RM Sotheby’s returns to Motorworld Munich on 23 November for our third consecutive sale in the Bavarian capital, and to mark the occasion we’ve given European specialist Stephan Knobloch a cheque for €5,000,000 and a seven-car garage for him to fill. No mean feat, because this year’s auction is absolutely packed with quality, from limited edition supercars such as the 2022 Ferrari Monza SP1 to truly historic pre-war competition cars such as the 1923 Mercedes Type 122 Indianapolis Racer. Find out what Stephan would spend his money on below.
Heuer Niki Lauda Helmet Clock
“Ok—it isn’t a car, but as soon as I saw this clock I knew I had to have it,” says Knobloch. “As a huge Ferrari and Formula 1 fan, and a fellow Austrian, Niki Lauda was a national hero growing up. Even though I’m too young to have seen him race in period, his exploits are still spoken about to this day. His story is one of the most inspiring in motorsport and he was just an incredible person.
“I would love to own this quirky piece, and I think it would inspire me each time I saw it. I couldn’t help but laugh when I read that the clock ‘has been observed to lose time’—quite ironic, because that’s something King Rat would never do.”
Ferrari Single-Sided Illuminated Sign
“I’m really bending the rules now, but this Ferrari dealership sign is another very cool piece that I’d love to have on the wall. At more than a metre tall it’s got great presence and the colours really pop, and even though it doesn’t look super old it has a great vintage feel. These come up occasionally and I’ve always been tempted in the past.
“By spending five grand of my budget on the sign it’s also allowed me to save a few pennies to put towards my final selection… and with this sign on the wall I’ll know just where to park it.”
1988 BMW M3
“I’ve always had a passion for fast BMWs, and for me that story begins with the E30 M3. The M Division had been active for years, of course, but it’s the M3 that really put the firm on the map with the public, and it’s one of the first cars I can remember wanting to own. Part of the appeal was that it looked like such a sleeper—despite sharing barely any body panels with the cooking model, and packing a 2.3-litre four-cylinder S14 under the bonnet.
“The M3’s performance statistics seem quite tame by today’s standards; it’s a car that you really must experience to truly appreciate. From the dog-leg gearbox to the power delivery and sublime handling, it’s one of those cars that is greater than the sum of its parts. This JDM example looks really nice in Alpine White II over black with its rare 16-inch split-rim wheels, and its got great history too; incredibly, it’s only had two owners from new and has covered a little over 60,000 kilometres. They say don’t meet your heroes, but you should definitely make an exception for the E30 M3.”
1984 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC 'Gullwing' by Styling Garage
“People adored the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, and while the company itself didn’t revive the concept until 2010, plenty of others tried their hand in the intervening years—often with spectacular results. Anyone who attended our Munich sale in 2023 will remember the crowds that surrounded the Boschert B300, which ended up almost doubling its lower estimate after crazy bidding.
“The Boschert remained a one-off; arguably the most successful attempt came earlier from SGS, or Styling Garage. The Hamburg firm’s Gullwing was much more popular with buyers, with as many as 57 being built on the C 126-series 500 SEC platform despite the conversion doubling the cost of the base car.
“This car is a lovely example with plenty of bills for overhauling things like the door hydraulics. I love the colour, too, and the split-rim BBS alloys—they perfectly match the retro eighties vibe. There are so many other cool details on this car, you really do need to see it in person to get the full effect. If you do, be sure to check out that gear lever…”
1979 BMW M1 'Exclusiv by Walter Maurer'
“You can’t come to the home of BMW and pass up one of the greatest cars to ever wear the badge, so I would definitely be adding this M1 to my fantasy garage. The model is really significant and took BMW to a new level, giving it a bona fide supercar to sell alongside the 3 and 5 Series saloons that had become its bread and butter. It’s also a fantastic combination of Italian design and German engineering and a real rarity, with only 399 road cars ever made.
“This car is even rarer, being the only road car ever painted by Walter Maurer. The Art Car legend is famous for painting plenty of racers, and even campaigned his own car in the single-model ProCar series, but this remains the only road car to bear one of his incredible designs. Accompanying the sale is a copy of a letter from Maurer himself where he discusses planning the car with its first owner, which is a lovely piece of history to have.
“To top it off, the car has covered less than 34,000 kilometres and still retains its matching-numbers 3.5-litre straight-six engine.”
1929 Mercedes-Benz 710 SSK Roadster by Sindelfingen
“Every collection needs a serious pre-war racer, and though I was tempted by the 1923 Type 122 Indianapolis team car for its incredible history and the 710 SS for its connection to Bentley Boy Thomas “Scrap” Thistlethwayte, it’s the Sindelfingen-bodied example that would find a home in my garage.
“As one of just 33 lighter and lower 710 SSKs and wearing purposeful bodywork by Mercedes’ in-house coachbuilder, this incredible racer definitely has ‘the look’. From its huge radiator set back behind the front axle to the exhaust manifolds exiting the right of the bonnet, I honestly don’t think there’s a bad angle on this car. It’s got a stance and meanness that would put a hot rod to shame.
“Like every car in The Aumann Collection, this 710 SSK has impeccable provenance. It was raced extensively in period by its first owner, and even came home 5th in the 1931 edition of the Eifelrennen racing against eventual winner Rudolph Caracciola in a sister SSK. Unsurprisingly, it’s been used extensively by the current owner in all manner of rallies and events, and would be a wonderful machine to use on an upcoming Mille Miglia Storica.”
2022 Ferrari Monza SP1
“I would have absolutely zero hesitation in putting in a strong bid for this 2022 Ferrari Monza SP1. I was totally stunned when Ferrari first announced the SP1 and SP2 and fell in love straight away with the styling. It’s totally wild and completely impractical—especially in SP1 configuration—but for me that’s exactly what supercars are all about. There’s a sense of theatre to these cars that you just don’t get from anything else of this era. They’re so engaging to drive and draw so much attention—every trip out becomes an event in itself.
“Ferrari built 499 SP1 and SP2s, though it was the SP2 that made up the lion’s share of production for obvious reasons. That makes the SP1 the rarer of the two, which certainly won’t hurt its value in years to come.
“These cars can be very sensitive to specification, and I think the first owner nailed it with this example. Titanium Grey over Cioccolato leather is a beautiful combination, and the Giallo Modena accents aren’t just significant historically, they look fantastic. It also comes with all the goodies—helmet, carry case, driving gloves and goggles—and has covered less than 2,000 kilometres since new. Perfect if you want to actually get out and drive it from time to time.
“I’ve loved these cars from the moment they first came out, and as time has passed, I’ve only grown to appreciate them more. I think the Monza SP1 will age very well—especially when you compare the experience of a 6.5-litre V-12 engine and open roof with the V-6 hybrid offerings that seem to be coming to the fore today.”
