RM’s April 2018 Fort Lauderdale sale: 300 SLs fly in Florida

Over a two-day marathon in Fort Lauderdale last weekend, RM Auctions sold 241 of the 336 cars offered, a sell-through by number of 72%. For a North American sale, that’s not spectacular – but there’s no arguing with a gross of nigh-on $19m.

At a glance:

* Gross: $18,989,328
* Percentage sold by number: 72%
* Top-selling car: 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, $1,540,000 gross, $1,400,000 net (est. $1.2m to $1.5m)
* Well sold? 1990 Lamborghini LM002 at $368.5k all-in – big boys’ money for a giant white Tonka toy at a generally blue-collar sale. Ditto $66k for 1991 Mercedes-Benz 250 GD
* Well bought? The “meticulously restored” 1962 Fiat-Abarth Monomille Scorpione that was hammered at $20k under low estimate. That’s $99k with 10% buyer’s premium

Top sellers came from Mercedes-Benz. Two highly original 300 SLs, one ‘Gullwing’ coupé (a 1957 car, Fire Engine Red with surface-dyed-black but original Cream leather) for $1.1935m all-in, and a $1.54m 1962 300 SL Roadster.

Both cars ticked all the boxes of originality, freshness to market and long-term – 50 years and 40 years – ownership. Neither had been fully restored, with the Gullwing having spent much of its life in various museums. In that condition, around $1.1m was market-correct and all proceeds were donated to charity.

Where the Roadster scored was its all-desirable alloy block and disc brakes, coupled with a highly attractive and as-delivered combination of Mercedes Blue (DB 335, repainted) over Light Yellow (1065, original) leather. It was also a European car.

By comparison, Gooding’s well-regarded pair of ‘garage-find’ 300 SLs at Pebble last year achieved $1,677,500 for the 1955 Gullwing and $1,034,000 for the US-spec 1957 Roadster.

Elsewhere in the bumper catalogue, it was business as usual with a high percentage of American classics and the occasional E-type, bargain-basement Ferrari or Rolls-Royce saloon.

RM Auctions at Fort Lauderdale, 6-7 April 2018

Total gross cars: $18,989,328
Number of cars not sold: 95
Total number of cars: 336
Number sold: 241
Percentage cars sold by number: 72%
Percentage by value average low/high estimate: 56%
Percentage of cars sold below low estimate: 71%
Percentage of cars sold not met avge of estimates: 87%
Percentage of cars sold met/exceeded top estimate: 6%
Average value of cars sold: $78,794
Percentage of cars offered at No Reserve: 20%

Photos by RM Auctions (Darin Schnabel)