As 2007 draws to a close, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the top ten most expensive cars for the year. They're all real beauties, and most are legendary muscle-bound speedsters.
So it should come as no surprise that among the top ten is a familiar name that every kit car enthusiast reveres. That's right, Carroll Shelby's 1966 Cobra was holds a top spot as one of the major automotive sales of the year.
So here we go ...
Coming in at #10 is a completely restored 1912 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. Sports Car Market called it "a masterpiece of elephantine Edwardian elegance," and said it's impossible to duplicate. Nicknamed the "Corgi" because a former owner used it as the model for a toy car, this elegant vehicle sold for $2,970,000 on August 18, 2007 at an auction in Pebble Beach, California.
#9 is a 1953 Ferrari 340 MM. The original Mille Miglia, which is Italian for "1000 miles," was a road race held from 1927 to 1957 until it was banned following a fatal crash that killed several spectators. This blazing red femme fatale sold for $3,118,500 on May 20th in Maranello, Italy.
#8 is another Ferrari, this time a 1966 Ferrari 206 SP Dino restored to perfection. The drivers' log for this Ferrari racecar reads like a "Who's Who of 1960s sports car racing," according to Sports Car Market. Sold at the same auction as the previously mentioned 1953 Ferrari 340 MM, this glamorous dazzler went for $3,267,000.
Coming in at #7 is yet another Ferrari. This 1970 Ferrari 512S is a monster of a good-looking racecar. It's one of only four like it, according to RM Auctions. This Ferrari has an extensive racing history, including races at Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona. It's another automotive treasure that hit the auction block on May 20th in Maranello, and rolled off the auction floor with a sales tag of $3,564,000.
#6 is (what a surprise) still yet another Ferrari. This one is a 1959 250 GT and thanks to a three-year restoration, this black-on-black V12 Ferrari is perfect in just about every way, except that it lacks a racing history. Sold on August 18th at Pebble Beach, California, she sold for an impressive $4,455,000.
Which brings us to #5, a 1931 Bentley 4-liter. While it's definitely not a sleek, sexy racecar, this rare find is one out of only 43 remaining examples of the so-called "Green Hornet." Even with a leaky engine, ripped seat, faded paint and ratty top, this classic car brought in an amazing $4,510,000 at the August 18th Pebble Beach auction.
#4 is another 1959 Ferrari 250 GT. Unlike the 250 GT that came in at #6, this particular Ferrari has a great racing pedigree. As all racecar enthusiasts know, good racing history makes a car more valuable than comparable models and more likely to appreciate in value. This racecar was driven in the Le Mans by the late American driver Bob Grossman, which no doubt helped bump the winning bid up to $4,950,000 at an August 17th sale in Monterey, California.
Buckle your seatbelts, because here comes #3. Sold at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, Carroll Shelby's personal 1966 Shelby Cobra has a supercharged V8 producing 800 hp. It was originally configured as a competition car, and then retrofitted as a street-legal car. All I can say is "Wow!" She's absolutely jaw-dropping gorgeous! Apparently, the bidders felt the same way at this auction, since Shelby's Cobra went for an astonishing $5,500,000.
#2 on our top 10 list is yet another Ferrari. This 1953 340/375 MM is one of only two surviving models of its exact type out of only three ever built. Talk about running in rarified air! This exquisite racecar has been restored to look exactly as it did when it was driven in the Carrera Panamericana road race down in Mexico. Sold at the same May 20th auction in Maranello, Italy, it went for $5,700,000.
And now here we are at #1 - the most expensive car sold anywhere in the world in 2007. The top honors go to a 1962 Ferrari 330 TRI/LM that was the 1962 Le Mans winner driven by the legendary Phil Hill and the late Olivier Gendebien. Talk about a piece of racing history! After crashing in 1963, believe it or not, it was used as a daily drive in New York City from 1965 to 1974. This 330 TRI/LM is quite likely one of the most important Ferraris to ever hit the auction block, and it garnered a winning bid worthy of such a significant racing pedigree - $9,300,000.
So there you have it. The ten most expensive drives to hit the auction block during 2007. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see what motoring masterpieces go up for sale in 2008.
For more information on Barrett-Jackson Auctions, go to www.barrettjackson.com.
For more information on RM Auctions, visit www.rmauctions.com.
