Guest blog post by RM Sotheby's - All images courtesy of RM Sotheby's
Monterey Car Week is here, and with it some of the most celebrated, exceptional, and valuable collector cars in the world are set to descend on the Monterey Peninsula-but not all will be heading to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. This year, the Portola Hotel & Spa will host one of the perennial highlights of Car Week-RM Sotheby's Monterey Auction-with more than 200 world-class collector cars expected to go under the hammer during the three-day sale from 15-17 August. We've rounded up 10 stunning classics to keep your eye on as they cross the block later this week.
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider by Scaglietti
Estimate: $16,000,000 - $18,000,000
Tipped to be one of the biggest sellers on the peninsula this week, this beautiful 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider is absolutely one to watch. One of the most celebrated sports cars of its generation, the 250 GT SWB California Spider matched unbelievable V-12 performance with one of the most glamorous body styles ever produced. They were the most desirable cars of their time, beloved by Hollywood stars like Alain Delon and Brigitte Bardot, and Californian racers like John von Neumann.
This car is actually the very first of its type to leave Maranello, and the auction will mark the first time since leaving the factory that this car has been made available to the public. It will be standing room only as this beauty crosses the block.
1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Lungo Spider by Eagle Coach Works
Estimate: $4,500,000 - $6,000,000
The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is all about timeless glamour, and no era encapsulates that better than those machines built pre-war. The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 is without a doubt one of the most sought-after models to emerge from that time. A true wolf in sheep's clothing, roadgoing "2.3s" were essentially race cars for the road, dressed in achingly beautiful bodywork from the best coachbuilders of the time.
This 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Lungo Spider is even more special than most, with a fascinating early history that saw it sent to England, where it was fitted with the stunning boat-tail bodywork that it retains today. Don't miss the details on this true work of art.
2002 Ferrari F2001b Formula 1
Estimate: $8,000,000 - $10,000,000
Formula 1 fever seems to have gripped the United States in recent years, and it's no different in the world of collector cars. You only have to look at the Lewis Hamilton Silver Arrow that RM Sotheby's sold for $18,815,000 in Las Vegas last year to realize that these are cars on the up. But it's Michael Schumacher who is arguably the biggest name in Formula 1, and every time one of his cars goes under the hammer the car world holds its breath.
This 2002 Ferrari F2001b is one of the very best, being one of only 30 Formula 1 Ferraris in which Schumacher scored a grand prix win, and of only 12 to boast a win and at least two podiums. We wouldn't be surprised if this one went beyond its $10m upper estimate.
1993 Vector Avtech WX-3R Roadster Prototype
Estimate: $1,300,000 - $1,500,000
The world of collector cars is all about exclusivity, and it doesn't get much more exclusive than owning the only example of a car ever built. That's exactly what the lucky buyer will be getting with this 1993 Vector Avtech WX-3R Roadster, which was the only open-topped variant of the all-American supercar and the very prototype that was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1993.
We can't imagine anything cooler than driving this 6-liter V-8-powered one-off around the Peninsula-just be ready to tell people no, it isn't a Lamborghini! Don't miss the chance to have a look around this wild car-it may be your only chance.
1993 Ferrari 512 TR Spyder by Pininfarina
Estimate: $2,700,000 - $3,500,000
If you think there's something a little bit different about this 1993 Ferrari 512 TR, you would be right. Despite being one of the most popular supercars of its generation, Ferrari never made a convertible version-or at least not for the likes of you and me. You had to be a great client to make requests like that, and thankfully, the Brunei Royal Family were just that. They ordered two Spyder versions of the 512 TR, each painstakingly built at great expense by coachbuilder Pininfarina.
Incredibly, neither ever made it into their collection, and this car remained largely hidden away until it was bought in November 2023. The Ferrari was sent straight to RM Auto Restorations, who refinished it in its stunning Blu Cobalto and fitted a brand-new roof. Amazingly, it has only covered around 360 miles from new. Don't be surprised to see this car get a lot of attention.
1966 Shelby 427 S/C Cobra
Estimate: $2,750,000 - $3,250,000
The Shelby Cobra was already a performance icon by the mid-1960s, but Carroll Shelby soon decided to turn things up to "11" by replacing the small-block 289 with a truly ferocious 427-cubic-inch V-8 to keep the car winning races. The only problem was that he hadn't built enough by the time FIA inspectors arrived at his shop, so he quickly built and painted an additional 29 competition chassis complete with fully trimmed interiors and marketed them as 427 S/C or "Semi-Competition." He had created one of the wildest road cars of all time-a barely disguised roadgoing version of the 427 Competition Cobra.
These cars are fantastically rare and highly sought-after. This particular example is even more appealing thanks to its black-on-black color scheme, which surely makes it one of the meanest-looking cars in the sale.
1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider by Scaglietti
Estimate: In Excess Of $15,000,000
The auction estimate alone should tell you that this is a seriously significant Ferrari. Totally unique, this one-of-a-kind racing Speciale served as the prototype for the iconic 410 Sport Scuderia Ferrari Works cars designed to take on the legendary Carrera Panamericana road race. And while it may be pretty, don't let those looks deceive you: beneath the hood the 410 Sport Spider is packing a 5-liter Lampredi-designed V-12 engine.
Though this car never made it to Mexico, it did have an incredible race history in Southern California, where it was driven by none other than Carroll Shelby at the 1956 Palm Springs Road Races. Of course, he won. Expect the auction room to be packed when this racer crosses the block.
1993 Bugatti EB110 SS Prototype
Estimate: $2,400,000 - $2,800,000
Bugatti is the undeniable king of the hypercar today, but back in the late eighties the marque was little more than a memory. That all changed when an Italian businessman named Romano Artioli bought the rights and opened a factory to start work on a new supercar. That car turned out to be the EB110 GT, and it was quickly followed by an even hotter variant-the 603 horsepower EB110 Super Sport.
This particular car is one of only seven prototypes built and was present at the Nardo Ring when, in 1993, the model became the world's fastest production car. It also has incredible provenance, having been sold new to the winner of the 1964 Japanese Grand Prix, Sokichi Shikiba, who kept it until 2016.
1991 Ferrari F40 ‘Minty Forty'
Estimate: $1,900,000 - $2,500,000
Ferrari's groundbreaking F40 is the stuff of legend, but despite building more than 1,300 of these iconic supercars, not a single example rolled out of the gates of Maranello wearing anything other than Rosso paintwork. Great if you like red, not so great if you want to stand out from the crowd. Enter the "Minty Forty," a spectacular example that has been refinished in an incredible green. And not just any green, but the very same shade of Verde Pallido that graced Stirling Moss's Ferrari 250 GTO.
The Minty Forty has since become an internet sensation and understandably stops traffic wherever it goes. Purists may balk, but we reckon there will be plenty of people wanting to give this Ferrari F40 a new home.
1932 Delage D8 S Roadster by Pourtout
Estimate: $4,000,000 - $6,000,000
Our list of ‘cars to watch' is rounded out by another incredible pre-war machine, this time from the lost French marque, Delage. The D8 S was one of the most impressive designs of that period, in many ways France's Bentley, though only 99 were ever built making them something of a rarity. This car was clothed in totally unique bodywork by one of the great French masters, Marcel Pourtout.
Aside from its stunning bodywork and dramatic high hood and low roofline, what makes this car particularly special is its history. Incredibly, it has had just three owners since new, with the last owning it for more than three decades. It's also very original and hasn't been shown at a major concours event, making it a prime candidate for restoration. Expect this one to do very well-and don't be at all surprised if you see it on the 18th green at Pebble Beach next year.
Visit rmsothebys.com to see the full list of over 200 auction cars or register to bid-we look forward to seeing you on 15-17 August.