$22M FERRARI 290 MM LEADS RM SOTHEBY'S PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM AUCTION

On Saturday, 8 December, RM Sotheby's achieved $39.8 million in total sales at the company's final auction of 2018 at the renowned Petersen Automotive Museum. Leading the group of 64 vehicles and 77 lots of memorabilia representing a cross-section of significant eras and 10 categories in collector car history—of which 88 percent found new homes—was the remarkably rare 1956 Ferrari 290 MM, which sold for $22,005,000, entering the ranks of the top 10 most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction.

The Ferrari 290 MM, chassis no. 0628, ignited an extended bidding contest between three collectors over the phones before selling for a final $22,005,000. The fully matching-numbers, Classiche-certified 290 MM was campaigned by Scuderia Ferrari for the 1956 and 1957 seasons, piloted by an amazing roster of factory team drivers, including Juan Manuel Fangio, Phil Hill, Peter Collins, Wolfgang von Trips, Olivier Gendebien, Eugenio Castellotti, and later, under private ownership, Sir Stirling Moss, in some of the most prestigious events the racing world has known.

Supercars and modern hypercars once again shined, with six models exemplifying the pinnacle of high performance from their respective marques found in RM Sotheby's Los Angeles top 10 sales. Leading the group is a fantastic example of the original supercar, a 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone, which realized $2,205,000 on the podium (Estimate: $2,100,000–$2,500,000). Additional highlights include a 279-mile 2015 Porsche 918 'Weissach' Spyder in Factory Matte Black wrap and Martini livery, which sold for $1,534,000 (Estimate: $1,500,000–$1,700,000), a 350-mile 2015 McLaren P1 accessorized with a host of McLaren Special Operations options, which achieved $1,435,000 (Estimate: $1,300,000–$1,700,000), and a 4,000-km 1989 Ferrari F40, which drew tremendous interest and fetched a final $1,545,000 (Estimate: $1,200,000–$1,600,000).

"This weekend's auction at the Petersen Automotive Museum represented the most successful collector car auction ever held in Los Angeles and was highlighted by spirited bidding throughout the entire auction for lots that were globally sourced for this most unique and impressive venue," said veteran Car Specialist, Alexander Weaver of RM Sotheby's, following the sale. "The results re-affirmed market strength in many blue-chip collector cars, along with a continued and growing appreciation for modern collectables."

"It was an honor to host RM Sotheby's final sale of 2018 at the Petersen," adds Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. "Since our grand renovation in 2015, we've dreamed of partnering with this world-class auction house to bring automotive treasures from the nation's top collections to the heart of Los Angeles car culture. We're delighted to announce that this has been the most successful auction we've hosted in our 24-year history, and we look forward to continuing the tradition for many years to come."