2024 Florida sales – day one for Gooding at Amelia Island

The Californians held the first part of their two-day sale in northern Florida earlier today. The venue has been a happy hunting ground for the company in the past and with talismanic auctioneer Charlie Ross once again at the helm this year is no exception. Working on strictly provisional figures, we forecast a likely gross in excess of $25m, with at least eight out of 10 cars finding new owners.

The $3.635m 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 ‘Daytona’ Spider was unquestionably the star of the auction. Attending the sale for K500, Greg Ingold puts that down “to its striking shade of Verde Bahram and highly original levels of finish,” adding: “Although the headlining 500 Mondial just missed out, Gooding made up for that by selling the ‘Daytona’ Spider for a $3.3m hammer and had bidding on it all the way.”

Broad Arrow will offer a blue car on Saturday.

At a glance (on the day, provisional):

* Gross, motor cars: $25,919,120
* Percentage sold by number: 86%
* Top-selling car: 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 ‘Daytona’ Spider $3,635,000 gross, $3,300,000 net (est. $2.5m to $2,75m)
* Well sold? The green Ferrari was impressive, but was almost beaten to top slot by the Gulf-liveried Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach that achieved $3,525,000 against a $2.5m to $3m guide
* Well bought? Prices were generally a little off low estimate, but there were few genuine steals. At $2,012,500, the highly original Rudge-wheel 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster was a wise buy.

Although the Californians offered only 50 lots, Greg Ingold reports a “well attended preview, and attendees sticking around for the whole sale. There was a good list of cars including a taste of the Mullin collection that they will auction in late April.

“The atmosphere was enthusiastic, with good cars getting the attention they deserved from bidders.”

Bidding was brisk at first on the 500 Mondial but petered out at $3.7m. Ross stated that they were “the proverbial whisker away” from selling the car, and it might well go before the white tent is packed up over the weekend.

Other results of note (all prices gross):

* 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff, $472,500. Attractive two-tone Type 57C selling well over mid-estimate shows there’s still life in the market for stylish pre-War cars.
* 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO, $907,000. Solid, estimate-beating price likely the result of this one being the only 599 GTO delivered in Argento Nürburgring.
* 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante, $2,260,000. Another fine figure for a Type 57C. This mostly unrestored car comes with its original engine and many other components.
* 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Homologation, $1,985,000. Matching numbers engine and gearbox; restored to a high standard but sold slightly off estimate, maybe down to its unremarkable white paintwork.
* 1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2, $379,000. As a single-headlamp S2, this one lacks the ‘angry bee’ appearance of the earlier car and is a far better looking machine. Italian-delivered in black rather than current navy (from a relatively recent restoration), but original a/c is nice. A good result for a ‘touring’ Ferrari GT in times when many much faster Daytonas often fall at the first fence.

Gooding holds its second day of sales at Amelia Island on Friday, 1 March 2024 at 11.00 EST. A highlight will be Lot 128, the $10m+ 1903 Mercedes-Simplex 60 HP 'Roi des Belges'. If this sells it will be the undisputed headline result at Amelia.

All quoted prices include buyer’s premium.

Photos by Marcelo Murillo for K500