RM Auctions

RM Monaco 2016 - 1971 March 711 F1 Car 8

RM Monaco 2016 – 1971 March 711 F1 Car – Scored Second-Place in Monaco Gran Prix

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What March lacks today in brand recognition, it more than made up for in its prime via engineering brilliance. You even get that sense looking at this F1 racer today.  Its aero is intense, but not a defining element of the car.  The glory in the March 711 would be mostly left to driver skill.  Massive rubber all around was the key to rapid corner exits for this car, much more than its primitive wings in the nose and tail.  The oval aero plane in front earned the nickname Spitfire as well as ‘tea tray’ out on the GP circuit. While …

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RM Monaco 2016 – 1969 MG MGC GTS Sebring

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Generally speaking, the more acronyms after a car’s name the better. It usually means it is some rare, high-performance variant that may or may not have even been road-legal. And the best possible indication that speed is a sure thing?   If that long name ends with a famous racetrack! Think 599 GTB Fiorano, 365GTB/4 Daytona… This MGC GTS Sebring is the most intense MG we’ve ever laid eyes on!  The black and gold livery is lovely, as is the widebody, wide rubber and wide-open throttle in this featherweight slugger.   1969 MG MGC GTS Sebring RM Sotheby’s Monaco 14 …

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1993 Alfa Romeo RZ by Zagato 11

RM Monaco 2016 – 1993 Alfa Romeo RZ by Zagato

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The Roadster Zagato is perhaps even more unique and special than its SZ (Sprint Zagato) hardtop sibling!  The styling is truly otherworldly for a production model.  Performance was pretty brisk, too.  A 210HP V6 drove the back wheels via a five-speed transaxle, ensuring good traction and weight distribution. 1993 Alfa Romeo RZ by Zagato RM Sotheby’s Monaco 14 May 2016 1993 Alfa Romeo RZ by Zagato Without Reserve Chassis no. ZAR16200003002164 Serial no. 145 Engine no. AK5150100138 Photo Credit: Tim Scott ©2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s Type ES-30. 210 bhp, 2,959 cc DOHC V-6 engine with electronic fuel injection, five-speed …

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1965 Fiat 600 Multipla 1

RM Monaco 2016 – 1965 Fiat 600 Multipla – First 7-Seat Minivan?

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No reserve for the auction of this delightful Fiat Multipla in cobalt blue over white. The origins of the minivan are widely debated, but this three-row machine is damn close to nailing the template.  Albeit with rear-engine, rear-drive layout.  That engine in the trunk would be a godsend for summer vacations — where a front-engine car’s tremendous heat would have the cabin near-boiling after a few hours on the autostrada. 1965 Fiat 600 Multipla RM Sotheby’s Monaco 14 May 2016 1965 Fiat 600 Multipla Without Reserve Chassis no. 100D.108 126736 Engine no. 100D.008 4541 Photo Credit: Tim Scott ©2016 Courtesy …

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1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I Works Rally 9

RM Monaco 2016 – 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I Works Rally

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  You are a rare, delicate flower.  Yes.  This is widely known. But you are nowhere near as rare — or well-preserved! — as this rally-winning Austin Healey 3000! =] RM Sotheby’s Monaco Coinciding with the Monaco Historic Grand Prix Le Sporting Monte-Carlo, Monaco 14 May 2016 http://www.rmsothebys.com/mc16/monaco/lots/ RM Monaco 2016 – 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I Works Rally

RM Monaco 2016 – 1928 Bugatti Type 40 Boattail Speedster

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It is hard to fathom sometimes that cars like this are sitting quietly in wealthy garages around the world.  Museum-quality icon or 1993 Mercury Sable?  Which shall we drive today, honey? RM Sotheby’s Monaco Coinciding with the Monaco Historic Grand Prix Le Sporting Monte-Carlo, Monaco 14 May 2016 http://www.rmsothebys.com/mc16/monaco/lots/ RM Monaco 2016 – 1928 Bugatti Type 40 Boattail Speedster

1977 Chevron B36 1

RM Monaco 2016 – 1977 Chevron B36 LMP1 Spider

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This was the magnificent time in top-drawer auto racing where the wedge came to life. Sideways on track, spitting flames from their open rear ends! It was intuitive, low-tech aero.  But race-proven and glorious to behold, then as now. The LMP1 and SPider descriptors above are ours – the car actually competed in primarily North American Can-Am races, we believe.  But the sentiment and bleeding-edge tech certainly makes it LeMans worthy — whatever the classes were dubbed in 1977. RM Sotheby’s Monaco Coinciding with the Monaco Historic Grand Prix Le Sporting Monte-Carlo, Monaco 14 May 2016 http://www.rmsothebys.com/mc16/monaco/lots/ RM Monaco 2016 – 1977 …

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RM Monaco 2016 – 1977 MV Agusta 750S America

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This is beyond even the rush of speed, the sun in your face and a mechanical symphony down below.  This MV Augusta 750S America has crossed over — into true art.  It may be recalled as one of the purest expressions in all of 20th-century design and engineering.   RM Sotheby’s Monaco Coinciding with the Monaco Historic Grand Prix Le Sporting Monte-Carlo, Monaco 14 May 2016 http://www.rmsothebys.com/mc16/monaco/lots/ RM Monaco 2016 – 1977 MV Agusta 750S America

RM Monaco 2016 - 2004 Aston Martin DB AR1 by Zagato 11

RM Monaco 2016 – 2004 Aston Martin DB AR1 by Zagato

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There are no words deeper than this Beluga black Aston DB AR1.   RM Sotheby’s Monaco Coinciding with the Monaco Historic Grand Prix Le Sporting Monte-Carlo, Monaco 14 May 2016 http://www.rmsothebys.com/mc16/monaco/lots/ 2004 Aston Martin DB AR1 by Zagato

1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 1 Group B 1

RM Monaco 2016 – 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 1 Group B

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Fabulous Pug and beautiful livery — this may be a top earner for all-time Peugeots at auction.   RM Sotheby’s Monaco Coinciding with the Monaco Historic Grand Prix Le Sporting Monte-Carlo, Monaco 14 May 2016 http://www.rmsothebys.com/mc16/monaco/lots/ 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 1 Group B

RM Monaco 2016 - 1982 Renault 5 Turbo Group 4 Rally Car 10

RM Monaco 2016 – 1982 Renault 5 Turbo Group 4 Rally Car

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No, we do not just put together these auction pieces when too distracted or tired to write up a full piece. And we resent the implication! Okay, there might be some truth to that.  But these cars are special enough to warrant a post– with or without color commentary.. RM Sotheby’s Monaco Coinciding with the Monaco Historic Grand Prix Le Sporting Monte-Carlo, Monaco 14 May 2016 http://www.rmsothebys.com/mc16/monaco/lots/ RM Monaco 2016 – 1982 Renault 5 Turbo Group 4 Rally Car

1971 Abarth Scorpione Prototipo 5

1971 ABARTH Scorpione Prototipo is Rear-Engine Rallycar for RM London 2015

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    Abarth built a series of fascinating race concepts between the 1950s and the mid 1970s, usually somehow based on a Fiat 500 but often completely redesigned. This Scorpione Prototipo was a very contemporary take on a quasi-factory rally car. The glasshouse and overall proportions of the vehicle are far more advanced than any Cinquecento, with a complete repackaging into a two-seat GT car with its engine in the trunk. Theoretical competition in racing would come from cars like the Alpine A110 or the Lancia Fulvia. The Abarth 1300 badge in back next to the circular punch-drilled ventwork is …

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1968 Ford GT40 Gulf Mirage Lightweight LM Racecar 26

1968 Ford GT40 Gulf Mirage Lightweight LM Racecar – Most Valuable American Car Of All Time?

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When it comes to racing greats and the all-time automotive hall of fame, this Gulf GT40 is certainly in the top ten. This exact car was the first to win a race wearing the now-legendary Gulf racing livery. Until this GT40 crossed the finish line in first place at Spa, these iconic powder blue and marigold colors were just another racing stripe. This GT40 is also the most valuable American car ever sold at auction, and likely ever made. It is unlikely that any other American car has changed hands privately for a bigger sum. (But is the GT40 even …

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1972 Lamborghini Miura SV 21

RM Amelia Island 2015 – Top 10 Most-Valuable Auction Cars in 80 New Photos

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Started this article to share an update on RM Auctions — which you may have noticed is now co-branded as RM Sotheby’s. Just before the Amelia Island 2015 event in March, Sotheby’s announced a 25-percent equity share purchase of RM, based in Blenheim, Ontario. Sotheby’s is in the big three of global auction companies, so their interest in RM makes sense to broaden and co-mingle both buyer groups. RM is certainly a powerhouse of an auction company, with its car sales generating massive interest among collectors and fans alike. Amelia Island 2015 was no different: $60-million in sales in just …

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1958 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe 33

RM Amelia Island 2015 – 1958 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe Is Rocket-Brick Icon

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  For someone who loves cars as much as I do, meeting a rare and special machine can have unintended consequences. No one would blink if you were so emotionally affected by an opera or fresco, but to be weak-kneed by a car? A Pontiac from the 1950s? Like most art, the effect on the viewer is one of the many mysteries of the world. Reviewing this Bonneville Sport Coupe today is quite an emotional affair. Pontiac was trying desperately to spring-board their brand from obscurity into the greats of automobiledom. They needed a flagship — something to draw the …

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Update1 – 1974 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale In Sublime Green + STRATOS Font Download

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On the eve of the Amelia Island Concours and RM Auctions sale, here is one we cannot resist sharing. Why? A.) It is a STRATOS. B.) It is the high-performance Stratos HF C. It is a delicious lime green that is sweet on the eyes, and tart on the tongue D. All of the above. RM Auctions will sell this stellar piece of automotive brilliance at the Lake Como Concours in Italy on May 23rd. BONUS! As a special bonus, here is the outrageous STRATOS typeface for use on your computer. Not super practical or legible, but gorgeous and unique …

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1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet 1

RM Amelia 2015 Preview – 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet

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This Ferrari 400 SuperAmerica is absolutely unbelievable – it looks like it just came in from Modena this morning. Stellar. 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet   Amelia Island 14 March 2015 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet by Pinin Farina Chassis no. 1945 SA Engine no. 1945 SA

1952 Ferrari 212 Export Barchetta by Touring Superleggera 27

RM Auctions Villa Erba Preview – 1952 Ferrari 212 Export Barchetta by Touring Superleggera

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Three cars so far in the Villa Erba catalog: all Ferrari’s, all exceptional. The 288 GTO shown previously, this stunner, and a yellow Enzo. This 1952 Ferrari 212 Export Barchetta by Touring might be the most special and collectable of all Ferrari’s — of all time, actually. Sure, it might not have the timeless beauty of the 250 series, but this 212 is far more exclusive as a surviving competition car. This exact 212 Export was the actually the final one made by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan. As legend goes, almost all Ferrari race-cars were smelted after their seasons, both …

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RM Auctions Villa Erba Preview - 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO 15

RM Auctions Villa Erba Preview – 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO

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The 288 GTO is a very special, and very important Ferrari. Inspiring the new 488 GTB name for the latest turbo V8 engine, the 288 GTO was easily the highest-performance hypercar of the 1980s. Until…. the F40 of 1987. The F40 completely shaded the 288 GTO’s accomplishments via a simple restyle over largely carry-over engineering from the 288 GTO. Originally envisioned for the Group B racing series known for its ‘no rules’ attitude toward max power outputs, the 288 GTO is definitely a legend for those in the know. Hopefully the cognoscenti are in attendence of the Villa Erba RM …

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1927 Miller 91 Boyle Valve Special 30

RM Auctions Amelia Island 2015 – 1927 Miller 91 Boyle Valve Special

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  Harry Miller was a Wisconsin-born racecar designer and engineer who innovated new engine designs and tested them on the world’s fastest racetrack: the oval of the Indianapolis 500. Legend says that 80-plus-percent of the Indy cars fielded in the 1920s were Miller designs, with at least a dozen race-winners from 1911 to 1933 when his business folded. Harry Miller’s race team would go on after being purchased by his shop foreman and chief machinist Fred Offenhauser, who would continue the race team until the 1980s. This 1927 Boyle Valve Special did not win the race, disappointing Miller considering he …

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1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2

RM Paris 2015 – 1973 Porsche 911 2.7 RS Touring – Seeks $700k

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The Porsche 911 RS was one of Porsche’s first tries at a truly high-performance 911. They, like most people, were dubious about the super-sports potential of the 911’s rear-engine design. But after re-balancing the company following huge winning streaks at LeMans and the CanAm racing series, Porsche was back to Earth in the early 1970s. The 2.7-liter flat-six was a huge jump in displacement from the original 2.0-liter design — and the 210-horsepower it made was enough to excite even the bravest drivers. This was, after all, a bare-bones and tiny sports-car. To go along with the huge power jump …

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tbirds 2001

RM Texas 2014 Highlights – 2001 Ford Thunderbird and 2003 Ford Thunderbird Supercharged Concepts

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The RM Auctions Texas 2014 sale in 2014 centered on Sam Pack’s amazing collection of 100-plus amazing American icons. Of all the marques in the world, Mr. Pack loved Ford best. And as far as Ford models, the Thunderbird was his all-time favorite. This is readily apparent looking through the catalog – with at least 10 Thunderbirds of all eras included in pristine, flawless condition. These two are part of a rare Ford sale of the original auto show concept cars from the 2000s. The 2001 Thunderbird Sports Roadster concept was widely liked when it debuted, and production was fast-tracked. …

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365gtb4

RM Paris 2015 Preview – 1969 Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta – Euro-Spec Plexiglass Nose

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It is hard to believe that the austere and perennially grumpy Europe we know today was once the largest market for supercars like this 1969 Daytona. This car may have itself marked a tipping point – when American sales of Ferrari and Lamborghini exotics would overtake the Continent for the first time. There was plenty of cash in American buyer hands, but the distribution of exotic imports was extremely limited until the mid-1960s. Unless you lived in Greenwich, CT or Malibu — there simply was no place to buy and service most European supercars. Rapid distribution expansion by Ferrari followed …

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fxx evo

RM Arizona 2015 Preview – 2005 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione

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This FXX Evo needs no intro. Fantastic. The one downside of buying this car will be the temptation to drive it on the roads in the USA, where it is not street-legal until 2030. A possible single-type exception might be possible depending on the state where you reside — but this one is likely to head overseas, where rules tend to be more flexible. 2005 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione    2005 Ferrari FXX Evo RM Auctions Arizona 15 – 16 January 2015 Lot 253 2005 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione $1,600,000 – $1,900,000   860 bhp, 6,262 cc rear-mounted longitudinal 65-degree V-12 engine …

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1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K

RM Arizona 2015 Preview – 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Sport Cabriolet A by Sindelfingen

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The 540K was one of the first supercars to prove that huge speed and mega luxury were not mutually exclusive. You can add flawless quality to the recipe as well. Just look at how the soft-top fits the windshield for evidence of Mercedes’ core excellence. The 540K Sport Cabriolet was the finest car on the high-speed autobahns of Germany when it debuted. It is the natural predecessor to the SL-Class Roadsters, and established the long-hood sports-car proportions of GT supercars. This was the car for movie stars, playboys and bon vivants of all stripes. No small legacy, then, for this …

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1984 Audi Sport Quattro

RM Arizona 2015 Preview – 1984 Audi Sport Quattro

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  Why so many auction articles, I hear you asking. Auctions are one of the only appearances of extremely rare and coveted classics, and the photos and bios prepared as owners ready their beauties for sale are some of the best out there. Because whoever buys the car will absolutely adore it and think of it constantly, the pricest ones expecting above $100,000 are truly gussied up for the occassion. It is the equivalent of the Oscars for vintage automobiles — and this is the red carpet. Few rally cars have as much lasting impact as the Audi Sport Quattro …

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hakosuka 4dsc

1970 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R Hakosuka Is Ultimate 4DSC Grand Master

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This is the second GT-R from RM Auctions recently — with the 1972 H/T coupe earning an impressive $242,000 at RM’s Monterey 2014 auction. That car is its two-door profile is more in line with the eventual GT-R lineage, but looks less like a Bond henchman’s ride than this G-man special. This Skyline GT-R sedan may find fewer general-interest fanboys, but among the cult of the Nissan 4DSC, it is the one to have. Nissan is eagerly cultivating the Hakosuka’s US descent’s return to 4-Door Sports Car glory with the 2016 Maxima, widely expected to debut in Detroit in January …

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duacti 750ss imola desmo receation

RM Arizona 2015 Preview – 1973 Ducati 750 SS Imola Desmo Recreation

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We just keep falling in love with the RM Auctions Arizona catalog!  This 1973 Ducati 750SS Imola is a recreation of a famous racing bike — but can be ridden on the roads safety and legally. The full aerodynamic nose and windshield shroud is an amazing functional and design statement that instantly sets this bike apart from even the latest Ducati Monsters of 2014. This 750SS celebrates the 200 Miglia Imola victory by Ducati – as shown in these official photos. 1973 Ducati 750 SS Imola Desmo Recreation RM Auctions Arizona 15 – 16 January 2015 1973 Ducati 750 SS …

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356 outlaw2

RM Arizona 2015 Preview – 1955 Porsche 356 OUTLAW Pre-A Emory Special Coupe

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The Porsche Outlaws from SoCal’s Emory family/Valley Customs are well-known in the coolest vintage 356 circles. We spotted a matte black example in Amelia Island and fell hard. The Outlaw Porsches are similar to Singer 911’s — rest0-modded originals that become something altogether more special, unique and fun to drive and own. This Pre-A 356 Coupe is even more enhanced — with a serious racing upgrade for the chassis, engine, exteroir design and cabin. It is truly easy on the eyes and a joy to drive. We envy its future owner! 1955 Porsche 356 OUTLAW   RM Auctions Arizona 15 …

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gt350

RM Arizona 2015 Preview – 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350

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RM Auctions is looking at a really stellar group of cars for the Arizona auctions in mid-January. It is a funky mix of exotics and Americana that will surely draw a wide swath of car collectors — all salivating at the prospect of driving one of these beauties home. Surprise for your author? Strongly preferring the 1970 Mustang Boss 302 Trans Am racecar to the production 1966 Shelby GT350 and (upcoming article) 1959 GT500 Convertible. The 1966 is still the true icon in the trio mentioned above, but seems a bit hokey these days. Actual performance by modern standards, for …

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mustang 1970 boss trans am

RM Arizona 2015 Preview – 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Kar Kraft Trans Am

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In more than a few ways, the new Mustang invokes the styling of the 1970 Boss 302 more than it does even the 1965 GT350 or the 1969 GT500. The over-wide stance and race-ready upgrades of this Kar Kraft Trans Am racer are just the right icing on the cake. Expect big loot for this School-Bus Yellow Boss 302 at RM Auctions in Arizona this January 15th. Arizona 15 – 16 January 2015 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Kar Kraft Trans Am  

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RM Arizona 2015 Preview – 1989 Lamborghini LM002 – The Off-Road Countach Is USA Street Legal

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A bit less of a legend than the 037 Lancia? Perhaps. But almost as appealing. After 25 years to appreciate the LM002’s overt masculinity, dreamer-spec engine and mechanicals, and before-its-time superlux offroader credentials — the LM002 looks like a new shape of timeless classic supercar to us. The biggest news about this Lambo Rambo besides its very fresh paint and excellent interior condition? It is finally old enough to be driven legally in the United States! It might even be time for John Rambo Jr. to hit the big screen, with this his on-screen battle truck….   1989 Lamborghini LM002 …

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RM Paris 2015 Preview – 1982 Lancia 037 Stradale Directly Influenced F40, 959 and GT-R

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The Lancia 037 is a legend to the core. The rally version and its AWD traction were a benchmark for Audi, Ferrari and Porsche when those firms were designing cars as legendary as the Sport Quattro, F40 and 959. No small praise! The “zero-three-seven” innovated up and down its chassis – with the tech specs below reading like a hypercar must-have list for the 1990s, far after this car was retired from sale for road use. Gas shocks, supercharged four-cylinder engine, ZF box slung out behind the mid-mounted powerplant, dry-sump-lubrication, kevlar-reinforced fiberglass panels, dual fuel tanks, magnesium and titanium components, …

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Iconic Classics - 1955 Aston Martin DB3S Earned $3

Iconic Classics – 1955 Aston Martin DB3S Earned $3.7M At RM Monterey 2012

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Aston Martin classic buyers come in similar taste preference buckets as new Aston buyers: either conservative Silver and Green rule the mind, or wild shades and racing liveries. This fire orange example of a pristine DB3S falls into the latter camp very spectacularly. Emblematic of Aston’s resurgent post-war mission to take on the world’s best in racing, the DB3S is best known today as one of the most beautiful racing roadsters of all time. 1955 Aston Martin DB3S RM Auctions Monterey 17 – 18 August 2012   Lot 214 1955 Aston Martin DB3S Sports Racing Car To be auctioned on …

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250lm

RM Monterey 2014 – 1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti Brings $11.5M

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When SEMA becomes too much to handle, where to we turn for comfort and a little much-needed class? This 1964 Ferrari 250 Le Mans — one of the first mid-engine Ferrari’s ever made. Despite bringing more than $11-million this August in California, the only way is up for a car as special as this. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM   RM Auctions Monterey 15 – 16 August 2014 1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti To be auctioned on Friday, August 15, 2014 Sold for $11,550,000 Chassis no. 6045 Engine no. 6045 320 hp, 3,286 aluminum-block V-12 engine with six Weber 38 …

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RM London 2014 Highlights – 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione Tour de France by Scaglietti

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  With many high-dollar supercars that are sold at auction, the outside world might have a hard time appreciating their finer detail. What makes one model worth exponentially more than another? But to those in the know, the “old masters” of the (post-war) car world are racing Ferrari 250GT’s. Any 250GT, really. A 250GT with racing influences in their design/construction or track time under their belts will always bring huge money. FOr this 1956 250GT Tour de France, anyone can appreciate the glamor and beauty and iconic design from all angles. This is one that takes no concours experience to …

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1990 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition Brings $358k at RM London

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Surprising to see a 1990 model year attached to any Countach, but there you have it! An original and low-mileage example, this Lambo is a perfect time-capsule hypercar for some lucky owner. 1990 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition

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RM Hershey Highlights – 1941 Chris-Craft 27-Foot Barrel Back “Runaway Jane”

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A bit of a diversion here — the Hershey PA event from RM Auctions delivered a huge swath of old-world excellence. More pre-war cars, coaches and trucks than are typically seen at these events, to be sure. Among the collection’s top earners is this stunning 1941 Chris-Craft 27′ Model 115 Custom Runabout. Widely know as one of the most beautiful boat styles of all time, any Chris-Craft is a beautiful sight on the water. But this “Runaway Jane” is particularly beautiful, with the stunning handmade tail section forming almost a perfect half-circle. Dubbed the “Barrel Backs” for a resemblence to …

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Rm Dallas Preview - ORIGINAL 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra gif

RM Dallas Preview – ORIGINAL 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra Estimated at $1MM+

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All original – right down to this lovely green color – with less than 15,000 miles from new? Fitted with a 427 Ford Police Interceptor V8 with extra torque and durability from new when built in 1966? Yessir!   1967 Shelby 427 Cobra RM Auctions   Sam Pack Collection 14 – 15 November 2014 Lot 188 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra To be auctioned on Saturday, November 15, 2014 Without Reserve $1,100,000 – $1,400,000 Chassis no. CSX 3279   425 bhp, 427 cu. in. Ford V-8 engine with a single four-barrel carburetor, four-speed manual transmission, four-wheel coil-spring independent suspension, and four-wheel hydraulic …

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RM Hershey Highlights – 1905 FIAT 60HP Five-Passenger Tourer by Quinby & Co.

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A top earner at the Hershey, Pennsylvania event from RM Auctions earlier this month? This 1905 Fiat Tourer with a whopping 60-horsepower. 60HP is double what anything else offered in 1905 — with huge power like this making it the Rolls-Royce and Bentley of its era. The Fiat packs triple the 20-hp that the Ford Model T’s “L-head” four-cylinder delivered from from 1910 to 1930. A wheel and triple-pedal setup on the floor also predates nearly any other car with this now-standard control layout. This very car was originally owned by August Anheuser Busch Senior — to give a sense …

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RM Hershey 2014 Highlights – 1956 Ford F-100 Panel Truck

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In the auction world, you either go where the money is — or where the collection is. In the case of the Sam Pack collection in Dallas this November, you go to the collection. Same applied here with the Hershey, PA auction earlier in October for the Jeffrey Day estate. A charming collection of mostly pre-war vehicles is specked with stagecoaches from 1860 and curio’s like this F-100 panel van. The more utilitarian models in many millionaire’s collections carry some form of sentimental value. And how could this baby blue Ford not be special? We just wonder: how many cases …

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RM Dallas Preview – 2002 Lincoln Continental Concept + 2004 Lincoln Mark X Concept

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This is a rare pair of concepts — two of more than 75 very special cars that are up for auction November 14 and 15 in Dallas. Part of the Sam Pack collection, these two Lincolns are both very special parts of the Pack auction. Pack appears to have loved American cars best, and Ford and Lincolns best of all. These modern concept cars represent an option to own something that does not exist — true one-offs. But one is far more desirable than the other! Which one? We would say the Mark X concvertible is the more usable versus …

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miura p400s

RM Monterey 2014 Highlights – 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S Earns $1.2M

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  After being declined an RM Auctions press pass for this year’s Monterey (Pebble Beach) auction, we froze RM coverage for a few months to focus on Gooding and Bonhams. But this stunning Lamborghini has brought us back into the fold. A combination of the right spec and the right colors makes it one of the hottest classic supercars in the world in 2014. Originally yellow, this early P400S runs an original engine and shows just 30,000 miles under its Carrara White exterior. We have learned a bit about the Carrara White color recently – being named after the Carrara …

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USA Debut – 2014 JAGUAR F-TYPE Project 7 Speedster! 3.8s to 60MPH, 575HP, 250 Copies Max

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Update2 Included here is the final US-specification of the Project 7 from Jaguar. Very, very impressive style in person — with far more visual aggression and intensity than even the F-Type R from all angles. The US car has a slightly taller windshield than the Euro models, but all are sure to cause quite a stir whereever they drive. The latest front bumper design is gorgeous, but the silver-painted grille shroud is very cheesy. We’d recommend the gloss black choice, which nicely blends into the deep carbon sills and the huge diffuser out back. 2014 JAGUAR F-TYPE Project 7   …

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Mercer 1911 t35r

RM Auctions 2014 Monterey Preview – 1911 Mercer Type 35R Raceabout

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If the official name of Raceabout is not confirmation enough! This Mercer 1911 Type 35R Raceabout is perhaps the worlds first rally sportscar. Outstanding. 1911 Mercer Type 35R RaceAbout Monterey 15 – 16 August 2014 Lot 235 1911 Mercer Type 35R Raceabout $2,500,000 – $3,500,000 Chassis no. 35-R-354 Engine no. 35-R-137 Contact Us View Lots An institution for over 25 years, the historic Monterey auction is held at the Portola Hotel & Spa, steps away from downtown Monterey and Fisherman’s Wharf. The spacious plaza, ballroom, and lobby at the Portola present ample room and comfort to preview the diverse offering …

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RM Motor City 2014 Highlights – 1976 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser is Flawless, Earns $70k

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“Icon” or “hall of fame” status for a new automobile is never a sure thing. Those first few hundred models roll out from an engineer’s blueprints, down the assembly line, and into global showrooms (relatively) untested and unproven. Will it sell? Will it break down? Time will tell. So nobody claims current cars are icons right away. Even fewer automakers would say: will this truck define the brand (and even ‘Made in Japan’) in the eyes of global car shoppers from this point forward? Will it be a good reputation? All of these are lofty goals, but ones the FJ40 …

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Bugatti 57C Stelvio GIF1

RM Monterey Preview – 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff is Ultimate Beach Cabrio

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A charming story with this car, as told below by RM Auctions. 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff           RM Auctions Monterey 15 – 16 August 2014 Lot 115 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff $800,000 – $1,000,000 Chassis no. 57597 Engine no. 82 C 210 bhp, 3,257 cc supercharged DOHC inline eight-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, solid front axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, live rear axle with quarter-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 130 in. Formerly of the Bob Pond Collection Mechanical restoration by the legendary “Bunny” Phillips First in …

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RM Monterey Preview – 2006 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione Will Make You Ferrari Owners Club VIP

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An FXX coming to Pebble Beach is pretty special. It will do exceptionally well among this high-rolling bidder pool. Typically, exotic prototypes are known to seal many orders from Pebble Beach as one of the best concours and car shows on the annual calendar. Therefore, the FXX Evo will be a sort of Top Trumps among ‘who bought what’ recaps. The Ferrari FXX is special for simply being a hardcore Corse Clienti model already – but also upgraded to the latest racing spec. This is quicker than even the Ferrari 458 Evo on the CC circuit this year. It is …

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RM Auctions 2014 Monaco Highlights – 1964 Alpine M64 Is Gorgeous and Historically Significant Racing Hero

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As we watch the rebirth of Renault-Alpine and the Alpine sportscar legacy over the next few years, it is great to trace the roots of the firm and appreciate some of its greatest-hits. The A110 Berlinette was by far the most iconic machine produced for sale by Alpine, but was it the quickest around a track or the most gorgeous? Despite how cute that A110 looked in Amelia Island earlier this year above… http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2014/03/10/amelia-parking-lot-finds-1960s-renault-alpine-a110-cali-plates-passenger-seat-full-suitcases/ No sir – those awards go to the long-body M64 racercar version shown here. One of only three ever made, the M64 Alpine won its class …

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1940 Packard Custom Super Eight Convertible Sedan by Darrin

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Here is a gorgeous car with a unique back-story ahead of the RM Auctions Motor City event on July 26th in Plymouth, Michigan. After working as a master apprentice with French coachbuilders for more than a decade, Dutch Darrin returned to America to set up his own shop. The French coach-built car industry from the 1920s to the 1930s was the absolute best in the world – delivering wild one-off creations to buyers around the world. Cars like the Delehaye 139, the Hispano-Suiza Xenia or the Rolls-Royce Round Door Coupe all came from this small piece of land around and …

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RM Auctions Monterey 2014 Preview – 1974 versus 1975 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale

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Wow. Original barely does this one justice. It looks as-new and totally unaltered from its factory state. It might not be as butch or low-riding as some tweaked 1975 Stratos — but is probably the more valuable of the two among serious collectors. A similar, but less original, 1975 model (shown at bottom) brought $375,000 at last year’s RM Monterey sale. This 1974 car is being sold without reserve by RM Auctions August 15th (or 16th) in Monterey, California. 1974 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1068220 Photo Credit: Neil Gardner ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions   1975 Stratos Sale by RM …

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RM Monterey 2014 Preview – 1972 Nissan Skyline H/T 2000 GT-R Hakosuka

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All I could think as I came across this 1972 Skyline GT-R in the 2014 RM Auctions Monterey preview was…. “Awww yeahhh!!”   It seems, dear friends, that our day has finally come! Skyline GT-Rs in Monterey, rubbing shoulders with some of the most prestigious vehicles ever created. As the boomer generation starts to finally take a back seat to guys under 65 years old, the auction world changes with them. It is a huge relief to see less emphasis on Packard’s and other brands we have never come across in our lives – in favor of car with modern-day …

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Iconic Classic Supercars: 1965 Bizzarrini Strada Alloy 5300GT One of Most Influential Cars, Ever

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Ever the tornado of creativity and speed, Ferrari was quite volatile in the early 1960s. For every race they won, it seems like a failed buyout from Ford and the epic ‘palace revolution’resulted in a big brain drain for Maranello. Competing hot-shot engineers would form nearly a dozen competing supercar marques, including Lamborghini, De Tomaso, Iso, ATS, ASA and Bizzarrini. Each led by a mastermind engineer, stylist, machinist or visionary, only Lamborghini’s brand was strong enough to make it to the 1970s and beyond. The Ferrari exodus left all these talented men with huge ideas, but less of a real …

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HD Video – 1953 Gordini 24S Blasts Around Its Favorite Tracks Before RM Auctions Paris Sale

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 This car defies logic. On one hand, it looks adorable and cute. So narrow and low, with the blue bodywork peeled back around the exhaust manifold and the straight-cut pipes. Watch the below… The Gordini starts to howl at about the half-way mark of this video preview. Kudos to its bold driver, who is not shy with the loud pedal. Firing up the 24S takes a prod onto an organ-stop switch – included as the fuel cutoff for racing. This very car won the Tour de France (a car race at the time…) and also traded paint with Porsche and …

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JAGUAR Special Operations To Build F-TYPE Project 7 Speedster! 3.8s to 60MPH, 575HP, 250 Copies Max

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JAGUAR Special Operations To Build F-TYPE Project 7 UPDATE1 JAGUAR Special Operations Will Build 250 Project 7 F-TYPE Speedsters What a thrilling announcement! Jaguar Special Operations has revealed that it is hard at work finalizing a production version of the Project 7 F-TYPE — and will produce 250 of them for sale around the world. This includes the US — or North America at least — but will have some revisions to the design to meet cabrio safety rules. This might mean a taller windshield, but the final US design remains secret. Performance figures are out of the bag though: …

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RM Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C by Scaglietti Brings $7.8M

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Such a high total makes perfect sense for this daring 1966 Ferrari – one of the last of the dominating 250-derived models to actually see and win races. One of the other 12 cars like this actually took first place at LeMans in its class in 1965, proving beyond any doubt that there was something quite special in the car’s mystique. A three-pack of reasons are most logical for explaining the Monaco-topping $7.8-million earned by this immaculate example, and they go beyond rarity. — Alloy panels were an exotic prospect then and now versus the typical steel-bodied racers, and on …

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Hall of Fame – Porsche 959 Komfort and 959 Vorserie from RM Auctions

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Hall of Fame – Porsche 959 Komfort and 959 Vorserie from RM Auctions UPDATED 6.19.14 Okay, these photos should now open in new tabs. If they do not, I am going to pull my hair out. Thankyou for reading =] -Tom Sometimes I find it helpful to look at two pristine examples of a classic masterpiece when prepping these articles. All the variations in styling, specification and lifestyle really cannot be summed up with one car. Unless it only came in Rosso Corsa red and had a twin-turbocharged V-8 mounted mod-ship, that is. The 959 has always been a beguilingly …

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RM Auctions Monterey 2014 Preview – 1953 Lancia Aurelia PF200C Spider by Pinin Farina

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Wouldn’t you have love to meet the Farina clan? They are to Italian creativity what the Agnelli’s are to Italian heavy industry. Shrewd, forward-looking, mad as hatters, and always great with the chalk/charcoal — here is a firm founded in 1930 by Battista Farina and carried in the family through Sergio and later Andrea, until the latter’s untimely death in 2008. Many, many family fortunes are totally gone by the third generation. The second generation runs the company fairly well, under the continued tutelage of the master founder — aka, ‘grandpa.’ The second-gen is usually a prodigy of some kind …

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RM Auctions Monterey 2014 Preview – 1936 Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster Is First American Supercar

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1936 Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster So, if the Chrysler Airflow Eight from the previous article is a delightful curio in the evolution of the modern family car, this Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster will definitely get us back-on-track for sportscars. Supercars, even! This machine was one of the most powerful and rapid American cars ever made, and perhaps one of the best-handling as well. This was well before any Corvettes or even any Mustangs. Decades beforehand. Until this point, the most sporting cars were some mini Duesenburg’s all the way to giant Packard’s and Hudson’s. This Auburn split the difference in …

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RM Auctions Motor City 2014 Preview – 1934 Chrysler Airflow Eight Sedan Is First Family Cruiser

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The ‘first family cruiser’… is a nice way of re-writing my original headline: ‘first mini-van?’ So was it the first mini-van as we know them? No. But it does have the tall shape and profile of a useful family car, particularly versus the panel trucks, Model A tourers, or the rumble seat two-doors that were most plentiful in this time period and affordable price range. Few other non-luxury cars could fit a family inside an enclosed cabin in 1934. What was the need? Where would you all “go” together?  This was before most paved roads, let alone interstates. RM Auctions …

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RM Monterey 2014 Preview – 1953 Fiat-Siata 1500 Coupe Speciale

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This Fiat-Siata 1500 Coupe Speciale looks good enough to eat! Adorable lines shown here, in a style that is a dead ringer for the Ferrari road cars of this year as well. Monterey 15 – 16 August 2014 1953 Fiat-Siata 1500 Coupe Speciale Chassis no. MI 0139154 MI Engine no. SL0215   Entrant at the 1954 and 1955 Mille Miglias; One-off, custom-built Italian competition coupe; Extensive restoration by the current owner; Shown at the 2010 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance  

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RM Monterey 2014 Preview – 1961 Aston-Martin DB4 Superleggera – Lost by Castrol Ltd, Found By You

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This sentence originally closed the article, but must be bumped to the front: This is a Superleggera car — with an alloy bodyshell! HIGHLY DESIRABLE…! Carrozzeria Touring handled these few cars, if we are not mistaken… This DB4 was originally delivered to Castrol in the United Kingdom, forty years before Castrol motor oils officially became part of British Petroleum in the year 2000. For trivia buffs, CC Wakefield and Company became Castrol in 1960, before being purchased by Burmah Oil in 1966. But this has nothing to do with this outstandingly-authentic DB4, which is in true “Barn-Find” condition. Somehow, the …

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RM Monterey 2014 Preview – 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype

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Ahh, the joy of discovery. Discovery? Is that the right word for ‘finding’ something that many knew about before, and which has existed for the last 50 years? Hm… Nevertheless, imagine my surprise and delight upon seeing this GT40 Roadster Prototype on the RM Auctions website today. Less than a month ago we asked ourselves a hypothetical question: what if there had been a GT40 Can-Am Spyder? It is great to see that not only is there one, there were 12 made in all. This one has an all-star owner and driver list that includes none other than Carroll Shelby …

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1966 Toyota 2000GT Targa – Bond Movie Car Idea Realized, But Earned Only $200k in RM Auctions London 2010

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In the 1960s, the 2000GT was best known from the line… “Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond.” In 2014? “Welcome to Monte Carlo, Mr. Toyoda.”   This is the closing of the previous 2000GT article here on Car-Revs-Daily.com — so what is more appropriate than talking about Bond cars in this next article!? After it was discovered that the rather tall Sean Connery did not fit inside the 2000GT hardtop, Toyota was in a pickle. Eager to participate in the film, the company presented two ideas to the Bond producers: a targa or a cabriolet. Both would need to be made in …

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RM Auctions Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1968 Toyota 2000GT Joins Million-Plus Japanese Car Club

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Rare is the key word for any Asian car to crest the million dollar mark — only two or three other 2000GT’s can claim membership, and only since 2013. Even referring to the group as “Asian” cars is quite a misnomer – no other car from South Korea or China is anywhere near this mark in classic car values. Values for the ultimate 1960s Japanese supercar are firmly on the ascent, with buyers eager to own its delicate curves and precision inline-six engine. Outright power is not really part of the appeal with only 150-horsepower available from the Yamaha-partnership engine …

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RM Auctions Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1973 DeTomaso Pantera Rally Special Is Low-Brow Heaven

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See!? Just when you think DeTomaso will start bringing some serious loot for his supercars, along comes this Pantera Rally Special – earning just under $80,000 total. The Pantera took the Mangusta design to the next epoch of supercar style, with a slant-nose and hidden lamps that were all the rage by 1973. But the Pantera is really a victim of its own popularity and success — the name alone has less cache now than it deserves. This is mostly due to the volume of cars imported to America, and the owners being a less-than-classy bunch. This is like the rockstar …

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RM Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1969 DeTomaso Mangusta Brings $367k of Supercar Hedonism

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Oh, this is a great total to see. Overall, DeTomaso machines typically do not deliver the value they should when you consider their beauty and hand-made Italian designs. The shortcut of using an American engine has never been kind to the values of classics, with even the Face Vega’s of Paris and many others really not delivering the stratospheric sales prices of Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s of the same provenance and era. This Mangusta is quite a sinfully delicious design, with a brutality to its nose that was and is a nice counterpoint to the streamlined Daytona Ferrari, pin-sharp Maserati Ghibli …

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RM Auctions Monaco 2014 – Ferrari Enzo Stuns in Yellow over Black

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  2003! That is eleven years ago. But even today, you would be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful and crave-able hypercar. At least until LaFerrari starts its march to greatness…! Official Details and Photo Credit below to RM Auctions. 2003 Ferrari Enzo To be auctioned on Saturday, May 10, 2014 Sold for €868.000 Chassis no. ZFF CZ5 6B0 0013 3512 660 bhp, 5,998 cc DOHC 65-degree V-12 engine with Bosch Motronic engine management and electronic fuel injection, six-speed electro-hydraulic computer-controlled sequential F1 gearbox, limited-slip differential and traction control, front and rear pushrod-actuated double wishbones with horizontal external reservoir coil-spring damper …

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RM Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C by Scaglietti Brings $7.8M

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Such a high total makes perfect sense for this daring 1966 Ferrari – one of the last of the dominating 250-derived models to actually see and win races. One of the other 12 cars like this actually took first place at LeMans in its class in 1965, proving beyond any doubt that there was something quite special in the car’s mystique. A three-pack of reasons are most logical for explaining the Monaco-topping $7.8-million earned by this immaculate example, and they go beyond rarity. — Alloy panels were an exotic prospect then and now versus the typical steel-bodied racers, and on …

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RM Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1985 Porsche 959 Prototype in Bright White Earns $653k

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The Porsche 959 is my ultimate dream-car, and has been for almost my entire life. This surviving prototype was one of the first cars ever made, and is flawless in its originality. This includes Denloc racing wheels, cloth interior and bright white paint. Dreamy barely does this one justice, even with some panel gap issues in the hood and elsewhere. Re-discovered my RM Auctions media credentials, so here is the 1985 Porsche 959 Prototype in all is mega-high-res glory.   1985 Porsche 959 Prototype To be auctioned on Saturday, May 10, 2014 Sold for €476.000 Chassis no. WPOZZZ93ZFS010067 Code no. …

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RM Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1993 Bugatti EB110 GT Brings $384k of Rapid Hypercar Class

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That is great value for this sure-to-appreciate asset. Originally priced in the $450,000 ballpark even back in 1993, this rare Verde Scuro (dark green) EB110 GT is the epitome of the aristocrat’s hypercar. Not yellow and not even Bugatti Blue – this is one for cruising under the radar. But cruising at warp speeds. The original quad-turbo engine was plenty to scoot this incredible machine to 60-mph in 3.7-seconds before ultimately reaching a top speed of more 213 mph. This is in completely stock transmission and tire settings, by the way — which cannot be said for the 240-mph Vmax …

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RM Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1969 Lamborghini Miura S Jota

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Flip lamps or flush lamps? The eternal supercar question plays out with this 1969 Lamborghini Miura S, which includes the Jota-specification flush lamps. The overall appearance is far more modern than the original Miura’s oval and black-shrouded flip-up headlights, and likely much sleeker through the air with them on as well. The Miura S models banished much of the front-end lift at high speeds for which the original Miura was criticized, but, we wonder: are those flip-up headlights also a factor? They would act like a wall of air in the nose, causing inevitable weighting onto the back of the …

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RM Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1982 Mirage M12 Group C Sports Prototype is Aero GT40

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  Official Details from RM Auctions below.   1982 Mirage M12 Group C Sports Prototype To be auctioned on Saturday, May 10, 2014 Sold for €84.000 Chassis no. M12-002   540 bhp, 3,995 cc DOHC Ford-Cosworth DFL V-8 engine, five-speed Hewland VG5 manual transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension with double wishbones and coil springs, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2,667 mm One of only two Mirage Group C Sports Prototypes Extensively tested by GTC, with Harley Cluxton III behind the wheel Equipped with the fantastic 3.9-litre Ford DFL engine Eligible for Group C historic races; includes FIA paperwork 1982 Mirage …

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1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 Daytona Earns $1.72M at RM Auctions Monaco 2014

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The Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 is a profound machine, with previous racing evolution articles (linked below) admiring the huge strides made by this core chassis between 1967 and 1970. There were many flavors of the Tipo 33, but it started off looking swoopy like a 1950s racer, and ended that span of years looking like a serious threat to the Porsche 917. 1697 Alfa-Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale 1968 Alfa-Romeo Tipo 33 Mugello and Daytona http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2013/12/26/iconic-classic-supercars-1967-1969-alfa-romeo-tipo-33-stradale/ 1968 Alfa-Romeo Tipo 33/2 LeMans 1968 Alfa-Romeo Tipo 33/4 Tasman http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2013/12/26/racing-evolution-summed-3-cars-3-years-alfa-t33-t332-t334-tasman/ The Tipo 33/2 is perhaps the most important in this dramatic evolution of the …

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NOW and THEN Design Showcase – 2013 JAGUAR Project 7 versus 1955 JAGUAR D-TYPE

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It is not often that a one-off concept so directly references one specific car in the back catalog. Often, a hugely successful historical model like the 1955 D-TYPE Jaguar is recalled most fondly long after the fact. Its achievements on the racetrack making it even more beautiful, and even more of an iconic time capsule than a single design or even a single piece of art. It becomes a living, breathing part of that company’s heritage. Jaguar is never more eager to turn back to the 1950s and 1960s, which is odd in many ways. You just want to shake …

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Coolest Vintage Hood Ornaments -- RM Auctions Amelia Island 2014 -- Pierce-Arrow, Cadillac, Stutz, Chrysler, Ford, Aston-Martin, Bentley and More 43 - Copy

Coolest Vintage Hood Ornaments – Pierce-Arrow, Cadillac, Stutz, Chrysler, Ford, Bentley and More…

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I have an odd fascination with artful hood ornaments, and took some close-ups of favorites over the big Amelia Concours weekend. But first: when did hood ornament become a dirty word? They previously epitomized the height of class and prestige — while often serving functional benefits as well. Pierce-Arrow As the top-mounted radiator cap in the early days of luxury cars, you know knew the cap was screwed on (and threaded) correctly when the symbol faced dead ahead. (Ford) One highlight you must wonder about right away is the life-sized Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy. She is a 1940s art deco …

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Amelia Island Time Capsules: $903k 1937 Bugatti Type 57C Roadster — Leaves Me Cold — Find Out Why?

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Plowing through my gigantic Amelia Island photo folders. =] Not only do I rarely meet a Bugatti I do not like — I think the Amelia Island 2014 event was the first time I have ever touched any Bugatti, whatsoever! Therefore, you can imagine my internal surprise at my blase feelings toward this magnificent 1939 57C — which were less than positive. I just didn’t like it. The color seemed off, the coachwork overwrought, and certainly not nearly as stunning, genuine and authentically-desirable as the racecars across the room. I blamed poor lighting on day one due to the car …

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Amelia Island 2014 – 1939 Aston Martin 15/98 ans DB4 SuperLeggera

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 Amelia Island 2014 – 1939 Aston Martin 15/98 ans DB4 SuperLeggera Before we dive into this incredibly delicate but very powerful 15/98 shortie roadster — here is a selfie of your humble scribe with a touchably-smooth (caressably-soft?) 1960 DB4. Smooth, but definitely not soft. This DB4 wears the cherished SuperLeggera badge — indicating its body was made of aluminum-alloy versus steel.Aston-Martin worked with Milan’s Carrozzeria Touring on a number of projects in this era. Estimated weight saving with alloy? 250-pounds or more. This DB4 sold for $462,000 by RM Auctions on March 8th, 2014. Adding $150,000 to that total takes …

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Video Walk-Around + 33 Photos – 1935 Amilcar G36 Pegasé Boattail Roadster

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This car is quite special. The video notes that thhe Pegase Boattail Roadster was by Jacques Soutchek, but that may not be the case. The tiny Amilcar company of Paris certainly shared much of the Soutchek style shown in various custom Delehaye’s and Bugatti’s — a style which was typically hand-formed alloy and steel by only a small group of skilled craftsmen like Mr. S. Overall, the Pegase Boattail Roadster is most notable for its rarity and immaculate presentation, if not its sheer pace or the grandeur of some of the gigantic Delehaye’s and Bugatti’s from this interwar period. Tent/Lawn …

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Meet the Real Bond Car: 1954 Bentley Continental R-Type Fastback — RM Auctions Monaco Preview

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As much as we young folks like to think Aston-Martin is the epitome of a Bond car, that was not actually the case the first few times our man slid behind the wheel in Ian Fleming’s novels. His preferred coach in at least the first few books is the Bentley Continental R-Type, in black, if we’re not mistaken. Without quoting any of Flemings work (for lack of time, in honesty); the R-Type Fastback Sports Saloon certainly best matches my memories of his first car-of-choice. For, you see, Commander Bond was a bit of a lout. He was not a wild …

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Amelia Time Capsules — 1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limo by Park Ward — 60 Delightful Photos — Sold for $99,000 By RM

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This stately car was such a huge milestone for Rolls-Royce that the core template and style of this 1960 car barely changed for the next thirty years. In fact, Queen Elizabeth probably still wishes this were her daily cruiser. Such is its elegant simplicity, comfort and joyousness outside and in. The Phantom V Park Ward is still the utmost in formal living, so this realistic auction result is even more appreciable. Channel4 in the UK will air a relatively candid look inside Rolls-Royce this evening, but candid is a relative term in Goodwood. While the youthfulness of the staff and …

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180MPH, Million-Dollar Ford Mustang! 1965 SHELBY GT350R — Video Walkaround, Insights and 35 All-New Photos

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This Mustang is so amazingly hot in person, one finds it hard not to paw up and down its panels. RM Auctions Amelia Island really aced this huge sale — earning $984,000 for its original driver and owner, Charlie Kemp. Mr. Kemp and his top mechanic were on hand with some fascinating insights about the racecar, shared in the below video around the three-minute mark. The most exciting things I learned from him were regarding the extremely low suspension setup to limit aero drag, the paint job, and the top speed at redline.   — Aero and structural stiffness enhancements: …

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1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R Set to Cross Block in Amelia Island 2014

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Update: Met Charlie Kemp and learned all about the car while down for the auctions.  New article coming soon. =] This car. Oh man, this car! Forgive me for two RM Auctions articles in row, but have you ever seen such a gorgeous racing Shelby? The orange lip and splitter brings some Aston Martin Racing flair to the car – even though this Shelby-signed racecar came decades before. The Aston Martin Vantage from the 1970s-1990s actually shared much of the Mustang’s hood-grille style, in fact. So good sharing across the pond. This Ford GT350R is scheduled for Amelia Island’s RM …

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1928 Bugatti Type 37A Grand Prix Supercharged– $962,000 at RM Auctions Amelia 2014 — 45 Original Photos

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This former GP car was one of two 1920s-era Bugatti’s roaming the Ritz-Carlton grounds this weekend. The other was black and will be featured in even more photographic detail than this little blue fella.   Both are absolutely enchanting up close, with a metal wire closure system for most bodywork that was ideal for rapid servicing without the need to un-bolt any bodywork. These GP cars carry a similar shape to other Bugatti racers, but are actually far smaller and more nimble machines than their big-engined brothers. Why? Racing rules from FIA specified a maximum engine size — with four cyclinders being …

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RM Auctions Lands 1971 Maserati Ghibli Spyder for Amelia 2014

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The Pray collection is a big part of the upcoming 2014 Amelia Island Concours at RM Auctions. It looks like the RM drinks social is at the Ritz. I am nervous already. The Ghibli Spyder was so immensely-popular when revealed that it also created an entire cottage industry of custom conversions. This really makes sense. The shark-like bit of the Ghibli’s styling was dramatically weighed down by the huge fastback coupe style. The rear canopy is large enough to overwhelm the delicate front shapes in total. Therefore, seeing any out and about is a good thing. One offered for sale? …

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Update1 — 1970 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman SWB for $75,000 In Charleston, South Carolina

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 No words to describe this immaculate 1970 Pullman? I am never short of words! Yes, a tech thing prevented description of this car yesterday. But I will say these things now: — cars in this quality are very rare — price just 10% of a the total earned by drop-top six-door 1971 600 Pullman earlier this month in Paris by RM Auctions — for history fans or the inherently curious: the eagle in the front grille is the German Imperial flag — and nothing to do with some other eagle iconography that is perhaps better-known from Deutschland. https://www.deutschland.de/en This car …

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Wealth Dreams -- 1930 Lancia Lambda 8 Sports Tourer Seeks New Home -- My Home 6

Wealth Dreams — 1930 Lancia Lambda 8 Sports Tourer Seeks New Home — My Home!

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So, if you were in the audience or bidding online during RM Auctions’ Paris 2014 event, what would you pick to drive home? Let’s have an imaginary budget of $150,000 — which is plenty — where would your dollars go? For me, it is this 1930 Lancia Lambda 8 Sports Tourer. It speaks to me. I think about it often. It is like a lover I will never have, or a friend I’ll never lose. Four doors, low roof, drama from all angles — yep. This is just my style. It is still seeking a new ‘forever home’ since not …

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Update2 — RM Auctions Paris Gala Brings Out the Global Jet Set… But Also High Reserves

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RM is a real class act. This Blenheim, Ontario-based automotive specialist auction house took the best possible route to the European collector’s market via a glittering February 5th, 2014 Gala in Paris. For a relative new-comer in the seven-figure classic car world, RM is making all the right moves. Did they arrive in Paris with a variety of old Mustangs and Corvettes? Nope — not a single yank tank is in the top-thirty list from this event. The hand-crafted list of cars includes a number of unique and special pieces with extra relevance to France and European racing history. Names …

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1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 ‘Six-Door’ Pullman Landaulet — *Just* $731,000 at RM Auctions Paris 2014

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Just $731,000? That is still a huge sum of money, right? In today’s world, for a six-door Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet, this is an absolute bargain. First off: most of these cars have never left the banana republics they originally called home. Many are still in active service all over the world. Secondly, this car might look rough cosmetically, but let me assure you: the Mercedes-Benz 600 (and all their pre-1989 cars, for that matter) are unbelievably strong automobiles.     I know this for a fact because I spent three weeks a few years ago dis-assembling the interior of …

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Swoopy 1955 D-type JAGUAR Tops All Comers with $5M Total in Fabulous RM Auctions Paris Gala 3

Swoopy 1955 D-type JAGUAR Tops All Comers with $5M Total in Fabulous RM Auctions Paris Gala

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Both my gorgeous French Racing Blue favorites could not approach the total earned by this BRG stunner from Jaguar the other week in Paris. RM Auctions delivered a possible world-record Jaguar total with the sale of this flawless 1955 D-type for just over $5 million on February 5th, 2014. Stay tuned for more details in the next few minutes via an upcoming article. But wanted to highlight the exceptional nature of this D-type Jaguar. Well bought and well sold — a rare combination. Photos courtesy of RM Auctions. Thankyou!

RM Auctions – Paris 2014 Preview Series, Part3 – 1936 Delahaye Type 135S 17

RM Auctions – Paris 2014 Preview Series, Part3 – 1936 Delahaye Type 135S

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Despite being the third entry in this series of articles, the 1936 Delahaye 135S is my sentimental favorite ahead of RM Auctions Paris Gala on February 5th. Online bidding is available – with full details near bottom of this article. French Racing Blue might be the subliminal theme of the auction, which also includes 50-plus legendary racecars and priceless classics. You can sense the excitement in the preview program for this Delahaye in particular. Another close favorite in this genre is the Gordini 53S – featured in a previous article here. The video of the Gordini at full throttle is …

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RM Auctions Paris Feb 2014 - 1982 Porsche 956 Group C Sports-Prototype 13

RM Auctions – Paris 2014 Preview Series, Part2 – 1982 Porsche 956-004 Group C

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What would happen if the long-body racers from the late 1960s could be made stronger, lighter and 3X as quick around corners? Turbocharging and advanced aerodynamics in this 956 Group C racer were paramount to winning championships – as were high-speed pace and near-unbreakable reliability. It added up to a world-beating racing program for much of the 1980s for Porsche. The dream is very much alive today – with 620-horsepower and fantasy track thrills – and will be auctioned on February 5, 2014 in Paris by RM Auctions. 1982 Porsche 956 Group C Sports-Prototype – To be auctioned on Wednesday, …

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RM Auctions - Paris 2014 Previews - 1969 Lola T70 Mk IIIb by Sbarro20

RM Auctions – Paris 2014 Preview Series, Part1 – 1969 Lola T70 Mk IIIb by Sbarro

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Wow. RM Auctions had a record year in 2013, with a top-five list so classy there are barely any non-Duesenbergs. But things are even brighter so far in 2014. The Porsche below is one example. 1961 Porsche 718 RS 61 Spyder – Sold for $2,750,000 on Thursday, January 16, 2014   Chassis no. 718-066 Engine no. P90316 This is part one in a series of articles highlighting a handful of favorites ahead of the Place Vauban on February 5th from 5pm. A selection of the 50-plus cars being sold that night will be on display February 4th, after the International …

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RM Auctions Paris 2014 - 1953 Gordini 24S GIF1

HD Video – 1953 Gordini 24S Blasts Around Its Favorite Tracks Before RM Auctions Paris Sale

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 This car defies logic. On one hand, it looks adorable and cute. So narrow and low, with the blue bodywork peeled back around the exhaust manifold and the straight-cut pipes. Watch the below… The Gordini starts to howl at about the half-way mark of this video preview. Kudos to its bold driver, who is not shy with the loud pedal. Firing up the 24S takes a prod onto an organ-stop switch – included as the fuel cutoff for racing. This very car won the Tour de France (a car race at the time…) and also traded paint with Porsche and …

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Iconic Classic Supercars: 1965 Bizzarrini Strada Alloy 5300GT One of Most Influential Cars, Ever

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Ever the tornado of creativity and speed, Ferrari was quite volatile in the early 1960s. For every race they won, it seems like a failed buyout from Ford and the epic ‘palace revolution’resulted in a big brain drain for Maranello. Competing hot-shot engineers would form nearly a dozen competing supercar marques, including Lamborghini, De Tomaso, Iso, ATS, ASA and Bizzarrini. Each led by a mastermind engineer, stylist, machinist or visionary, only Lamborghini’s brand was strong enough to make it to the 1970s and beyond. The Ferrari exodus left all these talented men with huge ideas, but less of a real …

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RM Acutions 64 Hemi Charger Mont2011

Concept Flashback: 1964 Dodge Hemi Charger – Speedster Prototype

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Can you guess who hates Camaro and Mustang news? Dodge. This one-off concept’s HEMI engine gurgles and rocks the car as it revs with indignity at the 2.3-liter turbo four heading to the 2015 Mustang. No cubes = no pubes, the Hemi Charger growls to itself. Packing a 7.0-liter V8 engine with a quoted 600 horsepower, the Hemi Charger concept is part Batmobile part race-car and part street fantasy The proportions of this machine are hilariously retro. Clearly converted from a much longer sedan platform, the back deck of the Hemi Charger is a few feet longer than even the …

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Ferrari 599XX Heading to Paris for RM Auctions in Feb 2014

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Buckle up. Tighten belts. Hang on! It looks like the day has finally come: one of Ferrari’s ultra-exclusive Corse Clienti XX models is set for public sale by RM Auctions this February in Paris. Widely believed to be pushing out nearly 800 horsepower through its Enzo-plus V12 engine, all of the typical street weight is stripped out. A full carbon-fiber aero redesign nearly doubles downforce (and grip) versus the 599 road cars, and weight is a very private figure – assumed to be at least 800 pounds lighter than anything with a license plate. Type approvals and imports will be …

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RM Auctions and Sotheby’s Triple Pre-Sale Estimates at NY Gala

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The landmark collaboration between auto experts RM Auctions and artful Sotheby’s set new heights with November 2013’s “Art of the Automobile.” The week-long extravaganza sounds like it went perfectly, at least in terms of the pricing delivered to sellers and the variety of exceptional cars on display. This might have been one of those weeks in a city like Manhattan. Where millions of people walk by a dark building without a clue how much majesty is just a few feet away through the bricks. The cars were on display for pre-sale viewings, making this a bit of a secret garden …

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1964 Chevrolet CERV II7 ANIMATED GIF

RM Auctions and Sotheby's Triple Pre-Sale Estimates at NY Gala

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The landmark collaboration between auto experts RM Auctions and artful Sotheby’s set new heights with November 2013’s “Art of the Automobile.” The week-long extravaganza sounds like it went perfectly, at least in terms of the pricing delivered to sellers and the variety of exceptional cars on display. This might have been one of those weeks in a city like Manhattan. Where millions of people walk by a dark building without a clue how much majesty is just a few feet away through the bricks. The cars were on display for pre-sale viewings, making this a bit of a secret garden …

Keep reading