The three-night sale established a new benchmark for RM Sotheby’s at The Monterey Auction, with 69 lots exceeding $1 million, 14 exceeding $5 million, six exceeding $10 million, and two surpassing $30 million.
RM Sotheby’s achieved $380 million in total sales, with a 90% sell-through rate and bidders from 39 countries.
Competition cars delivered two of the week’s defining 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, while the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport at $18,705,000 became the most valuable Corvette ever sold at auction. The $40 million 2026 Ferrari Luce “Tailor Made,” offered exclusively for charity, became the most valuable new car ever sold at auction, breaking the record established by RM Sotheby’s in 2025. All proceeds will benefit The Ferrari Foundation. Ferrari accounted for six of the top 10 sales, including the Luce, Daytona SP3, F50, 288 GTO, Enzo, and LaFerrari, reflecting sustained demand across the marque’s modern halo cars. The Driver’s Philosophy Collection, consisting of some of the world’s most extreme track-focused machines and modern hypercars, sold for a combined $53,359,500, led by the 2023 Ferrari Daytona SP3 at $17,825,000. The market for important pre-war automobiles remained strong, led by Clark Gable’s 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe at $9,080,000, part of The Sam and Emily Mann Collection, which grossed $34,886,500. For photos, click here.
The 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)
- 2023 Ferrari Daytona SP3 - $17,825,000 USD (previous non-charity record $7,265,250 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)
What this tells us about the classic car market?
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.
