For decades, fine art collectors have relied on their collections not only for cultural enrichment but as a source of financial leverage. Monet, Picasso, Rothko—works from these icons often serve double duty as both masterpiece and collateral, unlocking capital without requiring their sale. That same model now applies to the collector car world, and none are better positioned to offer this service than RM Sotheby’s Financial Services (RMSFS). 

Launched in 2024, RMSFS is combination of RM Financial Services and Sotheby’s Financial Services, to create one team combining RM’s deep collector car knowledge with Sotheby’s Financial Services’ 35-year track record in art-based lending. For serious collectors who may not yet be ready to part ways with their prized vehicles, this partnership opens the door to a new era: accessing serious liquidity without selling. 

Whether it’s to acquire a business, diversify your collection, or simply unlock equity for other investments, RMSFS offers bespoke financing solutions up to $300 million, secured solely by the vehicles themselves. 

The New Currency: Collector Cars as Financial Tools 

Many readers have experienced the evolution firsthand: a car that once sat valued at $300,000 in 2010 is now worth $2M, perhaps more. The rise in values—especially over the past decade—has cemented collector cars as a legitimate alternative asset class. For some clients, their garages represent more capital than their stock portfolios. 

Yet this capital is often illiquid—and, selling comes with significant tax implications. That’s where RMSFS comes in. 

“We’ve seen clients with $300 million worth of cars who want to move quickly on a business acquisition or real estate opportunity but get held up because they’re business is already leveraged.” says John Sulman, General Counsel and Director at RMSFS. “With our equity releases, they can borrow against the cars themselves, avoid complications with current creditors, and move swiftly on the opportunity in front of them.” 

Tailored Financing for a Discerning Market 

RMSFS structures each loan based on real-world market values, not arbitrary book figures. Loans range from single-car acquisition financing for first-time buyers all the way to nine figure equity releases for institutional-level collectors.  

Consider this scenario: a client holds a 150-car pre-war collection but wants to diversify into modern Ferraris, Porsches, or limited-run hypercars. RMSFS can provide: 

This model gives clients immediate capital to act on market opportunities, without waiting for a sale to close or liquidating other investments at a suboptimal time. 

Financing at Auction: Bidding with Leverage 

RMSFS also offers Acquisition Financing, which is a great way to defer a portion of the purchase price, but the real value shows when paired with an equity release against other cars in their collection. This enables clients to bid at auction using other cars as collateral—effectively acquiring vehicles with no money down.  

Consider a large collector chasing the 1965 LeMans winning Ferrari 250LM. By leveraging their existing collection, the collector could acquire the vehicle with no cash out-of-pocket and without liquidating securities or other cars. If the collector’s capital is earning 15-25% privately or in a portfolio, and RMSFS charges 8-11% interest, the spread works in the client’s favor. It’s a strategy common in other markets—leveraged investing—now applied to collector cars.