The 50 most expensive cars ever sold at auction

Breaking records and bank accounts

Forget wine, gold or art: classic cars are the hottest commodity you can buy, frequently fetching millions when they cross the block.

And prices are only getting higher – last year, a new record was set for the most expensive car ever sold at auction and we’ve seen plenty more big-money buys so far in 2019.

We’ve delved into decades’ worth of results to compile this definitive list, adjusting the prices to take inflation into account. So which cars command the highest sums? Well, let’s just say that a certain Italian marque features very strongly…

Scroll or click through the images to view the full list.

50. 1932 Bugatti Type 55

Sale price*: $10.8m (£8.7m)

An all-original, matching-numbers Type 55 that competed in the 1932 running of the Mille Miglia, this race car for the road isn’t the most expensive Bugatti ever sold at auction, but it was hardly a pocket money purchase.

* All prices have been adjusted for inflation

49. 1962 Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Testa Rossa Spider

Sale price: $11.2m (£9m)

Back in 2007, this racing Ferrari crossed the block at RM’s Ferrari sale in Maranello – and it was quite the machine: driven by Phil Hill and Oliver Glendebien to overall victory at Le Mans in 1962, it was the last front-engined car to win the legendary event.

It went for €6.9m on the day, equivalent to about $11m today.

48. 1931 Duesenberg Model J

Sale price: $11.5m (£9.3m)

Captain George Whittell’s Duesy went under the hammer with Gooding & Co. at Pebble Beach in 2011.

Remarkably, the then-80-year-old speedster had just 12,500 miles on the clock – and its stunningly restored bespoke coachwork was a real treat to see.

47. 1968 Ford GT40

Sale price: $12.2m (£9.9m)

In 2012, one of just three lightweight Ford GT40 racers ever built went up for auction in Monterey. Driven in its prime by legends such as Jacky Ickx and Mike Hailwood, it won Spa and Monza in period and went on to perform camera car duties in Steve McQueen’s Le Mans – so there’s little wonder it hit the $11m mark.

46. 1960 Ferrari 250GT SWB

Sale price: $12.2m (£9.9m)

It wouldn’t be a list of the most expensive cars ever sold at auction without a fleet of Ferrari 250GTs – and first of the bunch is this highly original 1960 number which went under the hammer with H&H Classics in 2015.

Sold from the estate of an esteemed collector, all proceeds went to the RNLI.

45. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM

Sale price: $12.2m (£9.9m)

Ferrari built just 32 examples of the 250 LM racer, of which this 1964 example was the 19th. Displayed at the 1969 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, it was used by hotel and casino magnate William F. Harrah for many years.

44. 1960 Ferrari 250GT LWB California Spider Competizione

Sale price: $12.3m (£9.95m)

You might be be picking up a theme here: next up is another ’60s Prancing Horse. One of just nine alloy-bodied 250GT LWB California Spiders, it was shown at the 1960 Chicago Motor Show and went to auction with Gooding & Co. in 2012 in pristine, restored condition.

43. 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza

Sale price: £12.4m ($10.1m)

Well-kept racing machines tend to do well on the auction block – and this early-’30s Alfa was no exception. 

Raced extensively in period (it won the Sport Nazionale Championship in 1947) the 8C went under the hammer in incredibly original condition in 2016, complete with a raft of components and spares.

42. 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato MP209

Sale price: $12.5m (£10.2m)

A fresh entry last year, this racing Aston Martin – better known by its registration ‘2 VEV’ – is quite the remarkable machine.

One of just 19 DB4GT Zagatos produced and only three built in ultra-lightweight guise, it competed at Le Mans, Silverstone and the Nürburgring and was driven by the late Jim Clark at Goodwood in 1961 and 1962.

41. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider

Sale price: $12.6m (£10.3m)

Yes, it’s yet another Ferrari – but this Nero-black 250GT broke the auction record back in 2008 when it sold for $11m.

Stabled for a quarter of a century with Academy Award-winning actor James Coburn, the winning bidder was another famous name: Ferrari fanatic Chris Evans (that’s the British TV presenter, not the American Hollywood actor).

40. 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster

Sale price: $12.8m (£10.4m)

Top of the lots across all of the 2012 Pebble Beach auctions, this bespoke Mercedes-Benz 540K was bought new by a Prussian Baroness in 1936.

Kept through World War II – against Nazi orders – it was later shipped to the USA, where it would be stored for four decades before undergoing an exacting restoration.

39. 1953 Ferrari 340/375MM Berlinetta ‘Competizione’

Sale price: $13.7m (£11.1m)

One of a trio of factory team machines entered in the 1953 running of the Le Mans 24 Hours, this 375MM was driven in period by legendary racers Mike Hawthorn, Alberto Ascari, and Nino Farina – all of which helped propel it to a €9.9m sale price in 2013.

38. 1953 Jaguar C-type Works Lightweight

Sale price: $13.9m (£11.2m)

Continuing the trend of valuable Le Mans racers, this restored Jaguar C-type was the second of just three lightweight factory racers built, and finished 4th overall in the 1953 endurance event.

It went on to be campaigned by famed Scottish racing outfit Ecurie Ecosse in 1954.

37. 1956 Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’

Sale price: $13.9m (£11.2m)

Next up, it’s...a Ferrari! Still, it’s quite the car: raced and owned by Marquis Alfonso de Portago, it won the 1956 Tour de France road race – and, in doing so, inspired the use of the TdF moniker on later 250GT machines.

36. 1960 Ferrari 250GT SWB Competizione

Sale price: $14m (£11.3m)

From one Ferrari to another, this 250GT was one of the first SWB Competition machines built, and finished 7th overall in the 1960 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Sent to auction complete with its original alloy coachwork, engine and gearbox, it claimed $13.5m at the hammer in 2016.

35. 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra

Sale price: $14.3m (£11.6m)

If any Cobra was going to sell for millions, it was this one: ‘CSX 2000’ – the very first Shelby Cobra built and the one that changed the sports car game forever with its lightweight British body and brawny American V8 power. 

It was auctioned in 2016 from the Carroll Hall Shelby Trust.

34. 1970 Porsche 917K

Sale price: $14.3m (£11.6m)

To own a Porsche 917 is to own a piece of motorsport history, given that the model gave the German marque its first overall win at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

To own the 917 driven by Steve McQueen in his legendary film about the great race? That’s something else entirely – something worth around $14m, in fact.

33. 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa

Sale price: $14.4m (£11.7m)

Another legendary Prancing Horse racer, chassis #0714TR was top dog at the RM Sotheby’s Ferrari Leggende e Passione sale in 2009, scooping €9m when the hammer fell – the equivalent of just over $14m today.

32. 1998 McLaren F1 LM

Sale price: $14.5m (£11.8m)

McLaren’s Special Operations department upgraded just two examples of its world-beating ’90s supercar with the more powerful LM engine – one of which sold in 2015 for a respectable $13.8m.

You might find another one further up this list…

31. 1931 Bugatti Royale Berline de Voyager

Sale price: $14.8m (£12m)

Just seven examples of the ultra-luxurious Type 41 were built, including chassis 41150 – the ‘Berline de Voyage’. Retained by Bugatti, it was one of three bricked up and hidden from the Nazis at the Bugatti family home.

It sold in 1986 for $6.5m – or $14.8m in today’s money.

30. 1966 Ferrari 275GTB/C

Sale price: $14.8 (£12m)

By this point, a mid-’60s Ferrari selling for millions should be no surprise – especially when you consider the history of this 275GTB/C.

One of only 12 built, it was raced extensively in period and went to auction restored, complete with its original chassis, body and engine.

29. 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato

Sale price: $15m (£12.2m)

Before ‘2 VEV’ there was ‘73 GYL’ – 14th of the 19 DB4GT Zagato machines built and the only one delivered new to Australia, where it was raced successfully in the early ’60s.

Its auction in 2015 was the first time in several years that a Zagato had crossed the block, which probably did little to restrict the bidding.

28. 1964 Ferrari 250LM

Sale price: $15.3m (£12.4m)

The second of three such machines in this list, chassis 6107 claimed a record $14.3m at the hammer in 2013, doubling the previous highest figure made by a 250LM.

Delivered as a road car before being prepared for the track, it competed in the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona, where it finished first in class.

27. 1995 McLaren F1

Sale price: $15.9m (£12.9m)

This example of McLaren’s 230mph masterpiece was the first F1 imported to the US and was sold in 2017 by its first and only owner – with that all-important full service history, of course.

26. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider

Sale price: $16m (£13m)

Truly into Ferrari territory now, this 1961 250GT sold with Gooding & Co. in 2014 – and it ticked all the right boxes for bidders at Pebble Beach.

One of just 37 built with covered headlights, chassis 2903 GT was made rarer by its factory hardtop and the fact that it was once owned by actress Barbara Hershey – not to mention its concours condition and Classiche certification.

25. 1962 Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale

Sale price: $17.4m (£14.1m)

Yes, it’s another Ferrari 250GT SWB, but this one’s a unique coachbuilt number, wearing a Giugiaro-designed shell inspired by the Prancing Horse’s sharknose racing machines – and it’s nothing if not striking.

What’s more, it was displayed at the Geneva and Turin motor shows in period, and was used by famed designer Nucci Bertone as his personal car.

24. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider

Sale price: $17.7m (£14.4m)

You guessed it: a Classiche-certified, covered-headlight 250GT SWB California Spider – sold at Pebble Beach in 2015 by Gooding & Co.

23. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider

Sale price: $17.8m (£14.5m)

No, it’s not a joke. In fact, it’s an excellent indication of just how popular ’60s Ferraris are on the auction circuit – and how prices are climbing.

So, where 2903GT sold for $15m or so in 2014, this example (chassis 2871GT) topped $17m just two years later. Even accounting for inflation, that’s a hefty hike in value.

22. 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa

Sale price: $18.2m (£14.7m)

A few years older, a few hundred thousand dollars more valuable, this striking 250 Testa Rossa racer was the first one ever built by Ferrari – and set the world auction record when it sold in 2011.

Raced at the likes of Le Mans and the Nürburgring in period, of even greater provenance was its role as prototype for the whole Testa Rossa program.

21. 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Touring Berlinetta

Sale price: $18.25m (£14.8m)

A new entry for 2019, this wonderful pre-war Alfa was owned by the same family for 40 years and was bought for a tiny sum of around $12,000 in today’s terms back in 1976.

It went to auction at Rétromobile in France in February as a stunningly original, unrestored machine – and duly commanded a massive price.

20. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM

Sale price: $18.5m (£15m)

The last of the LMs on this list, chassis 6105, which went under the hammer with RM Sotheby’s in 2015, was believed to be the very best.

Raced successfully by Ron Fry in period – hence the ‘RON 54’ plates – it was never crashed and therefore went to auction in incredibly original condition.

19. 1959 Ferrari 250GT LWB California Spider

Sale price: $18.8m (£15.2m)

And now for something completely different: a Ferrari 250GT with a long wheelbase, rather than the more popular SWB variety.

This one has significant competition history, having finished 5th at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans.

18. 1959 Ferrari 250GT LWB California Spider Competizione

Sale price: $18.9m (£15.3m)

No, you’re not experiencing deja vu – as with the previous entry, this is another alloy-bodied 250GT in LWB form, although this one counts a 5th place finish at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring among its successes.

17. 1954 Ferrari 375-Plus Spider Competizione

Sale price: $19.4m (£15.7m)

All change now with the arrival of a renowned Ferrari racer that sold with Bonhams back in 2014.

One of five works machines with rebored V12 engines – earning them the nickname ‘The Fearsome Four-Nine’ – this particular example competed at Le Mans and the Mille Miglia in period and was driven by the likes of Umberto Maglioli and José Froilán González.

16. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider

Sale price: $19.5m (£15.8m)

A 250GT SWB with quite a story, chassis 2935 GT once belonged to French entrepreneur Roger Baillon – a man who dreamed in the ’50s of establishing a car museum.

Sadly, the plan failed and most of his collection was consigned to barns on his farm. The haul was rediscovered in 2014 and the Prancing Horse – found beneath piles of magazines – was sold with Artcurial for €16.3m in 2015, the most ever paid for a 250GT.

15. 1994 McLaren F1 LM

Sale price: $19.8m (£16m)

The highest of this year’s new entries, and also the only remotely modern classic in the Top 20, this McLaren F1 in the top-spec LM guise sold at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction last month.

14. 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider

Sale price: $20.6m (£16.7m)

Alfa Romeo didn’t make very many 8C 2900B machines. Even fewer were bodied by Touring as Spiders on the long wheelbase and fewer, still, exist in concours-winning quality today.

All of which probably explains why this late-’30s example broke the auction record for a pre-war car when it sold for $19.8m in 2016.

13. 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe

Sale price: $21.5m (£17.4m)

The second of the record-breaking Bugatti Royales, chassis 41141 – known as the ‘Kellner’ car – was similarly kept by Bugatti and hidden during World War II, before being sold to American racer Briggs Cunningham in 1950.

When his museum closed in the ’80s, it was sold by Christie’s at the Royal Albert Hall in London for £5.5m – or $21.5m in today’s money.

12. 1963 Aston Martin DP215

Sale price: $21.9m (£17.7m)

Aston Martin DP215 was built as a pure one-off, a prototype designed to be at the cutting-edge of competition and to dominate the 1963 running of the Le Mans endurance race. That it most certainly did, hitting a record 198.6mph on the circuit’s Mulsanne straight.

It sold at Monterey last year for a staggering $21.5m.

11. 1935 Duesenberg SSJ

Sale price: $22.4m (£18.2m)

Another 2018 record-breaker, this Duesenberg SSJ became the most expensive American car ever sold at auction when it went for $22m with Gooding & Co. at Pebble Beach. 

Delivered new to actor Gary Cooper as a shrewd marketing move, it was one of just two short-chassis, 400bhp SSJs built.

10. Ferrari 290MM

Sale price: $22.5m (£18.2m)

The first of two Ferrari 290MM racers in the Top 10, this one started life as an 860 Monza and finished second in the 1956 Mille Miglia for the works Ferrari team. It was then converted to 290MM spec and competed in the ’57 season, before seeing out its racing days with a private team.

With Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss among those to have driven it, it’s no surprise that it made so much when it sold at RM Sotheby's Petersen Automotive Museum auction on 8 December last year.

9. 1955 Jaguar D-type

Sale price: $22.7m (£18.3m)

Only adding weight to the rule that an appearance at Le Mans makes any machine more valuable, this D-type won the 1956 event outright with Ecurie Ecosse.

The first chassis designated as a D-type, it went to auction in essentially original condition and as arguably the most important Jaguar of all time – hence the price tag.

8. 1956 Aston Martin DBR1

Sale price: $23m (£18.6m)

Bought by its lucky new owner in 2017 for $22,550,000, this mid-’50s machine became the most expensive Aston Martin ever sold at auction.

The first of just five racing DBR1s ever built, it won the 1959 Nürburgring 1000km and was raced in period by the likes of Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham and Carroll Shelby.

7. 1964 Ferrari 275GTB/C Speciale

Sale price: $27.8m (£22.5m)

Hitting the big numbers now and for good reason: chassis 06701 (which sold with RM Sotheby’s in 2014) was the first of three 275GTB/C Speciale machines built to race at Le Mans – only a dispute between Ferrari and the FIA meant it never actually competed.

The spiritual successor to the 250GTO, it sold complete with its original engine.

6. 1967 Ferrari 275GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spider

Sale price: $29.5m (£23.9m)

Just 10 North American Racing Team Spiders were ever built and this remarkable example was stabled with the same family from new until it sold in 2013 for $27.5m – making it not only the most expensive Ferrari ever sold, but also breaking the overall auction record.

5. 1956 Ferrari 290MM

Sale price: $29.6m (£24m)

If you’ve learnt anything from this list, it's surely that you need three things to break an auction record: a famous name, racing heritage and a Ferrari.

This 290MM – chassis 0626 – has all three, given that it was driven by racing legend Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1956 Mille Miglia. The result? A $28.1m hammer price in 2015.

4. 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196

Sale price: $31.7m (£25.7m)

From one Fangio car to another, this ’50s racing Mercedes became a record-breaker in 2013, when it sold for just shy of £20m.

The only post-war Silver Arrow in private ownership, the lightweight speed machine was driven to a pair of back-to-back victories by the Argentine racer in 1954, helping clinch his second World Championship title.

3. 1957 Ferrari 335S

Sale price: $37.2m (£30.2m)

Next to raise the bar was this 1957 Ferrari 335S – a Scaglietti-bodied machine with a remarkable racing heritage, including a second place finish at the ’57 Mille Miglia and a win at the Grand Prix of Cuba the following year.

Driven by a host of legendary racers in period – including British Formula One World Champion Mike Hawthorn – it again broke the sale record by fetching €32.1m at the hammer in 2016.

2. 1962 Ferrri 250GTO

Sale price: $40.2m (£32.6m)

Price-adjusted, this GTO – which sold in 2014 for $38.1m with Bonhams – is the second most expensive car ever to be bought at auction.

Offered for sale after 49 years of ownership by the same family, chassis 3851GT was incredibly original and possessed an impressive racing past, including a 2nd place finish in the 1962 Tour de France.

1. 1962 Ferrari 250GTO

Sale price: $49.4m (£40m)

And so, here it is: the most expensive car ever sold at auction – a 1962 Ferrari 250GTO that changed hands last year for a staggering $48.4m at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale.

An all-original 1962 machine, chassis 3413 left the factory as a Series I example, before gaining rare Series II coachwork ’64.

It went on to enjoy an accomplished racing career, competing in 20 races in period and finishing every one of them, before retiring from racing and entering a chain of ownership that can be traced right through to its newest custodian.

How long will its record stand? With prices rocketing year on year, it might not be too long. Either way, we suspect the next top lot will also have a Prancing Horse on its nose…

The Top 50 at a glance

1. 1962 Ferrari 250GTO • $49,460,229 • RM Sotheby's, 2018
2. 1962 Ferrari 250GTO • $40,259,942 • Bonhams, 2014
3. 1957 Ferrari 335S • $37,207,825 • Artcurial, 2016
4. 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 • $31,774,915 • Bonhams, 2013
5. 1956 Ferrari 290MM • $29,591,328 • RM Sotheby's, 2015
6. 1967 Ferrari 275GTB/4*S NART Spider • $29,520,824 • RM Auctions, 2013
7. 1964 Ferrari 275GTB/C Speciale • $27,885,944 • RM Auctions, 2014
8. 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 • $23,041,590 • RM Sotheby's, 2017
9. 1955 Jaguar D-type • $22,692,988 • RM Sotheby's, 2016
10. 1956 Ferrari 290MM • $22,530,690 • RM Sotheby's, 2018
11. 1935 Duesenberg SSJ • $22,479,600 • Gooding & Company, 2018
12. 1963 Aston Martin DP215 • $21,922,719 • RM Sotheby's, 2018
13. 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe • $21,570,198 • Christie's, 1987
14. 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider • $20,629,989 • RM Sotheby's, 2016
15. 1994 McLaren F1 LM • $19,805,000 • RM Sotheby’s, 2019
16. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider • $19,516,380 • Artcurial, 2015
17. 1954 Ferrari 375-Plus Spider Competizione • $19,435,658 • Bonhams, 2014
18. 1959 Ferrari 250GT LWB California Spider Competizione • $18,910,824 • Gooding & Company, 2016
19. 1959 Ferrari 250GT LWB California Spider Competizione • $18,830,418 • RM Sotheby’s, 2017
20. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM • $18,567,128 • RM Auctions, 2015
21. 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Touring Berlinetta • $18,250,528 • Artcurial, 2019
22. 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa • $18,218,694 • Gooding & Company, 2011
23. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider • $17,879,456 • Gooding & Company, 2016
24. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider • $17,754,797 • Gooding & Company, 2015
25. 1962 Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale • $17,406,363 • Gooding & Company, 2015
26. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider • $16,034,086 • Gooding & Company, 2014
27. 1995 McLaren F1 • $15,960,516 • Bonhams, 2017
28. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM • $15,350,501 • RM Auctions, 2013
29. 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato • $15,085,855 • RM Auctions, 2015
30. 1966 Ferrari 275GTB/C • $14,836,536 • Gooding & Company, 2017
31. 1931 Bugatti Royale Berline de Voyager • $14,828,362 • Kruse International, 1986
32. 1998 McLaren F1 LM • $14,505,473 • RM Auctions, 2015
33. 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa • $14,455,405 • RM Auctions, 2009
34. 1970 Porsche 917K • $14,386,944 • Gooding & Company, 2017
35. 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra • $14,326,381 • RM Sotheby's, 2016
36. 1960 Ferrari 250GT SWB Competizione • $14,065,902 • Gooding & Company, 2016
37. 1956 Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’ • $13,925,090 • RM Auctions, 2015
38. 1953 Jaguar C-type Works Lightweight • $13,925,090 • RM Auctions, 2015
39. 1953 Ferrari 340/375MM Berlinetta ‘Competizione’ • $13,754,450 • RM Auctions, 2013
40. 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato MP209 • $13,260,920 • Bonhams, 2018
41. 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster • $12,819,503 • Gooding & Company, 2012
42. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider • $12,652,949 • RM Auctions, 2008
43. 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza • $12,492,604 • Gooding & Company, 2016
44. 1960 Ferrari 250GT LWB California Spider Competizione • $12,281,014 • Gooding & Company, 2012
45. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM • $12,200,292 • RM Auctions, 2014
46. 1960 Ferrari 250GT SWB • $12,069,502 • H&H Classics, 2015
47. 1968 Ford GT40 • $11,980,605 • RM Auctions, 2012
48. 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe • $11,494,228 • Gooding & Company, 2011
49. 1962 Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Spider • $11,192,797 • RM Auctions, 2007
50. 1932 Bugatti Type 55 • $10,835,954 • Gooding & Company, 2016

Other stats

Ferrari = 28
Aston Martin = 4
Bugatti = 3
Alfa Romeo = 3
McLaren = 3
Mercedes = 2
Duesenberg = 2
Jaguar = 2
Porsche = 1
Ford = 1
Shelby = 1

1960s = 23
1950s = 14
1930s = 9
1990s = 3
1970s = 1