The 10 Most Expensive Cars to Sell at the 2023 Monterey Auctions

10: 2003 Ferrari Enzo—$4.075 Million (RM Sotheby’s)

Introduced to the public at the 2002 Paris Motor Show, the Ferrari Enzo is a car that its namesake would have loved had he lived to see it. Enzo Ferrari built his marque with machines that were innovative, powerful, and light, and this model took those tenets to the next level. With a chassis tub—comprised of Nomex and carbon fiber—that tips the scales at only 200 pounds, the car is also fit with a new-at-the-time 5,998 cc V-12 producing 660 hp and more than 484 ft lbs of torque. That mill powers a vehicle that comes in at a dry weight of 2,766 pounds, which translates to a zero-to-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 218 mph.

The Enzo brought to Monterey by RM Sotheby’s, one of 399 made, had three owners prior to its most recent sale, and was housed in Dubai, Utah, and Northern California, respectively. With Ferrari Classiche certification and 2,687 miles on the odometer, it fetched $4,075,000.

9: 1995 Ferrari F50—$4.24 Million (Broad Arrow Auctions)

Following a precedent set with the F40, which commemorated 40 years of the Prancing Horse, the F50 was created for Ferrari’s golden anniversary. The model presents a dichotomy in its adoption of advancements. For instance, it includes engineering and construction inspired by Formula 1, such as its composite monocoque chassis and load-bearing V-12 engine, the latter based on that found in Ferrari’s 1989 Formula 1 race car. On the other hand, the F50 eschews power windows, power steering, and anti-lock braking—a minimalist approach geared for the new millennium.

Of the 349 examples produced, the one that was presented by Broad Arrow Auctions at its Monterey Jet Center sale is a matching-numbers car that, until now, had just two owners in 27 years. And since new, only 7,150 miles have been put on it. Those factors contributed to it selling for $4,240,000.

8: 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300—$4.515 Million (Gooding & Company)

Alfa Romeo’s 8C 2300 (the model name referencing the engine’s eight cylinders and approximately 2,300 cc displacement) was a race car that quickly found its way to the road. The street-specific cars wear some of the most refined bodywork ever seen before or since, thanks to the world’s finest coachbuilders. The engineering and styling of the Italian marque’s 8C model have made variants of it the centerpiece of many serious prewar collections.

In the case of chassis No. 2311214, the baronial appearance is owed to Milan’s Carrozzeria Castagna. The car’s matching-numbers engine and four-speed manual gearbox comprise a power train that gives the 150 hp Alfa a top speed of 150 mph. This specific vehicle had only four owners in the last 81 years, until its fifth paid $4,515,000 at Gooding & Company’s 2023 Pebble Beach Auctions.

7: 1914 Mercer Type 35-J Raceabout—$4.735 Million (Gooding & Company)

Established in 1909, the same year as Bugatti, the Mercer Automobile Company of New Jersey predated the likes of Alfa Romeo and Maserati in developing early examples of high-performance automobiles, at least in the context of the era. The Mercer Raceabout, a tour de force able to reach as much as 80 mph, took first at the American Grand Prix in 1914.

During that same year, this Type 35-J Raceabout—chassis No. 1967—was constructed, and is one of only four believed to still exist. It had been driven by famed racers of the period, such as Barney Oldfield and Ralph DePalma, before landing in the collection of opera singer James Melton. For the last five decades or so, it had been in the esteemed collection of Jerry S. Foley III, who passed away last year. Offered through Gooding & Company, this Mercer exceeded its high-end estimate of $4 million by an additional $735,000.

6: 1937 Bugatti Type 57 SC Tourer—$5.395 Million (RM Sotheby’s)

If any model line could eclipse Ferrari’s 250 when it comes to reverence among collectors, it would be Bugatti’s Type 57, of which the Type 57 SC Atlantic is the ne plus ultra. Son of the French automaker’s founder Ettore Bugatti, Jean Bugatti designed the Type 57, which was built in several variations starting in 1934. The Surbaissé Compresseur (SC) delineation refers to the fact that the vehicle is lowered and supercharged, allowing for its 3.3-liter inline eight to produce 200 hp and enable a top speed of 120 mph.

The Type 57 SC that RM Sotheby’s brought to the auction block, chassis No. 57512, is among just two examples that were bodied as a four-passenger, open tourer by British coachbuilder Corsica. Interestingly, according to RM Sotheby’s, the car’s first owner later became the vice-chairman of Rolls-Royce. This 1937 Bugatti Type 57 SC Tourer has recently completed an almost $700,000 restoration that required close to 6,000 hours. The results were integral to it garnering $5,395,000.

5: 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4—$5.395 Million (RM Sotheby’s)

Matching the sales price of the Bugatti above is this star car. The successor to the Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, the 275 Gran Turismo Berlinetta (GTB) debuted in 1964 and represented the marque’s premiere of both the gear box being located at the back and the use of independent rear suspension. This was followed by the 275 GTB/4 in 1966, the modification in nomenclature due the fact that this was the initial production model from Ferrari to feature a V-12 with a four-overhead-camshaft configuration.

Of the 330 examples built, chassis No. 10621 was a magnet to collectors at the RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey, not only because of the seductive Pininfarina-designed body made by Carrozzeria Scaglietti, but for the illustrious provenance owed to one owner in particular, actor Steve McQueen. The RM Sotheby’s lot description notes that “According to the car’s lore, McQueen used this 275 to commute to the set of Bullitt.” Later, another owner had it transformed into a NART Spider. In the 2000s, chassis No. 10621 came into the possession of Vern Schuppan, victor at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1983, who had Ferrari Classiche bring the car back to the original coupe that McQueen piloted (incorporating many of the original pieces). It’s no wonder the new owner had to pay $5,395,000 to be added to its exclusive history.

4: 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series III—$6.6 Million (RM Sotheby’s)

A precursor to Maranello’s extremely limited-edition models reserved for its top-tier clients, the Ferrari 410 Superamerica premiered at the 1956 Brussels Salon exhibition and would comprise three iterations before production ended in 1959. The Series III versions, introduced in 1958, featured a revised take on coachbuilder Pinin Farina’s already elegant bodywork while an enhanced 4.9-liter V-12, developed by Aurelio Lampredi, delivered output of 400 hp and enabled the car to reach 165 mph.

Of the dozen Series III produced, chassis No. 1305 SA was among just seven to be accented with covered headlights, and the solitary example out of that group to be dressed in the color scheme of Nero Tropicale for the exterior complemented by beige upholstery inside. In 2017, the car began an approximately three-year, comprehensive refurbishment by Canada’s RM Restoration, the results of which helped it garner a class win at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and Best of Show titles at this year’s Cavallino Modena and Concours d’Elegance Suisse competitions. With Ferrari Classiche Red Book certification, this 410 Superamerica commanded $6,605,000 at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale.

3: 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta—$9.465 Million (Gooding & Company)

Among the most fabled model lines in automotive history is Ferrari’s 250, which, in all its variant forms, spanned 12 years of production that began in 1952. Born from racing, the 250 soon saw road-going gran turismo (GT) versions such as the 250 GT Berlinetta. The latter, developed in large part by Giotto Bizzarrini, was introduced at the 1959 Paris Motor Show. The short-wheelbase (SWB) Prancing Horse saw racing success, most notably a three-peat at the Tour de France Automobile from 1960 through ’62.

The highlight of Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions, chassis No. 3507 GT (with matching engine), wears a body from Carrozzeria Scaglietti. Fit with a 240 hp, 2,953 cc V-12 mill, paired with a four-speed manual transmission, the coupe is also equipped with vacuum-assisted disc brakes. Amazingly, this was the first time the car had ever been made available at auction, and it only had four owners previous to crossing the block, which it did for $9,465,000.

2: 1957 Jaguar XKSS—$13.2 Million (RM Sotheby’s)

From 1955 through 1957, Jaguar’s D-type reigned supreme at Le Mans, claiming victory as part of the works team the first year, then with privateer Ecurie Ecosse the final two. Jaguar then decided to burn through its remaining inventory of D-types—though a fire literally did that to nine of the remaining examples—by turning them into a street-legal model, the XKSS, of which only 16 were built. Of those, the most famous is the 1956 XKSS once belonging to actor Steve McQueen and now housed at the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Among the other 15, XKSS 707 was delivered to Northern California’s Oxford Motors before it was sold to Sidney Colberg, who often exercised the car at numerous tracks. During the decades that followed, XKSS 707 had an impressive list of owners, including Anthony Bamford and I.G. Campbell McLaren, who had the car in their respective collections before it eventually ended up with the same steward since 2011. During Monterey Car Week, it changed hands through RM Sotheby’s for $13,205,000.

1: 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta—$30.255 Million (Bonhams)

Not only did this car garner the highest bid during Monterey Car Week, but it’s arguably the most exquisitely styled on this list. The 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta that was made available through Bonhams has the coveted mix of both compelling design and provenance. Among Maranello’s sports prototypes that shined especially bright during motorsport’s golden age, the 412P was given its stunning aesthetics by Ferrari’s Edmondo Casoli and bodied by Carrozzeria Fantuzzi. A 412P was part of the winning trifecta that swept the podium spots for Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1967, a mirrored response to Ford’s finish at Le Mans the year before.

Chassis No. 0854 (with matching engine), took third place at the 1000 Kilometers of Spa-Francorchamps in 1967, driven by Richard Attwood and Lucien Bianchi for the British privateer team Maranello Concessionaires. In 1968, it went on to win the Nuremberg 200 Kilometer and Swedish Grand Prix with David Piper—the car’s owner at the time—behind the wheel. An example of one of the models that inspired the recent Ferrari Daytona SP3, priced at $2.2 million, this 412P Berlinetta dwarfed that figure when the hammer fell on it at $30,255,000.

After the sale, Rupert Banner, global head of Specialists at Bonhams, told Robb Report, “This sale represented a rare opportunity to acquire an icon of Ferrari endurance racing at the zenith of when design still involved beauty. The global buzz generated upon our announcement underscored the monumental significance of this car, and it unquestionably deserves its place among the world’s most valuable cars.”