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The 2018 Amelia Island sales: All you need to know

The 2018 Amelia Island sales: All you need to know 1st March 2018

The 2018 Amelia Island sales are more low-key than usual. Twelve months ago, Gooding touted a Jaguar XKSS and RM packed a Ferrari 250 GT SWB. This year, well, there’s a stack of Porsches – those we consider in a separate feature with marque expert Lee Maxted-Page – and the occasional headliner.
 
There’s always a high percentage of pre-War cars at Amelia, a category that did well in Paris earlier this month. Whatever happens, don’t expect last year’s $110m combined gross to be beaten.
 
At a glance, Bonhams, Gooding and RM Sotheby’s combined (2017):
 
* 294 cars (324)
* Average year of cars offered, 1967 (1966)
* Average mid-estimate price, $386,871 ($565,590)
* Percentage of cars at No Reserve, 56% (62%)
* 2017: $110,283,000 combined gross, 85% sold by number


Bonhams, 8 March 2018
 
* 104 cars
* 52% offered at No Reserve
* Headliner: 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 'Daytona' Spider for $2.4m to $2.7m
* 2017 gross: $10,069,700
 
As we predicted, buyer’s premiums are on the move and it’s the Brits who have followed RM by increasing their North American rate from an across-the-board 10% to a split 12% for the first $250,000, 10% on the balance.
 
How this will affect the bumper 104-car catalogue remains to be seen. Bonhams has, though, been onto a winner in the US in recent years by packing the tent with No Reserve cars and the occasional star lot.
 
This time, for stardust look to the same ‘Daytona’ Spider (above) last sold by RM for €2.16m ($2.3m on the day) at Rétromobile in 2017. Bonhams found a buyer at $2.6m all-in for a similar red/black, US-spec car in January this year; perhaps they want a matching pair?
 
The rest of the catalogue – that includes a $1.8m to $2m McLaren P1 – is familiar fare.


Gooding, 9 March 2018
 
* 88 cars
* 61% offered at No Reserve
* Headliner: 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.1 Turbo, ex-Martini Racing for $6m to $8m
* 2017 gross: $29,268,700
 
Having the luxury of just three sales a year allows David Gooding’s team to source top-notch entries for each, though this year’s cover car must be the first for a while under $10m.
 
Joining the Le Mans veteran Porsche is a 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica S1 Coupé. Estimated at a confident $5m to $6m, it’s understated and very ‘old school’ but we like it. Gooding also has the barn-finds of the week: alloy-bodied 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB ‘Long Nose’ at $2.5m to $3.25m (above) and 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra for $1.1m to $1.4m.
 
Overall, Gooding once again has the edge on variety and quality and, should a few of its big guns fire, we expect it to regain the crown lost to Canadian arch-rival RM in 2017.


RM Sotheby’s, 10 March 2018
 
* 102 cars
* 55% offered at No Reserve
* Headliner: 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB 'Long Nose' for $2.2m to $2.5m
* 2017 gross: $70,769,600
 
Based at the Ritz Carlton, the official auction partner of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance sits in pole position. Leading the charge is a long-nose, ‘torque tube’ 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB, a car sold by RM for $2.75m at Scottsdale in January 2015.
 
Next up on the modern front is the famous ‘Cobra in the Barn’ 1963 Shelby 289 (above) at $1m to $1.2m. For those turned off by racing hot rods, this Off White/Red leather road car running on narrow, silver-painted wire wheels is the one to have.
 
Fans of inter-war Americana have much to choose from, and we’ll raise a glass of something suitable (Green Chartreuse?) to whoever buys the 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost known as ‘The Silver Fairy’.
 
Although only just over half of the catalogue is No Reserve, expect RM’s usual auction machine to grind out the figures and do particularly well on the older cars.

Amelia Island 2018 auction schedule - REVISED:

Bonhams – Thursday 8 March. Auction at 12:00. Bonhams Pavilion at the Fernandina Beach Golf Club. See www.bonhams.com

Gooding & Co – Friday 9 March. Auction at 11:00. Racquet Park, Omni Amelia Island Plantation, 6800 First Coast Hwy, Amelia Island, FL 32034 (one mile south of Amelia Island Parkway). See www.goodingco.com

RM Sotheby's – Friday 9 March at 15:00. The Ritz-Carlton, 4750 Amelia Island Parkway, Amelia Island, Florida 32034. See www.rmsothebys.com

You can download a complete lotlisting sorted by make and model HERE.

Photos courtesy of Gooding & Co , RM Sotheby's and Bonhams