Under Starter’s Orders: The 2017 Monterey Week Sales

Just when you thought the 2017 auction season might pass without a whimper, Monterey's two biggest rivals bring out the heavyweight artillery to face each other.
 
In Gooding's case it's the Gulf-liveried Porsche 917K, a 240mph missile for short racers with big bank balances – and equally large private parts. Although implied to be a discovery – it was once, two decades ago – it's actually the same car Gooding announced for auction and almost immediately pulled without explanation three years ago. Its history now clarified, Gooding's decided to have another go. It turns out it never raced in period, but originality is even more important than victories with 917s and Gooding is satisfied this one is pukka. If buyers agree, it should hit the $13m to $16m estimate and establish a clear benchmark for a model nobody really knows how to value today.

RM has pulled off an arguably greater coup in securing DBR1/1 (pictured, top), the first example of Aston's greatest sports-racing model and a three-times Le Mans veteran. It may not have the broader kudos of last year's Le Mans-winning Jaguar D-type, but the Canadian auction house will almost certainly be hoping to beat that car's $21 million price tag. With impeccable originality, great racing pedigree and belonging to collecting royalty, its auction performance will test the depth and strength of the 2017 market. Everything else, as they say, will be background noise.
 
Photos: Porsche 917K copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company (Mathieu Heurtault); Aston Martin DBR1 copyright and courtesy of RM Sotheby’s (Tim Scott)