All 2021’s £1m+ cars at auction so far

2021’s £1m-plus cars so far

As last year proved, when automotive auctions were cancelled or moved online because of the pandemic, cars will still sell at the top of the market if the example in question is right and the sums add up.

So here, as we near the midpoint of the year and sales return to in-person bidding around the world as well as continuing to embrace online bidding, we count down every car that’s changed hands for more than £1m at auction in 2021 to date.

For those keeping their own score, the prices are right according to the exchange rate at the time of writing…

40. 1966 Ferrari 275GTS, Mecum (£1,010,625)

Kicking things off, this is also from one of the kick-off sales of the year, when Mecum took over Kissimmee in Florida for 10 days in early January.

Five cars hit £1m, including this 275GTS that fell agonisingly short of its estimate.

Expected to fetch $1.35-1.45m, the hammer came down on the restored 3.3-litre V12 machine at $1,347,500. 

39. 1956 Ferrari 250GT Boano Alloy Coupé, RM Sotheby’s (£1,014,375)

Just inside this top 40 is this rare Boano Ferrari 250GT, one of 14 bodied in aluminium by the carrozzeria.

With a matching-numbers V12 and being Classiche certified, it proved popular with RM Sotheby’s at Arizona in January and nearly left its $1.2-1.4m estimate for dust.

It has racked up many miles on rallies with various owners but with no expense spared on keeping it running perfectly for all 66,000 miles.

In fact, the experienced Bob Grossman raced the rarity, including at the all-star Nassau Speed Week.

38. 1967 Shelby Cobra 427, Mecum (£1,031,250)

The second car to break the £1m mark at Mecum’s huge Kissimmee sale was this Cobra.

Not only was it the highly collectible 427, but it was on the cover of Car & Driver in 1981 and on the front of an American Supercars book.

Not only that, it was owned by Jim Inglese of Inglese Induction Systems and restored to as-new spec in 2018.

Tempting enough for a bidder to take it into its estimate range of $1.3-1.5m when he or she stumped up $1,375,000.

37. 1961 Ferrari 250GT Cabriolet Series II, RM Sotheby’s (£1,057,900)

No fewer than seven of this million-pound list came just last month at Amelia Island. First up from RM Sotheby’s is this Series II Ferrari 250GT by Pininfarina.

Not only did it creep into the £1m region but just outside its estimate range, too: at $1,490,000 it bettered its $1.2-1.4m expectations.

Classiche certified in 2013, with the engine it had when new, it was then returned to its original, understated colour scheme.

36. 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Three-Position Roadster, RM Sotheby’s (£1,136,000)

A rather un-Benz-looking Mercedes, this is unique having been bodied by Windovers.

It was bought by war hero William Henry Rhodes-Moorhouse, who, like his Victoria Cross-winning father was in WW1, was shot down and killed in WW2.

In its much later life this classic Mercedes has been displayed at both Pebble Beach and Amelia Island, as well as at Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands, and it still has its original engine and chassis.

‘It is a spectacular machine and among the most stunning of all supercharged Mercedes,’ reckoned RM Sotheby’s, which sold it within estimate last month at Amelia Island.

35. 1959 Aston Martin DB4GT, Artcurial (£1,168,568)

Despite Rétromobile 2021 being cancelled for reasons we don’t need to explain, there was still an Artcurial sale in Paris in February, at which three lots cleared £1m – and this is the first.

This Aston Martin DB4GT was red, and right-hand drive, when it left the factory, but a varied life on and off track has brought a few changes of face including being converted to LHD following a shunt at Lime Rock Park in America.

The vendor had owned the car since 1994 and used it barely more than taking it in for servicing.

34. 1933 Duesenberg Model J ‘Sweep Panel’ Dual-Cowl Phaeton, Bonhams (£1,175,050)

The first of three Model Js in this countdown, this Duesenberg found a new home last month at Amelia Island’s Bonhams auction.

Around 12 ‘Sweep Panel’ cars were built, and all are believed to survive – but that didn’t stop this from beating its estimate to $1,655,000.

33. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, Mecum (£1,175,625)

Remarkably, just one 300SL makes the list in the first half of 2021. Expect that to change by the end of the year.

This was delivered new to the then Prince of Salm-Salm before it headed to America in 1961. It remained with the same owner for more than 40 years and was sold in 2007 in a Strawberry Red shade.

A subsequent owner returned it to Graphite, but it remains very original down to the Becker radio.

No surprise it edged outside its $1.2-1.5m estimate to $1,567,500.

32. 2020 Ford GT MkII, Mecum (£1,327,700)

Modern Ford GTs are usually assured a place on the top 50 sales page in the magazine each month, and this is the best of the lot so far this year.

Ford doesn’t allow the new GT to be sold within two years, but this being a track model means it’s fair game.

The buyer took home a unique Ken Miles tribute livery, on a one-of-45 unrestricted race car that cost $1.2m new. For $1,870,000…

31. 1969 Ford Bronco ‘Big Oly’, Mecum (£1,327,700)

Mecum sold some of Parnelli Jones’ collection at Indy, including a Grand Prix car driven by Mario Andretti among a host of track and road cars.

Best of all, though, was made for neither track nor road but the Baja: this Bronco. Some deemed it the most famous Bronco in the world – presumably deeming OJ Simpson’s the most infamous.

Whatever, this Bronco won the Baja 1000 two years in a row, 1972 and ’73, plus the following year’s Baja 500 and Mint 400.

And is simply epic.

30. 1959 BMW 507, Bonhams (£1,356,750)

There is no BMW quite as revered as the 507, and they’re usually guaranteed to clear the £1m mark. 

This was no different at Scottsdale with Bonhams, selling for $1,809,000.

Not being the colour it left the factory, if the paint under the dash is anything to go by, and a history that isn’t fully clear, made this a comparative snip.

29. 1992 Ferrari F40, RM Sotheby’s (£1,448,400)

Last month’s Amelia Island sale was a record breaker, not least because this was the first roadgoing Ferrari F40 to break the $2m barrier.

Its $2,040,000 surpassed the $1.7m paid for one in 2018 at Monterey.

It’s almost as good as new, registering fewer than 4000 miles on its odometer, and carries the all-important Classiche certification. 

It was also one of the last built, rolling out of Maranello in February 1992. 

28. 1966 Ferrari 275GTB, Gooding & Company (£1,452,000)

Gooding chose to move its Scottsdale sale online, rather than delay or rearrange, and this striking Ferrari 275GTB was the star attraction.

Falling only just short of its $2m lower estimate, it proved that bidders continue to embrace remote buying – especially if the car is right.

And a late long nose, in unrestored low-mileage condition, is just right.  

27. 1957 BMW 507, Gooding & Company (£1,562,000)

The best of the BMW 507s so far this year, this Series II sold new in Italy but with a strong history Stateside.

It was originally Silbergrau (silver gray) but repainted light metallic blue during its restoration 20 years or so ago.

That its engine block was replaced in period and is no longer the one with which it arrived in Italy perhaps goes some way to explain it falling just short of its pre-sale estimate.

And it really was only just short in the grand scheme of things: $2.2m, against $2.25-2.75m.

26. 1955 Ferrari 250GT Europa, Gooding & Company (£1,577,620)

Gooding reckoned this to be the finest survivor of all the 43 250GT Europas built, labelling it a time capsule of a car.

Unrestored and entirely original, with just 33,000km beneath its wheels, the interior of Arancia perfectly sets off the deep grey body.

The car landed all but square on its $2.2-2.6m estimate at $2,220,000 in May as part of Gooding’s popular online sales.

25. 1913 Mercer Type 35 K Runabout, Bonhams (£1,721,750)

There must be a certain amount of pressure when you buy the last-remaining example of a car. That’s now on the shoulders of the winning bidder at Amelia Island for this 1913 Mercer Type 35 K Runabout.

Most were converted to Raceabouts, and this is the last known original car – though its early history is not known until 1951.

Since then it’s been on many tours and touched up here and there but remains an impressively used survivor, and it doubled its pre-sale estimate.

24. 1988 Audi Sport quattro S1, Artcurial (£1,734,276)

Genuine rally Audi quattros come with a premium, such is their legend, but this is not just any Audi quattro. 

This was the car that took part in the inaugural Race of Champions in 1988 and piloted Group B stars at Michèle Mouton’s groundbreaking event.

Doubling its lower estimate, the icon raised the bar for a rally car at auction with a new world record.

23. 1971 Ferrari 365GTS/4 Daytona Spider, RM Sotheby’s (£1,741,275)

As if being Classiche certified and having been driven little more than 13,000 miles wasn’t enough, this vibrant Giallo Fly Daytona was once part of the collection of Enzo’s pal Alfredo Ducato. 

The Californian banker had been a customer of Maranello since 1951.

It has Cavallino Classic honours in its history file, too, having taken home a Platinum Award in 2008. 

Quite the proposition to run around in, roof down.

22. 1967 Ferrari 275GTB/4, Barrett-Jackson (£1,782,000)

A bit of a ringer among the lots at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale event, which had a very American flavour at the top end, was this Ferrari 275GTB/4.

Matching numbers, with a complete history, an overhauled original engine and its original toolkit, it’s no wonder this was the auction’s second-best seller.

21. 1967 Ferrari 275GTB/4, Gooding & Company (£1,870,000)

Runner-up in the 275GTB stakes so far this year is this from Gooding’s UK-based online sale. 

It came with plenty of history, including the original factory records and Classiche certification, and was mechanically overhauled as recently as February 2020. That also included work on the interior, which was fully reupholstered.

Not only that, this very car was on display at racer, team owner and dealer Jacques Swaters’ stand at the 1967 Brussels Motor Show.

The hammer came down very nicely in the middle of its £1.75-2m pre-sale estimate.

20. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Roadster, Mecum (£1,875,000)

Without this Corvette there might not have been a fabled L88 package at all, because a sneaky planned visit to the Watkins Glen driving school with a Corvette by the son of a GM PR exec set Zora Arkus-Duntov thinking.

When he learned of young Tony Lorenzo’s idea he asked for the car back to make some upgrades and so, eventually, the L88 was born, good for up to 580bhp.

The first L88 raced on, and has sold a few times in recent years but this $2.5m is its best yet.

19. 1954 Ferrari 375 America, RM Sotheby’s (£1,917,750)

A double showstopper, this one-of-three Vignale-bodied 375 America was showcased at both the 1954 New York World Motor Sports Show and the same year’s Geneva Motor Show.

Once in the Blackhawk Collection, it was later displayed at the 2011 Cavallino Classic before it was refurbished. Its original engine has been confirmed by Ferrari Classiche, but is yet to be fully certified.

Having failed to sell at $3.5-5m in 2018, an estimate range of $2.4-3.4m was enough this time, as the hammer fell at $2,557,000 at January’s Scottsdale sale.

18. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88, Mecum (£1,940,400)

If your Corvette has an L88 engine then you’re in the money. But you probably already knew that. 

The best two ’Vettes sold this year have both been so-powered, 10% of all the L88s produced.

This has come out on top so far because its engine is the original, but it still has some way to go to beat the record set by Barrett-Jackson in 2014 of $3.85m. This achieved $2.6m with Mecum at Glendale.

17. 1960 Aston Martin DB4GT, Bonhams (£1,975,000)

Not exactly a turnkey classic, this one.

An estimate-beating project like few others and owned from new by one-time Grand Prix entrant Sid Green of Gilbey Engineering, it had been off the road since 1983 when it was dismantled for restoration.

Before that it had been a long-distance tourer; whether it will cross continents again with its new owner is another question entirely…

16. 1968 Ferrari 275GTB/4, RM Sotheby’s (£1,995,100)

The fifth Ferrari 275 of the list so far and we’re still not done with them. Clearly this was the year to sell a 275…

This brilliantly coloured four-cam GTB had spent nearly half a century in the ownership of Ferrari collector Allan Pray, with matching numbers gearbox and engine, until his death in 2016. 

It was then restored, ready for sale, and beat its upper $2.8m estimate by $10,000 with RM Sotheby’s at Amelia Island last month.

15. 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV, RM Sotheby’s (£2,084,425)

The only Lamborghini Miura to sell at auction this year so far, and it sold well: only one Miura has ever cost more under the hammer. That was at Gooding & Co’s incredible event at Hampton Court in 2020, and its next UK-based auction includes one, too, but this second place looks secure.

When this SV was bought from the Dr Oetker collection in 2015 it was returned to its factory specification, stripping off the Jota-lookalike bodywork and mods implemented in the 1970s. It has undertaken just 500km since. 

Good as new, almost literally.

14. 1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria, Mecum (£2,108,700)

A rare and imposing thing, not to mention pricey, this Duesy was Mecum’s second-best seller at Indy in May.

Bought new by bandleader Paul Whiteman, it originally came with a Phaeton body but that was replaced with this remarkable coachwork from Rollston by its second owner in 1935.

Since then the factory supercharged car has been restored to concours standard and, at $2,970,000, found a new home right in the middle of its pre-sale estimate range of $2.75-3.25m.

13. 1967 Shelby 427 S/C Cobra Roadster, Mecum (£2,343,000)

This remarkable Cobra boasts just five owners from new, and its first keeper held on to it for 15 years. 

When Steven Juliano bought the car in 2007 he set about making it as original as possible, down to the last new-old-stock detail.

In its 50-odd years it’s clocked up just 10,000 miles and still wears its original boots.

Auctioneer Mecum, who sold the car just under estimate at Indy, thinks it could be the most original Cobra left of the 27 427 S/Cs produced.

12. 2020 McLaren Speedtail, RM Sotheby’s (£2,458,125)

One of the newest on the list, such is its rarity and exclusivity that with RM Sotheby’s at Arizona it bettered its original list price to $3,277,500.

But even this might be deemed a bit of a bargain, because it started the auction expected to fetch between $3.5m and $4.5m.

It did have more than £130,000 worth of extras on it, after all, such as bespoke pinstripes.

Chassis 36 of 106, just like the McLaren F1, it was the first Speedtail ever to cross the block at auction.

11. 1967 Ferrari 275GTB/4 Alloy, Gooding & Company (£2,546,060)

Best of all the 275GTBs so far this year is the ninth of the 16 aluminium-bodied examples.

Though it started life blue it is still with its original engine, and Gooding was at pains to point out that it has entered no show or concours since it has been restored to show standard in a decade-long undertaking.

Its rarity, and desirability, left bidders with no qualms about remote bidding, it seems.

10. 1995 Ferrari F50, RM Sotheby’s (£2,678,475)

A historic result begins the top 10 countdown of £1m cars so far this year, because no Ferrari F50 has ever cost more at auction.

One of 55 to go direct to the States when new, chassis 103922 and RM Sotheby’s has overtaken Gooding’s $3,222,500 achieved in early 2020, raising the bar by half a million. 

With an estimate of $3.4-3.8m, the car eventually sold for $3,772,500 and followed the earlier F40 into the record books.

9. 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT, Gooding & Company (£2,750,000)

This would go some way to explaining the near-£2m project car a few slides ago. 

Fresh from restoration at RS Williams Ltd last year, with matching-numbers upgraded 4.7-litre engine, it’s one of just 30 left-hookers and one of only 75 DB4GTs.

It was the stand-out car of Gooding’s online sale for a superb set of UK-based cars, and it disappeared past its £2-2.5m estimate to £2,750,000.

8. 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K/540K Spezial Roadster, Bonhams (£3,479,000)

An ultra-rare example of the Mercedes-Benz 500K/540K, the Spezial Roadster was the peak of the range.

Its Sindelfingen body was further personalised, with more chrome including plenty of accent flashes and a ‘waterfall’ grille – which means its body is thought to be unique.

In 2014 this very Benz sold for £2.7m and all the proceeds went to charity, and at Amelia Island last month went even higher.

7. 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer, RM Sotheby’s (£3,551,250)

It didn’t take long for a Bugatti to clear £1m in 2021, with this Type 57SC among the lots at Scottsdale with RM Sotheby’s.

In fact, it was the second best seller for the auctioneer at the event.

Very original, with a history of marque specialist owners, it was one of only eight Type 57Ss bodied by Corsica and is one of just two four-seaters.

And it’s now the sixth-most expensive Type 57 ever sold at auction.

6. 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake, Barrett-Jackson (£3,960,000)

The sole surviving Super Snake Cobra, a racer for the road, was converted from a competition 427 for Carroll Shelby himself. 

Still with its aluminium shell and a host of track-focused upgrades, it crossed Barrett-Jackson’s block at Scottsdale for more than ever before. 

It broke its own record, but remarkably had already lost its world record. Keep reading…

5. 1934 Bugatti Type 57S, Bonhams (£4,047,000)

Not only was this one of the last, if not the last, unrestored Type 57S, but it had been hiding a secret in its long-term garage storage.

Beneath the body was a chassis used by one of the ‘Tank’ racers at Le Mans, a fact Bonhams and historians confirmed, adding another chapter to Bugatti’s history.

You can read its full story here, an exclusive account of its life before it went under Bonhams’ hammer in February.

4. 1929 Duesenberg Model J ‘Disappearing Top’ Torpedo, RM Sotheby's (£4,064,750)

Well this, $5,725,000, is how much an Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Best in Class winner costs. Which was also more than RM Sotheby’s expected ahead of its Amelia Island auction last month, because its estimate was a ‘mere’ $3.5-4m.

The original owner was a 1920s millionaire, having sold his stake in Ford back to Henry for $26m in 1919. It later starred on the silver screen, gained a new factory engine, joined the Blackhawk Collection, and has been restored back to its original guise.

It’s also one of just four still on its original chassis, and the only to still wear its bare-aluminium finish.

3. 1965 Shelby Cobra 427, Mecum (£4,455,000)

Mecum’s best seller of the year so far, and the highest price it has achieved since the $7m GT40 prototype sold at Houston in 2014, is a special car indeed.

It was Carroll Shelby’s own car from new, kept until after his death in 2012 and sold by his estate in 2016.

He had it tweaked and modified throughout its life but the new owner took it back to how it was delivered to Shelby’s house, and the work was completed in 2019.

So out went the auto transmission, and back came the charcoal paint.

2. 1955 Jaguar D-type, RM Sotheby’s (£4,500,000)

This D-type spent little more than six weeks as the year’s top seller, finding a new home for $6m at Scottsdale in January with RM Sotheby’s.

After all, it’s not often such an original D-type comes up – though in 2018 it failed to sell with a $10-12m estimate. Here it was listed at $5.75-7.5m.

Its unbroken known history begins with Bernie Ecclestone selling it to racer Peter Blond.

Not only that, the engine is the one it came with, so too the cylinder head and body. 

1. 1972 Matra MS670, Artcurial (£5,940,192)

One of the most important French race cars of all, this is the Matra that Graham Hill and Henri Pescarolo shared to victory at Le Mans in 1972. 

It would have been one of the star attractions of Rétromobile, let alone Artcurial’s vast stand there, had the event taken place in Paris in February. 

Instead the money was shelled out in a standalone sale – and this is the most expensive car sold at auction in 2021 so far.