For those who have ever argued whether the 1968-1974 Dino was a “real” Ferrari, rest assured, it is. The debate was rooted in Enzo Ferrari’s decision to name the sports car for his son, Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, who died in 1956. The young engineer had provided inspiration and technical input for a race-winning V6 engine that, a decade later, powered this pivotal road car in the Ferrari lineage. It was the exotic automaker’s first mid-engine model and the progenitor of a line that continues today. Recent near-million-dollar auction sales for Dinos have drawn attention.
It’s good to be king, because then you can order yourself a custom-built car like the Maserati made for the Shah of Iran in 1959. The monarch and budding car collector requested that Maserati build a special car by installing the V-8 engine from its 450S racecar into the 3500 GT production coupe. The result was the 170-mph 5000 GT. Maserati made 34 with bodies by various coachbuilders. At its Amelia Island auction, Bonhams is offering one of the 22 with bodies by Allemano, a restoration candidate with a pre-sale estimate of $500K-$800K
Would you recognize this car as a Lamborghini? It’s the Islero, and it’s rare with just 225 made for 1968-1969. Named for the bull that killed one of Spain’s most famous bullfighters, the Islero packed the punch of a six-carburetor V-12 that could take it to 150 mph. The Islero’s modernistic look presaged the angular style would define exotic car design in the Seventies. Gooding & Company will offer this restored black 1968 Lamborghini Islero at its Amelia Island auction, where it is estimated to sell for up to $500,000.
The 2023 collector car auction season got off to a roaring start in January. The Bonhams Scottsdale auction reached $30M in sales, and RM Sotheby’s reported $44M. The big surprise came from Bonhams, where a 1912 Simplex brought $4.8M, a record for a pre-WWI car. Supercars were still supreme, though, with a Ferrari LaFerrari getting $4.075M at RM Sotheby’s and, earlier in the month, a Ferrari F40 topping the Mecum sale in Kissimmee, Florida at $3.135M.
The BMW 507 roadster, introduced at the 1955 Frankfurt Auto Show, is recognized as one of the most beautiful models that BMW ever produced. Only 252 hand-built 507s were produced, and despite their curb appeal, they were money losers that nearly sank BMW as a company. A 1957 BMW 507, discovered in a Philadelphia garage, sold last month at the Bonhams Audrain Concours Auction in Newport, R.I. for $2.1 million. Read the backstory on this historic BMW.
Most BMW fans recognize the M1 as the supercar that launched the marque’s M brand. But few know the convoluted back story of how the M1 was designed and commercialized. At Monterey Car Week, Broad Arrow Auctions sold a numbers-matching 1981 BMW M1 for $692,500. Learn how the M1 became a legend.
Auction sales from Monterey Car Week totaled a record-setting $469 million; more than $126 million than last year’s total. RM Sotheby’s three-night auction accounted for more than half of that total, setting a record with a staggering $239.2 million in sales. Catch up on results from all the auction houses.
Built 35 years ago, Porsche’s 959 is still considered king of the marque’s 911 line. Only 292 cars were made, with a price tag of $227,000, and Porsche reportedly lost money on each one. Broad Arrow Auctions is offering a 1987 Guards Red 959 Komfort at its Monterey Jet Center Auction, with a pre-sale estimate of $1.4 – $1.6 million.
Whether you’re attending any or all of the Monterey Car Week events, in person or virtually, you’ll need a detailed schedule to keep track of all the activity. That’s exactly what we’ve provided. Click through to know where you need to be, and when you need to be there. Enjoy!
