30 stunning cars in the Monterey 2024 auctions

Our picks from this year’s Monterey classic car sales

Monterey Car Week in August 2024 is packed full of attractions and few generate as much excitement as the major auctions that take place.

Five of the largest classic car auction firms are holding sales at Monterey on the Californian coast, and all are vying to make headlines with their sales figures.

Here we’ve picked the cars with the highest estimated prices from each auction, as well as a selection of others that should provoke plenty of interest among buyers.

The cars are listed in alphabetical order, with the lower estimate for each shown in US dollars and British pounds where prices were available prior to sale.

Could you be tempted?

1. Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider ($16,000,000/£12,420,000)

Any Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B is going to cause a stir when it comes to auction, but one with such dramatic bodywork and a history to match is sure to have bidders’ paddles twitching.

Its early history remains an enigma, but the car was exported to Egypt, before passing through Europe and on to the USA.

It was owned by several noted Alfa Romeo collectors, including Volta Mashek, Ben Paul Moser, Dr Fred Simeone and Lukas Hüni, who commissioned a restoration to make it the best possible example.

In 2022, the 8C was stolen while being transported in a truck and finally located more than a year later.

After some light repair work, this is the first time this 8C 2900B has been offered for public auction.

It has the highest pre-sale estimate in Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions sale on 16-17 August 2024.

2. BMW 507 Roadster ($1,800,000/£1,397,200)

This 1957 BMW 507 Roadster is the lot with the highest reserve going into Bonhams’ The Quail Auction on 16 August 2024 – and it’s easy to see why.

This 507 has been consigned by the person who has owned it since 1961, giving 63 years of continuous custodianship, and there was just one previous keeper before that.

It’s also a matching-numbers car with BMW Group Classic certification to prove it.

The car has been restored to a very high standard during the second owner’s tenure and comes with its original hardtop, Rudge wheels, a Becker Le Mans radio and a Rheims short-wave radio.

It was sold new in Venezuela and has spent its life there to the point of sale by Bonhams in Monterey.

3. Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible

The L88 code in this car’s name is the clue to why it’s so special, because it tells buyers at Mecum’s auction on 15-17 August 2024 it has the race-ready 427cu in (7-litre) V8 motor with c430bhp from the factory – however, it’s reckoned the cars were making more like 550bhp when new.

As a 1967 car, this is one of only 20 built to this specification that year, plus it was raced by Tony DeLorenzo and Jerry Thompson from new.

It also scored an impressive second place in the 1967 Daytona Beach Sports Car Club of America Run-offs.

This Chevrolet Corvette will cross the block finished in its original Tuxedo Black, and is the only 1967 L88 Convertible sold new in this colour.

Now restored, the car was also the first winner of the Zora Arkus Duntov Mark of Excellence award in 1985.

4. Clement-Bayard 20.24 HP ($125,000/£97,000)

There is an enduring appeal for ‘brass era’ cars and a number usually come up for sale during Monterey Car Week.

Among those on offer in 2024 is this Clement-Bayard that has been known to the owners’ club since the Second World War and which was previously owned by noted collector Henry Wing.

It’s been a regular concours contender in this time, which is a testament to its condition, and it has previously won at Pebble Beach.

Regarded as one of the finest examples of its type, it still looks like decent value with its lower estimate of $125,000 (£97,000).

The French-built Clement-Bayard comes with a 264cu in (4.3-litre) four-cylinder engine that gives it strong performance for its era, and it has a four-speed manual gearbox.

5. Cunningham C3 Vignale Coupe ($750,000/£582,175)

In among many of the more glitzy lots in Broad Arrow’s 2024 Monterey sale on 14-15 August, this understated Cunningham C3 could be easy to overlook.

However, it’s worth taking the time to enjoy this roadgoing version of the company’s Le Mans racer.

To begin with, this C3 Vignale Coupe comes to auction from the Gateway Automobile Museum, where it has been kept since 2012, and has always been very well maintained.

It’s also finished in the black with red-leather upholstery that it was originally sold with in 1953.

Ordered new by William AM Burden, it was specified from the factory with additional instruments and a tuned engine for even greater performance.

This C3 was restored in the early 1990s and won its class at the 2002 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

6. Delage D8 S Roadster ($4,000,000/£3,105,000)

Plenty of bidders are set to be seduced by the dramatic styling of this 1932 Delage D8 S with bodywork by Marcel Pourtout.

The coachwork of this car is unique and retains its original body, complete with the narrow slit of a windscreen that gives it so much of its swagger.

Pourtout built the car for H de Corvaia, a car dealer that sold it to its first owner who was an actor.

The car survived the Second World War intact and was then restored in the 1980s, before being sold from a 59-year ownership period with the Forgues family in 1995.

One of only 99 examples of the Delage D8 S made, this one is unique thanks to the Pourtout bodywork and has had just three owners from new. It also still has its original engine and chassis.

7. Delahaye 135M Torpédo Roadster ($2,000,000/£1,552,500)

In 2024 as every year, it takes something special to stand out at the Monterey auctions – and this 1938 Delahaye does just that.

This 135M Torpédo Roadster has bodywork by Figoni et Falaschi, it is the eighth out of 11 built, plus is one of five remaining of this type.

It was sold new to a buyer in Algeria and was later discovered in a scrapyard there in 1992, before being returned to France for restoration.

Latterly, the Delahaye was part of the Petersen Automotive Museum’s collection in Los Angeles in the US.

Even so, it doesn’t warrant the highest estimate among the lots in the Gooding & Company Monterey 2024 sale, though it is easily the most flamboyantly bodied car being offered.

8. Dodge Hemi Daytona ($1,700,000/£1,324,700)

Mecum’s auctions always feature plenty of muscle cars, but this 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona stands out for a number of reasons, not least its original F8 Dark Green Metallic paint with black rear wing.

As well as the factory-correct colour combination, this Hemi Daytona is significant for being recognised as the most highly optioned example of its type in existence.

It comes with the four-speed manual gearbox – one of only 22 produced in 1969 – and has the 4.10 Super Track Pak.

Other unusual original options include the green-vinyl bucket seats with six-way electric adjustment, power steering, electric windows and colour-matched steel wheels.

The car was sold new in Phoenix, Arizona, and has undergone an extensive restoration to the exact specification that it left the factory.

9. Ferrari 250GT/L Lusso Berlinetta ($1,450,000/£1,125,500)

So much of the allure of this particular Ferrari 250GT/L Lusso Berlinetta lies in its originality.

Already a rare car because it is one of only 350 of this type made, this classic has never been restored, and also comes with a history of careful ownership and use.

Finished in Grigio Argento with a Nero black-leather interior, this 3-litre V12-powered Ferrari 250 was built in 1963 and sold new to the US through Luigi Chinetti.

Following a number of enthusiast owners, the car came into the hands of Chic and Chris Vandagriff of Hollywood Sports Cars in 1989, who sought to preserve it. They then sold it to the current vendor in 1991.

Among the original details still present on this car are its Marchal headlights, factory jack with hammer and Irvin seatbelts. It’s also a matching-numbers car.

10. Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider ($16,000,000/£12,420,000)

A perennial star performer at any auction where one appears, the 1960 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider that leads the RM Sotheby’s 15-17 August Monterey 2024 sale is all the more exciting for being the first of its type to be made.

This car was used by Ferrari at the 1960 Geneva motor show and came from the factory with a competition-spec engine, covered headlights and a removable hardtop.

Further adding to this car’s unique appeal and appearance is that it’s finished in the original grey.

When this now classic Ferrari was displayed at Geneva, it had a red-leather interior, but this was changed at the factory afterwards to black and this is what the car has as it comes to auction.

It’s also thought to have a one-off dashboard.

First sold to John Gordon Bennett in Switzerland, this 250GT SWB moved to the USA in 1963 and has been driven regularly on events ever since.

11. Ferrari 275GTB/4 NART ($5,000,000/£3,881,200)

It may not have the huge pre-sale estimate of its stablemate, the 250GT SWB California Spider, but this Ferrari 275GTB/4 NART stands out as the most successful racing 275.

It’s also the only one of this model to ever achieve a major international class win, which it managed at the 1969 24 Hours of Daytona where it also claimed a 23rd overall finish in the race.

This alloy-bodied 275GTB/4 NART was latterly used on the road, but in 2010 it received a Ferrari Classiche White Book to preserve its unique racing features, such as the exterior fuel filler.

The car comes with matching-numbers engine, gearbox and bodywork, which shows how well it was driven as a race car to avoid any major damage.

It comes to auction finished in its 1969 Daytona class-winning livery.

12. Ferrari 333 SP Evoluzione ($6,000,000/£4,657,400)

Ferraris are a staple of the Monterey auctions and racing versions are keenly sought after, but this 1995 333 SP Evoluzione will test the waters with a newer-than-usual competition model from the Italian maker.

This 333 SP Evoluzione is one of nine such racers built by renowned motorsport company Dallara, and this example was campaigned when new by the Scandia Motorsport and Moretti Racing teams.

It retired on its debut at the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona driven by Michele Alboreto, Stefan Johansson, Mauro Baldi and Andy Evans.

However, this 333 SP went on to take pole position at the 1995 12 Hours of Sebring and finished fourth overall. It also competed at the 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours, finishing sixth overall and second in class.

With a c650bhp 4-litre V12 engine and complete history, this 333 SP Evoluzione has plenty of appeal to younger Ferrari fans.

13. Ferrari 857 Sport Spider ($6,000,000/£4,657,400)

This 1955 857 Sport Spider’s list of previous owners and drivers reads like a who’s who of Ferrari greats

It was first raced by Olivier Gendebien for Scuderia Ferrari in the 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy in Ireland, but he crashed in practice and the car was returned to Carrozzeria Scaglietti for repairs, and this is when it had a tail fin added to the driver’s headrest.

From there, this Ferrari was sold to the US through Luigi Chinetti to John Edgar.

It was then driven by Carroll Shelby, Jack McAfee, Richie Ginther and Masten Gregory.

It was subsequently owned by Jim Hall, Andy Warhol, Tiny Gould, Anthony Bamford and David Cottingham.

This car was comprehensively restored by DK Engineering in 2011, and retains its original engine and transaxle to make it an important addition to any collection.

14. Ford Country Sedan Station Wagon ($75,000/£58,200)

Monterey Car Week is noted for its big-ticket sale prices, but there are plenty of more sensibly priced classic cars available, such as this eminently usable and attractive 1953 Ford Country Sedan Station Wagon.

As well as representing the family cars of the 1950s and a more wallet-friendly way to participate in the Monterey sales, this car is also part of the restomod culture that has become well established in the US.

While this Ford looks pleasingly standard from the outside, under the bonnet is a c900bhp 572cu in (9.4-litre) V8 engine.

That sort of power is possible thanks to twin Vortech superchargers and drive is sent to the back wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission.

The rest of the mechanical package has been upgraded to cope with the power and performance, yet this classic Ford also retains lots of original features such as the instruments, steering wheel, switchgear and the pushbutton radio in working order.

15. Ford GT40 Lightweight

Despite this car’s race history, this Ford GT40 retains its original body, chassis, engine, transaxle, and even comes with a set of period BRM magnesium-alloy wheels fitted with original Firestone racing tyres.

Little wonder it’s the headline act at Mecum’s Monterey sale on 15-17 August 2024.

One of 10 lightweight Ford GT40s built at the end of the car’s production life in 1969, this one was sold to a privateer owner in Portugal who only competed in three races.

He then sold it to another racer, Emilo Marta, who used the car in an Angolan series between 1970 and 1972, winning the championship outright in that final year.

This car has been authenticated by expert Ronnie Spain and has had a ground-up restoration.

It’s finished in its original Cirrus White with a black interior, plus the 4.7-litre V8 Gurney-Weslake engine has been built to its correct c440bhp specification.

16. Go-On II Alfa Romeo Special ($180,000/£139,720)

Hailing from the golden period of racing specials, this 1949 Go-On II Alfa Romeo Special is that little bit different again, because it was built for ice racing in Sweden.

Gunnar Olsson created the car for the 1950 Nordic Special series that was run to Formula One regulations.

To do this, he took the differential, wheels and radiator from a Jaguar SS100, and fitted them to a chassis of his own making.

Power for the Go-On II came from an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 engine, while the body he crafted was designed to look similar to an Alfetta 158.

The car was campaigned for four years in Swedish racing and was still used occasionally over the following six decades, before a light-touch restoration in recent years.

17. ItalDesign Aztec ($275,000/£213,450)

One of the most distinctive and unusual cars to cross the block at any of the 2024 Monterey sales is this ItalDesign Aztec being sold by Broad Arrow.

The Aztec is a concept car from Giorgetto Giugiaro and created to mark ItalDesign’s 20th anniversary with a display car for the Turin motor show.

It was billed as a reimagining of the sports car and came with a c250bhp Audi quattro five-cylinder, turbocharged engine, which was claimed to give the Aztec a 150mph top speed.

At the Turin show, Japanese industrialist Mario Myakawa was so taken with the Aztec that he commissioned a run of 50 cars, and the one being sold by Broad Arrow is number 12 that was built from an estimated 25 cars that were eventually completed.

Aside from some recommissioning work to make the car drive again, it is still in highly original condition.

18. Koenig-Specials C 62 ($650,000/£504,550)

The idea of a racing car for the road was taken to the extreme by Koenig-Specials when it converted a number of Porsche 962 Group C racers for use on the public highway.

This car being offered at Broad Arrow’s Monterey sale is thought to be one of only three such cars converted by Koenig-Specials and comes with a c550bhp, twin-turbo, 3.4-litre, flat-six engine.

The car has only covered 2600km (c1600 miles) since new, and comes with a mix of race-car function and luxury inside.

There’s leather upholstery by TechArt, yet it still has an integrated rollcage from its racing roots.

This car has spent much of its life in Japan and was imported into the USA in 2019, and it comes to market with fresh tyres and a recent full service.

19. Mercedes-Benz SL 5.0 AMG ($120,000/£93,150)

The R107 Mercedes-Benz SL is a popular choice, but Bonhams’ 1983 example is a much rarer machine thanks to its AMG upgrades that were carried out in period.

As well as the cosmetically obvious changes such as the Penta alloy wheels, spoilers and side skirts, there is a tuned 5-litre V8 engine.

This car’s specification is made all the rarer thanks to its five-speed manual gearbox, which is thought to make it one of only five cars in this specification in the US.

Known as the ‘RJM Burgess’ car, this example was delivered new in Florida and has covered 120,000km (c74,500 miles) since.

The car comes to auction after having a recent service and is said to be in excellent original condition.

20. Packard 734 Speedster Boattail Runabout

Packards are always keenly anticipated when they come up for sale at Monterey, but this 1930-only 734 Speedster model is sure to have collectors’ antennae twitching.

During 1930, Packard only produced 119 of this model and a mere 19 are known to have survived.

This car still has its Boattail Runabout body that it has had since new, though it has been restored and repainted.

Famed collector William Harrah owned the car and had it painted in salmon-pink and brown, and he sold the car to General William Lyon who owned it until 2011.

This car was subsequently restored and painted in its current colours.

As well as the body, the Packard comes with its original engine, chassis, rear axle and steering box, as well as the firewall data plate that states it was delivered new on 7 July to Mrs Sealey of Portland, Oregon.

21. Porsche 911 GT1 Rennversion ($8,500,000/£6,598,000)

The headline act at Broad Arrow’s 2024 Monterey sale on 14-15 August is this 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Rennversion finished in an eye-catching livery.

The colour scheme is what it wore when campaigned by the Rohr Racing team following its debut with Roock Racing in 1997 at Le Mans where it was driven by Allan McNish and Stéphane Ortelli.

It was used extensively throughout that year’s FIA GT Championship and was one of nine customer cars built by Porsche for that season.

This is the first time this car has been sold publicly, and it comes with a spare rear wing and wheels.

22. Ruf CTR 2 ($2,200,000/£1,708,000)

Broad Arrow has three Ruf cars up for grabs in its 2024 Monterey auction, and this 1998 CTR 2 comes with the largest lower estimate.

Helping this particular car to justify its higher hoped-for price is the fact it comes from a single owner from new, making it the only CTR 2 believed to still be in the hands of its original buyer.

Based on a ‘body in white’ shell from Porsche, the Ruf comes with the company’s own c580bhp optional Sport engine package, as well as four-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission with shorter than standard gear ratios.

All of this backs up the photograph in the car’s history file showing the owner driving the car at 325kph (202mph) on the autobahn.

Other options ordered by the first owner include carbon ceramic brakes, oval exhaust tips and an integrated rollcage.

23. Scarab Formula One

There are many racing cars in the Mecum catalogue for its 2024 Monterey auction, but this 1960 Scarab is unique for being the first Formula One car built in the US.

Three Scarabs were made in 1960 and this car was driven by Chuck Daigh to 10th overall in that year’s US Grand Prix.

It was also used by Stirling Moss for practice in the Monaco Grand Prix, and was later driven by Richie Ginther.

Powered by a 2443cc four-cylinder engine, this Scarab has been meticulously restored by Chuck Daigh and Dick Troutman.

It’s eligible for historic Grand Prix racing to further add to its appeal.

24. Serenissima GT ($700,000/£543,365)

Among the relatively more affordable lots in Gooding & Company’s 2024 Monterey sale is this unusual Serenissima GT.

The pretty coupé is a one-off built by Count Volpi for the Turin motor show in 1968.

Working with Alejandro de Tomaso, who owned Ghia at the time, the Serenissima was styled by Tom Tjaarda and shown on the Ghia stand at the Turin show finished in bright green. It was then repainted orange for the 1969 Geneva and New York motor shows.

A 3.5-litre V8 engine derived from the Serenissima Formula One racer powers the GT, and the car has been recommissioned to driving condition for its sale direct from more than 50 years in the ownership of Count Volpi.

25. Shelby 289 Cobra ($1,500,000/£1,164,350)

RM Sotheby’s did not quote a pre-sale estimate for this Shelby 289 Cobra, but it was placed in the catalogue between cars estimated at $1.4 million and $1.6 million (£1.087 million to £1.242 million), so it’s reasonable to think its lower estimate would be in the $1.5 million (£1.165 million) bracket.

Why this 1964 289 has a far greater estimate than most of its type is due to its one-owner-from-new history.

That owner is Hank Williams, a war veteran and famous jazz drummer, who bought the car to use on the road and compete in Sports Car Club of America races.

In 60 years of ownership, Williams made it his own by changing the colour from the original Princess Blue to Silver Mink. He also fitted the five-spoke American alloy wheels.

He used the car in almost 400 races and the car became known as the ‘Snake Charmer’ when he talked Carroll Shelby into giving him a T-shirt Shelby was wearing to celebrate his Le Mans win.

26. Shelby Mustang GT500 KR ($160,000/£124,200)

Shelby cars are a fixture of the Monterey Car Week auctions and this 1968 Mustang GT500 KR should do very well thanks to a mix of rarity, performance and relative affordability.

With its lower estimate of $160,000 (£124,200), it’s not nearly as pricey as the 289 Cobra being offered by RM Sotheby’s, yet the GT500 KR is one of only 1053 such cars built.

It came with a c335bhp 428cu in (7-litre) V8 from the factory, but this one has been tuned to around 409bhp as part of a sympathetic restoration and upgrade in 2016.

Known to the Shelby Register, this example is finished in its correct Acapulco Blue paint, and it also comes with Sport Deck rear seats, power steering and a tilt-away steering wheel for easier access.

27. Sunbeam Tourist Trophy ($1,000,000/£776,235)

Among the earliest cars in Gooding & Company’s catalogue is the 1914 Sunbeam Tourist Trophy racing car.

As one of three remaining works-entered cars that won that year’s TT, it will likely attracted plenty of interest from bidders.

Adding to this car’s allure is this is the first time the Sunbeam has been offered for public sale after 74 years in just two collections in the UK.

The 3.3-litre, four-cylinder machine is as it would have been when racing at the 1914 TT, and the car has been restored twice in its lifetime.

It is also registered for road use, retaining its original numberplate, making this an exceptionally versatile pre-First World War competition car.

28. Talbot-Lago T150 C Lago Spécial Teardrop Coupé ($6,500,000/£5,045,525)

The word ‘Special’ is very appropriate in the name of this 1938 Talbot-Lago, because it is the only Figoni et Falaschi Teardrop Coupé built on a T150 C Lago Spéciale chassis.

Ordered new by racing driver Antoine Schumann, he paid Luigi Chinetti 165,000 francs for the car to replace his Bugatti Type 50, and it was delivered in 1939 in Paris.

He was delighted with the body that has a split windscreen, flush doorhandles and its sweeping aerodynamic profile.

The car was hidden away during the Second World War before being raced in the 1948 Belgian Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Spa.

It was restored in the 2000s and has since been enjoyed by its current keeper since 2010.

29. Vector M12 ($400,000/£310,500)

There are no fewer than four Vectors for sale in the RM Sotheby’s 2024 Monterey auction, which are part of eight cars from the Turbollection group being sold here.

At the high end of these four cars is a pair of Vectors with lower estimates of $1.3 million (£1 million). However, of just as much interest is the least expensive of the quartet, the Vector M12.

This car is one of only five made and has a 7-litre Lamborghini V12 engine. It’s also the only one of its type ever finished in an unusual purple shade.

Used lightly throughout its life, this 1996 M12 had 6151 miles on its odometer, and was fully serviced and made road ready prior to the auction. 

30. Waverly Electric Model 93 Brougham

Electric cars might be considered the cutting edge of automotive design today, but this Waverly dates back to 1913.

When new, it was claimed to have a driving range of up to 100 miles, and it has since been restored with its batteries, control system, motor and final drive all to original design specs.

The Waverly was first bought by Mrs Ann Peace of Rawls, Virginia, and remained in her family until 2002, still in running condition.

It has since been sympathetically restored and retains its removable hardtop and summer soft-top.

The quirky Waverly Electric Model 93 Brougham has previously been displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where it won the Charles Cheyne Trophy.