MONTEREY, Calif. – RM Sotheby’s concluded its 29th annual Monterey auction with a record $380 million in sales, the highest-grossing edition in the event’s history. Leading the traditional auction results was the 1996 McLaren F1 GTR at $34,655,000, setting records as both the most valuable McLaren F1 and British car ever sold at auction, followed by the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport at $18,705,000, becoming the most valuable Corvette ever sold at auction. The 2026 Ferrari Luce “Tailor Made,” offered exclusively for charity, achieved $40 million and became the most valuable new car ever sold at auction. Bidders from 39 countries participated, with 90% of lots sold, including 69 above $1 million, 14 above $5 million, six above $10 million, and two above $30 million.
“We’re witnessing something truly remarkable in the collector car world, and this Monterey was an incredible indication of what the market is capable of right now. We assembled arguably the strongest catalogue of cars we could, and our clients, new and old, took every opportunity to bring these cars home. It wasn’t just pre-war, American, or modern. We saw cars from nearly every make and era break records. Working with Ferrari again, following 20 years of shared success, made this week even more special, particularly knowing the proceeds will benefit such a worthy cause. Our team around the world at RM Sotheby’s absolutely delivered. This is one for the record books in every way,” said Gord Duff, President of RM Sotheby’s.
Thursday
Thursday demonstrated continued strength at the top of the pre-war market, led by the 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe by Rollston and Bohman & Schwartz, built for Clark Gable and offered from The Sam and Emily Mann Collection, which sold for $9,080,000. Also offered from the collection, the 1937 Delage D8-120 S Aerodynamic Coupe by Pourtout sold for $5,780,000. The Sam and Emily Mann Collection realized a total of $34,886,500. The Ray and Bonnie Kinney Collection totaled $10,468,800, while The Jim Patterson Collection achieved $8,242,500.
Friday
Friday demonstrated equal strength at the opposite end of the collector car market, led by The Driver’s Philosophy Collection, a group comprising some of the world’s most extreme track-focused machines and modern hypercars. The collection achieved a combined $53,359,500, led by the 2023 Ferrari Daytona SP3 at $17,825,000, followed by the 2025 Bugatti Mistral at $8,310,000 and the one-off 2024 Pagani Huayra Roadster “Executor” at $8,035,000.
Saturday
Saturday evening delivered the auction’s most significant competition-car results, led by the 1996 McLaren F1 GTR at $34,655,000, setting records as the most valuable McLaren F1 and British car ever sold at auction. The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport achieved $18,705,000, becoming the most valuable Corvette ever sold at auction.
The evening culminated with the 2026 Ferrari Luce “Tailor Made,” offered exclusively for charity, which achieved a record-breaking $40,000,000 and became the most valuable new car ever sold at auction. All proceeds from the sale will benefit The Ferrari Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to advancing educational programs and community projects worldwide.
Further highlights from the three-day auction included five of Ferrari’s celebrated halo cars: the 1995 Ferrari F50 at $12,105,000, the 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO at $11,555,000, the 2003 Ferrari Enzo at $9,410,000, the 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari at $8,695,000, and the 1991 Ferrari F40 at $8,365,000.
The results reflected extraordinary strength across nearly every era of the collector car market, with 38 existing world auction records broken and nine new model benchmarks established for cars with no previous public auction record. Particularly strong demand for modern supercars and hypercars was matched by exceptional results for significant pre-war automobiles, showing that collectors continue to reward rarity, provenance, and significance regardless of era. From Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and McLaren to Duesenberg, Delage, and Packard, the very best examples consistently separated themselves from the broader market, making it a truly market-defining weekend.
Top 10 World Records Set
● 1996 McLaren F1 GTR – $34,655,000 USD (previous record $5,280,000 USD) Most valuable McLaren F1 and British car ever sold at auction
● 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO – $11,555,000 USD (previous record $10,914,012 USD)
● 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe by Rollston and Bohman & Schwartz – $9,080,000 USD (previous record $594,000 USD)
● 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari – $8,695,000 USD (previous record $8,580,000 USD)
● 1991 Ferrari F40 – $8,365,000 USD (previous record $6,600,000 USD)
● 2024 Pagani Huayra Roadster “Executor” – $8,035,000 USD (previous record $5,567,934 USD)
● 1989 Porsche 959 Sport – $7,045,000 USD (previous record $5,505,000 USD)
● 1937 Delage D8-120 S Aerodynamic Coupe by Pourtout – $5,780,000 USD (previous record $3,305,000 USD)
● 2024 Ferrari 812 Competizione A “Tailor Made” – $4,845,000 USD (previous record $2,645,000 USD)
● 2024 Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider – $4,735,000 USD (previous record $1,188,419 USD)
Top 10 Lots
2026 Ferrari Luce “Tailor Made” — $40,000,000 USD1996 McLaren F1 GTR — $34,655,000 USD1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport — $18,705,000 USD2023 Ferrari Daytona SP3 — $17,825,000 USD1995 Ferrari F50 — $12,105,000 USD1985 Ferrari 288 GTO — $11,555,000 USD2003 Ferrari Enzo — $9,410,000 USD1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe by Rollston and Bohman & Schwartz — $9,080,000 USD2015 Ferrari LaFerrari — $8,695,000 USD1991 Ferrari F40 — $8,365,000 USD
About RM Sotheby’s – RM Sotheby’s is the world’s largest collector car auction house by total sales. With over 45 years of proven results in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from auctions (live, online and sealed) and private sales to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of Car Specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for six of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction. https://rmsothebys.com/
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