20 biggest car sales of 2020 so far

The year’s strongest sellers

What a year 2020 has been so far. From the hustle and bustle of sales in Scottsdale, Paris, Amelia Island and others to, well, not a lot, really.

The coronavirus pandemic has seen many high-profile sales postponed, so while the automotive auction world pauses, let’s countdown the top 20 cars that have achieved the highest prices under the hammer this year.

Our data is from 1 January until 31 March 2020, and there are some fabulous cars in store…

=20. 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet A – £1,365,843/$1,771,483

Yes, we said this was a top 20 and it is – the top 20 prices paid for cars at auction so far in 2020. That’s because, at number 20 we’ve got a tie, meaning you get a bonus car!

That's right, two lots achieved exactly the same price at Bonhams’ Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais in Paris on 6 February.

One is this magnificent Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet A, one of just 31 of its kind.

1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet A (cont.)

This Mercedes’ first keeper was French actor Henry Garat, and it was later owned by the same proud custodian from 1969 right through until 2019.

Restored between 2001 and 2007, it was sold with a wealth of paperwork and items including original owner’s and parts manuals, a jack and two Henry Garat movie posters.

=20. 1931 Invicta 4½-Litre S-type Low Chassis Sport ‘Scout’ – £1,365,843/$1,771,483

As well as not being afraid to give its models long names, British marque Invicta made rather splendid cars and this 1931 example certainly wowed in Paris this February.

This is a car designed for comfortable high-speed touring and you’d certainly look very impressive whilst doing so.

1931 Invicta 4½-Litre S-type Low Chassis Sport ‘Scout’ (cont.)

Remarkably, for an 89-year-old car, it has never been completely restored, its paintwork, interior and engine among the original parts, although its gearbox was professionally rebuilt in 2010.

These were vehicles built with little expense spared and this 4½-litre-engined beauty will surely delight its next, very fortunate, owner.

19. 1966 Porsche 906 – £1,466,164/$1,898,295

Another Parisian sales success, this time at Artcurial’s Rétromobile sale, was this dramatically doored Carrera 6 that was campaigned on hillclimbs when new right across Europe and entered into races too, including the 1968 Imola 500km.

In fact, it’s been raced as recently as 2001 and since been enjoyed on events including the Tour Auto Historique.

1966 Porsche 906 (cont.)

In around 2001/2002 its colour was changed to the fetching scheme it wears today.

However, since 2014 it has been used little, but kept in fine fettle and good running order nonetheless. Will its new owner return it to competition?

18. 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet – £1,476,919/$1,930,000

No countdown like this would be complete without a Prancing Horse and this is the first of six in our top 20 – and the first of several in succession.

This Vignale-bodied 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet went under the hammer with Bonhams at its Scottsdale sale back in January, and having achieved a second-in-class placing at 2014’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, this car is no stranger to the limelight.

1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet (cont.)

This is believed to be the 16th of 78 Inters built, and the first of four similarly styled cabriolets bodied by the Turinese coachbuilder.

Since 2015, this lightweight, V12-engined Ferrari has been in a North American collection.

17. 1972 Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona Spider – £1,478,687/$1,930,000

The next Ferrari is two decades younger and counts academy Award-winning director, producer and actor Sydney Pollack among its former keepers.

Bodied by Scaglietti, it crossed the block at Gooding & Co’s Scottsdale sale in January and reached a shade under its $2-2.4m pre-sale estimate.

1972 Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona Spider (cont.)

With fewer than 40,000 miles on its odometer, the lucky winning bidder has a V12-engined classic with plenty of life left in it, and one finished in a wonderfully understated Argento Metallizzato, with a black interior, its original colours.

16. 1967 Ferrari 330GTS – £1,520,826/$1,985,000

In the same auction, but pipping the previous car’s sale price, is this eye-catching classic.

That it is one of 99 built should also catch your attention, too, if its yellow paint hasn’t done the trick.

1967 Ferrari 330GTS (cont.)

Another 12-cylinder classic, this Pininfarina-penned car has been the subject of a platinum award-winning restoration by Forza Motors of Monterey, California, which is surely music to the ears of its new owner.

It is also Ferrari Classiche certified and was sold with a packed history file, plus its toolkit.

15. 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series – £1,529,348/$2,000,000

Yes, there are a few moderns in this list of the 20 highest prices achieved by cars at auction thus far in 2020 – and the first is this.

And the good news is, all the money raised from its sale went to charity.

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series (cont.)

Offered with no reserve at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale sale, this is a unique car: only 100 Inspiration Series examples are to be built and because this lot is the first, it has a special VIN 100001.

The naturally aspirated five-litre, eight-cylinder engine is of more interest to us, though.

14. 1948 Tucker 48 – £1,562,965/$2,040,000

If this classic’s fantastic and wonderfully named paint doesn’t stop you in your tracks, its curvaceous shape should.

And the paint’s name? Waltz Blue Metallic – and this is one of 12 originally finished in this hue.

This Tucker sold for bang in the middle of its $1,750,000-2,250,000 pre-sale estimate on 17 January, but that may be because it’s a pretty special example.

1948 Tucker 48 (cont.)

It is thought that this car was the Tucker firm’s promotional vehicle and, if that wasn’t enough, it starred in the 1988 film Tucker: The Man and His Dream.

Oh, and it’s done fewer than 6300 miles. No wonder auctioneer Gooding & Co described it as ‘one of the finest examples of the hallowed Tucker’.

13. 1964 Porsche 904 GTS – £1,619,213/$2,113,660

When new, this Porsche was Signal Red with a blue cloth-trimmed interior, then in around 1980 it was restored and repainted in its original Signal Red, the cabin upholstered in cream leather. 

It took on the hue you see here – silver metallic with a black interior – in 2000, when owned by a marque specialist.

1964 Porsche 904 GTS (cont.)

Although it hasn’t been competed in extensively, this Porsche was campaigned in the early ’70s and made an appearance at the 2010 Le Mans Classic.

And if the winning bidder at RM Sotheby’s Paris sale wants to hit the track again, the good news is it was sold with an FIA Historic Technical Passport.

12. 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II – £1,685,713/$2,200,466

Recently refurbished and always aesthetically pleasing, it’s little wonder this Bavarian beauty achieved such a sum on 5 February.

Still with its original engine, this car is one of 34 to be exported to the US, of a total production run of 252.

1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II (cont.)

Being a Series II, it has a more spacious interior than its predecessors and, what’s more, when it was restored, its glovebox panel was removed and retained.

Why? It bore a signature that’s believed to be that of Count Albrecht von Goertz, who designed the 507.

11. 1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Torpédo Phaeton – £1,695,473/$2,205,000

The hammer may have come down under its $2.7-3.5m pre-sale estimate at Amelia Island in March, but this opulent Rolls-Royce easily makes it into our top 20 countdown.

And this Kellner-bodied creation is another former concours star, having claimed first in class at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, no less, as well as being a Best of Show Nominee at the same event.

1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Torpédo Phaeton (cont.)

Usually, we’re ones for sitting up front and driving, but we’ll admit that the rear compartment of this car is rather tempting.

As well as being exquisitely presented, it’s fitted with items including drink decanters and glasses, storage boxes, cigar holders and more – and, of course, brushes and a mirror to ensure you emerge looking suitably fabulous, even if you’ve been travelling roof-down.

10. 2018 Pagani Huayra Roadster – £1,813,626/$2,370,000

In at number 10 it’s another of the younger entries – and this, the 42nd of 100 built, has little more than delivery mileage.

So, will the winning bidder at RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale drive it, or just garage and cosset it?

2018 Pagani Huayra Roadster (cont.)

You get the full 21st-century supercar experience here with an AMG-sourced, twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre V12, astonishing styling and details such as exposed carbon weave trim throughout.

9. 1932 Hispano-Suiza J12 Dual Cowl Phaeton – £1,857,936/$2,425,000

Inside the top 10 you’d expect some rather special classics and this doesn’t disappoint. It is so special, in fact, that it smashed its $1.5-2m guide price at Gooding’s 17 January auction.

Well, it is one of around 10 remaining open J12s.

1932 Hispano-Suiza J12 Dual Cowl Phaeton (cont.)

It has also previously been part of the collections of Briggs S Cunningham and Miles C Collier, no less.

And it’s not always looked like this. It was commissioned new for the Goelet family in 1933 with closed coachwork by Labourdette. By the time Cunningham acquired it in 1954, it had been fitted with the Binder body it still wears now.

8. 1965 Ferrari 275GTB – £2,120,372/$2,745,321

Winner of the GT class at the 1966 Monza 1000km and surviving more than 40 international races in period ahead of going under the hammer at Artcurial’s Rétromobile sale in February, this history-rich Ferrari was with its pre-sale owner from 2000.

He had planned to race it but, not wanting to risk such a storied car, decided to sell it instead.

1965 Ferrari 275GTB (cont.)

It went to auction in Rallye Lyon-Charbonnières spec.

Its body and interior are in original condition, plus it has undergone a mechanical restoration, to make sure it is fully functioning and in fine fettle.

7. 2003 Ferrari Enzo – £2,139,525/$2,782,500

Any car named after Il Commendatore must be special and this sub-1700-mile, three-owner, one-of-399 US market Enzo is that.

It’s fitted with an upgraded Tubi Extreme exhaust, but otherwise is stock, chassis number 132654, still finished in Rosso Corsa with a red-leather interior.

2003 Ferrari Enzo (cont.)

Fresh from the Lingenfelter Collection where it was stored in a climate-controlled facility and maintained by dedicated staff, we’re in no doubt that this went to RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale on 6 March in fine shape.

Will its new owner drive it, though? That’s the question. We’re not sure we could resist the sound of that six-litre V12…

6. 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray – £2,294,022/$3,000,000

The last of the modern entrants in our top 20 countdown is another charity fundraiser.

When the hammer fell on this ’Vette at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale, Arizona, sale on 11 January, it raised a cool $3m for the Detroit Children’s Fund – bravo!

2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (cont.)

The car pictured is not the one the winning bidder will enjoy, though. That will be a black-on-black one fitted with every available option.

Not only that, it’s the first C8 to be sold.

5. 1995 Ferrari F50 – £2,468,949/$3,222,500

We’ve reached our final Ferrari and this F50, consigned to Gooding & Co’s Scottsdale 2020 sale, has now gone to just its third owner with fewer than 5200 miles on its odometer.

This is the model built to mark Ferrari’s 50th anniversary and, at the time, with its Formula One-style aerodynamics, technology and materials, was the closest thing to a roadgoing Grand Prix racer ever built by the Maranello outfit.

1995 Ferrari F50 (cont.)

Of course, being such a purist’s car, the V12-propelled F50 does without power steering, power-assisted brakes and ABS.

Just 349 were built in all, and this is one of 55 American-market examples produced. And as well as being sold with its hardtop, also included were tools, books and a suitcase. Snazzy.

4. 1907 Renault Type AI 35/45hp Vanderbilt racer – £2,581,816/$3,332,500

The oldest car in our list is also the fourth biggest seller of 2020 so far.

Willie K Vanderbilt is a major name in early American motor racing and he asked Renault if the company would produce a batch of its then state-of-the-art 35/45hp racing cars for his friends – in essence a smaller version of the firm’s Grand Prix racer, built to suit private ownership.

In all, 10 were built, each mechanically identical, but with differing coachwork, some used competitively and some just on the road.

1907 Renault Type AI 35/45hp Vanderbilt racer (cont.)

Included in this car’s history is ownership by Briggs Cunningham wheelman Bill Spear who, with Cunningham, finished tantalisingly close to the podium at the 1952 Le Mans 24 Hours, with a fourth-place finish.

This car also spent six decades on show at the Indianapolis Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, but the last owner prior to this sale enjoyed driving it on tours and hillclimbs – let’s hope the winning bidder continues to stretch this Renault’s legs.

3. 1968 Ford Mustang GT ‘Bullitt’ – £2,859,880/$3,740,000

It had to be here somewhere, didn’t it? That’s right, it’s the Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in Bullitt, that sold with Mecum on 10 January for a record-breaking sum after a frantic bidding battle.

One of two models used during filming, this one is known as the ‘hero car’ because it was the one piloted by McQueen throughout the movie, that stars in one of the most memorable of all cinematic car chases, tearing up and down the hills of San Francisco for almost 10 minutes in pursuit of two mob hitmen.

There was also the ‘jump car’, used mainly for stunt sequences.

1968 Ford Mustang GT ‘Bullitt’ (cont.)

As you can imagine, it caused quite a stir and kept cameraphones busy at the Kissimmee sale where the fastback was offered with no reserve.

Among the items included in the sale were two crucial letters: one from Warner Bros certifying that this Mustang featured in the film, and one from Steve McQueen to former owner Robert Kiernan seeking to buy the car.

2. 1931 Bugatti Type 55 Two-Seat Supersport – £3,902,410/$5,061,380

The top two entrants stand head-and-shoulders above the rest when it comes to final sale prices and the first is this stunning Bugatti, sold by Bonhams at its Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais event on 6 February.

And if its wow-factor looks weren’t enough, it began life as a works entry in the 1932 Le Mans 24 Hours, driven by Guy Bouriat and Louis Chiron, no less, although they failed to finish due to a split fuel tank.

1931 Bugatti Type 55 Two-Seat Supersport (cont.)

After the race it was sold to Parisian magazine publisher Jacques Dupuy and rebodied by Figoni, Dupuy then entering it in the 1933 Paris-Nice Rally and that year’s Bois de Boulogne Concours d’Elégance where it won its class.

Prior to February’s sale, it spent 56 years in the careful custodianship of marque enthusiast Geoffrey St John.

A history-rich Bugatti with a meticulously documented past, no wonder it commanded such a sum.

1. 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Supersport Roadster – £5,500,643/$7,100,000

At number one and by some margin, the car that’s achieved the highest sale price at auction so far in 2020 is this magnificent Bugatti.

And as the sunsets on our top 20 (see what we did there?!), we come to this ex-Rothschild car, sold at Bonhams’ Amelia Island event in March, that is also a Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance class winner.

1932 Bugatti Type 55 Supersport Roadster (cont.)

This is the kind of car that rarely comes to auction. Only 38 Supersport Bugattis were built between 1932 and ’35, of which 14 had the Jean Bugatti Roadster body, and of those just 11 still have that original coachwork – and this is one of them.

A possible once-in-a-generation opportunity, then – and therefore a suitably jaw-dropping price-tag.

Who knows what the rest of 2020 may bring. Let’s hope auctions can, safely, get back to normal before too long – will any car top this splendid specimen?