Nine of the best supercars going to auction in December

By Greg MacLeman

| 27 Nov 2017

A mouth-watering array of supercars is set to cross the block at RM Sotheby’s Icons sale in New York, ranging from poster pinups of the 1980s through to cutting-edge, delivery-mileage machines of the present day. We’ve rounded up the top nine supercars from the 6 December sale, choosing the very best cars based on their value, design, and of course performance.

9. 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25^th Anniversary – $200,000-250,000

Given the choice, we would probably opt for the purity and scalpel-like design of the earliest Countach rather than the all-out excess of the later versions, but there’s something to be said for a white 25^th Anniversary edition. Maybe it’s the unashamed brashness of the blistered arches and bonkers rear spoiler, or perhaps just the memories of the hit film Wolf of Wall Street, but we could see ourselves behind the wheel of this stunning 9320-mile car. Go easy on the Quaaludes, mind.

8. 1996 Porsche 911 GT2 – $1,100,000-1,400,000

Values of 993 911s have gone through the roof in recent years, and the top-of-the-line GT2 is no exception. Described as being the ultimate street-legal 993, the rear-wheel-drive GT2 is a brutally quick machine, capable of a 0-60mph sprint in less than four seconds and a top speed of nearly 190mph.

One of just 194 examples produced, this car spent time in Japan and still retains its original tool roll, jack, air compressor and space saver tyre, not to mention being fitted with air conditioning and electric windows.

7. 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari – $3,250,000-3,750,000

Get past the questionable nomenclature and you’ll find one of the most exciting supercars of the past decade, both in terms of performance and design. Lurking beneath that stunning lightweight bodywork is a thumping 789bhp V12 engine, which is assisted by an electric motor that produces a further 161bhp, taking total power output to a dizzying 950bhp.

Fewer than 500 LaFerraris were built, and to get one you had to be one of Maranello’s preferred customers. This car offers a rare opportunity to skip the queue; with just 53 miles on the clock, this LaFerrari is as close as you’re likely to get to brand-new.

6. 1990 Lamborghini LM002 – $400,000-500,000

Though it may not strictly meet the definition of a supercar, the superb LM002 deserves a place on our list for being one of the most outlandish vehicles of the 80s and 90s. The idea was simple: take a failed military prototype, strap in the V12 engine from the Countach and deck out the interior with lashings of leather and wood. The result was a sports utility vehicle capable of reaching 60mph in less than eight seconds, with enough presence to make you look forward to the school run, not dread it.

5. 2004 Porsche Carrera GT – $775,000-850,000

Something of a mythical beast, just 1270 Carrera GTs were ever made, and the majority of those seem to have been squirreled away in private collections and rarely seen on the road. Indeed, that seems to be what happened to this one: despite having two owners, the car has covered a paltry 679 miles.

If you fancy stretching its legs – and have a spare $850,000 – you’ll have a great time doing it. Powered by a four-cam, dry-sump V10 engine, the Carrera GT can pass 200mph without breaking a sweat, while 60mph comes up in less than four seconds. Performance aside, this is a landmark model for Porsche, being the company’s first ever mid-engined supercar.

4. 1990 Ferrari F40 – $1,200,000-1,400,000

It may lack the technological advancement of some of the more modern cars in our list, but what the F40 lacks in electronic wizardry it more than makes up for in terms of sheer presence and brute power. The featherweight supercar became the poster child of the 1980s, eclipsing Lamborghini’s aging Countach and Porsche’s clever yet uninspiring 959 and capturing the public’s imagination.

3. 2014 Pagani Huayra – $1,900,000-2,300,000

If it’s exclusivity you’re looking for, you won’t do much better than a Pagani Huayra: just 100 coupé versions were ever built, making your chances of bumping into another at the lights very slim indeed. This example is number 78 and was delivered new to its first owner in San Francisco. Unlike some of the other supercars in the sale, the Pagani has seen some use: it’s covered 4943 miles, but it seems to be in great condition.

2. 2015 Porsche 918 Weissach Spyder – $1,700,000-1,900,000

Porsche’s 918 as close as you’ll get to a Le Mans Series RS Spyder without donning a race suit. Like the 959 and Carrera GT before it, the 918 is a technological tour de force featuring a 608bhp V8 engine with two electric motors at each axle. Together, they created a combined power output of 887bhp, which is enough to get the car to 62mph in a whisker over two seconds and on to a top speed in excess of 200mph. The more environmentally conscious buyer will be pleased to hear that the 918 is classed as an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle, thanks to its ability to run on electric power alone.

Of the 918 918s built, 230 were finished in Weissach trim, which reduced weight by around 45kg. Differences included magnesium alloy centre-lock wheels, Alcantara trim instead of leather and lighter door-pull straps, not to mention a factory Martini livery wrap.

1. 2018 Bugatti Chiron – $3,500,000-4,000,000

The Bugatti Veyron tore up the rulebook when it first appeared in 2005, becoming the quickest production car in the world in Super Sport trim. The Chiron then had big boots to fill, and while its electronically limited top speed of 261mph falls 6mph short of its predecessor, the only thing holding it back is tyre technology: de-restricted, it could achieve as much as 285mph.

This example is the first to be offered at public auction, as well as being the first Chiron delivered to the United States. It’s never been registered: the 250 miles currently on the clock can all be attributed to factory testing. Here’s hoping its next owner adds to that tally!