. 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer ($4,735,000)

The runner-up in this impressive line-up still comes in around $1.5m in front of the third-placed McLaren – but then this is a rare Bugatti, plus it still has its original chassis, body, gearbox, engine and differential.

And although today it is listed as an SC, when chassis number 57512 was delivered to London on 8 March 1937 to its first owner – Maurice Fox-Pitt Lubbock, a friend of Jean Bugatti – it was a Type 57S, the car later upgraded to SC spec.

It is one of eight Type 57S cars to wear bodywork by Corsica – and one of a pair of four-seat tourers.

1. 1955 Jaguar D-Type ($6,000,000)

Top at this month’s Scottsdale auctions – and by quite some margin – is this fabulous Jaguar D-type sold by RM Sotheby’s, which had a guide price of $5.75-7.5m.

It might surprise you to learn that its red colour is original and factory correct, likewise its red-trimmed cabin.

Its first owner was the late racing driver Peter Blond, who bought it from a certain Bernie Ecclestone, while a later custodian was another Peter, Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant.