Big Ferrari Lots Shape Monterey 2023

This year’s Monterey auctions are going to set records.

First, Gooding & Company has announced that it will be offering a record 170 lots at its annual Pebble Beach Auctions, scheduled for August 18 and 19. This is the company’s largest offering at any single auction to date — and the list of consignments is a strong one, headlined by a just-announced 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta that will be presented in unrestored, well patinated condition.

The SWB, s/n 3507 GT, is one of 165 SWBs built and was finished from new in metallic gray with beige leather. The car has been maintained and used since new, shows 33,000 original miles and still has its original leather interior and many original details throughout — something that’s extremely hard to find with cars of this caliber. Gooding estimates the car to be worth between $9m and $11m — but the power of originality here may surprise everyone on sale day.

Keep in mind that this car still has its original grease pencil marks from assembly.

Gooding’s catalog is now live, and it includes this Ferrari as well as a fantastic collection of additional cars from Ferrari and beyond. Standouts include a 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Series 1 Coupe Aerodinamico, a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB, a 1952 Ferrari 340 America Berlinetta among many others.

See the complete catalog here.

Also just announced, RM Sotheby’s annual auction at the Portola from August 17 to 19 will he headlined by a Classiche-certified 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, estimated to be worth between $18m and $20m. It’s the 22nd of 32 built and was raced at the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans. It still has the same engine and transaxle as it did when raced at Le Mans — and in fact, even with some notable race history, it’s never been significantly crashed, which is rare with any racing car from the era.

Of course, in addition to this LM, RM Sotheby’s will also be offering Ferraris from The Lost & Found Collection, which consists of a handful of as-found original Ferraris — some of which with significant racing history in period. Among the most talked about, at least ahead of the auction, is the 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series 1, which is being presented as-found, in as-crashed condition following a racing accident sometime after 1962. But owing to the rarity of the Mondial, even with a complete restoration still required, RM Sotheby’s experts $1.2m to $1.6m. You can bet this car will be featured prominently in Linkage‘s Monterey Seminar: The Pull of the Lost Car, hosted at RM Sotheby’s on Friday of auction week.

Alongside the Lost & Found cars, RM Sotheby’s will also present the ex-Steve McQueen 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4, a 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series III, a 1967 330 GTS, a 1960 250 GT SWB Cal Spider that raced in the Targa Florio, among many others.

See RM Sotheby’s catalog here.

Broad Arrow Auctions is also gearing up for a big sale on August 17 and 18, which includes a top-level 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso — a car that Broad Arrow says is the best restored and best documented example to hit the market in decades. It’s also the only example built in Grigo Fumo over Blue Connolly leather and has been Classiche Red Book certified. Broad Arrow expects between $1.9m and $2.3m. 

Alongside the Lusso is a 1985 288 GTO which will be offered without reserve. It’s Classiche certified as well, with numbers-matching engine, transmission, chassis, body panels and more. 

See the Broad Arrow lineup here.

At Mecum from August 17-19, consignments include the first of six black 1967 275 GTB/4s built, a 1963 400 Superamerica Series II, a Classiche-certified 3,400-mile F40 and a 2014 LaFerrari Prototype PS1, among many others.

See Mecum’s run list here.

And finally, but certainly not least in this lineup, is Bonhams at Quail Lodge on August 18, which will present a rare opportunity in the public auction of a 1967 Ferrari 412P, s/n 0854. 

This car was originally delivered to Maranello Concessionaires, Ltd. It competed in the FIA World Championship of Makes in an era when Ferrari dominated the world of sports car racing. It’s got great period history at the highest levels of racing, and equally stunning is the fact that it has its original chassis, engine, gearbox and bodywork.

This is one of the most important Ferrari race cars to come to market in the last few years.

Additionally, Bonhams will present a 1951 Ferrari 212 Export with Le Mans history, as well as a 2003 Ferrari Enzo among many other top-level lots.

See the Bonhams lineup here.

This list of cars is just a small sample of what’s in store for Monterey this year — but it does represent some of the highest caliber lots on offer we’ve seen in one location in the past few years. And that’s just the Ferraris.

That says a lot about the health of the market, at least as it’s interpreted by sellers. How the buyers act remains to be seen — but as I said before, I think it’s safe to expect some new world record pricing in Monterey this August.