Holy smoke! €715k for the ‘Pope’s Lamborghini’ at RM’s €22m+ Monaco sale

Although the headlining Ferrari 250 GT TdF failed to sell on the night, there was divine intervention for headline writers as two bidders battled over a Huracán supercar donated to His Holiness Pope Francis by Automobili Lamborghini in aid of worthy causes around the world.

The bespoke GT eventually sold over the telephone for €715k to a client handled by Kenneth Ahn, the president of RM Sotheby’s, after an underbidder in the room had made most of the running.

It was a highlight of a low-key afternoon that, working on strictly provisional figures, saw 66% of the motor cars sold, resulting in a likely gross in excess of €22.5m.

At a glance (provisional):

* Gross: €22,495,575 (2016, €27,429,380)
* Percentage sold by number: 66% (2016, 71%)
* Top-selling car: c.€2m Ferrari 275 GTB post-sale
* Well sold? The pub landlord’s favourite, a 1960 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible that opened the sale. At €331,250 all-in, that’s a lot of whisky and cokes...
* Well bought? €80,500 purchased a characterful 1952 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Coupé Series 2 that had seen some adventures... but looked ready for more

The lovely 250 GT Tour de France was simply priced too ambitiously for today’s market and received few meaningful bids. Its day will come. The ex-Kinnunen 1973 Porsche 2.7 RS Lightweight was another car with high hopes but this one did sell, well under lower estimate at €1,100,00 net/€1,242,500 gross, but at probably the right price. It came highly rated by the experts.

Owners of Series 2 Ferrari 250 GT Pininfarina Cabriolets will be reassured by the solid €1,692,500 with premium achieved earlier this evening. It’s a model that’s seen some wobbles recently, particularly across the Atlantic. And who said the froth had gone from the more recent supercar market? The 2006 Ferrari 575 Superamerica burst through its upper guide price of €650k, eventually hammered away at €760k. That’s €860k gross, but this was a manual, one of only 43.

The Canadians were less successful with the 2015 Ferrari Sergio, an unusual creation best described as ‘cutting edge’. Estimated at €2.5m to €3m, it failed to sell... unlike the 1993 Ferrari ‘Conciso’ by Michalak, at €109.25k an interesting 328-based concept that’s on its way to a young enthusiast in the US.

Returning to the Grimaldi Forum was a definite plus in convenience, as it was only a short walk from the circuit and the Fairmont hotel. However, in comparison with Bonhams’ successful Friday soirée at the out-of-the-way Villa La Vigie, there was less buzz today. ‘Events’ sales have their risks: the high-rollers in the paddock won’t always find time to attend the auction.

Yes, they might ‘send their man’, but usually only for the really big-ticket items. Many a car has been bought on a whim – auction houses need to maximise the possibility of the well-heeled attending in person. And Monaco has its unique issues of access – no one will walk from the paddock at the end of the harbour while racing is on.

Perhaps Bonhams’ format of 50-or-so cars offered early in the evening is the way to go, and in two years’ time the Brits will be back at the Fairmont. Let battle commence.

Full results to follow on K500 when declared. With thanks to Hammer Price.

STOP PRESS: Bonhams has sold two cars post-sale, the 1931 Bentley 8-Litre Tourer (€741,666) and the 1971 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS (€263,333). Both prices include buyer’s premium, and this takes the gross to €13,705,099 at a sell-through of 75%.

Photos by K500