The 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance kicked off this week in California at the Pebble Beach Golf Club.
Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, is presenting a particularly impressive fleet of automobiles on Friday, August 24 and Saturday, August 25.
Some of the cars in Gooding & Company’s fleet include a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ, a 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500, and a 1956 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing.
The 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance kicked off this week in California with antique car enthusiasts and collectors the world over flocking to place bids and see some of the most expensive vehicles on Earth.
Since it began in 1950, the Pebble Beach Concours has been the top-ranked car collector competition in the world. It has evolved over time, from its initial focus on collector cars in the 1950s to emphasizing sports racing and eventually preservation techniques in the 1990s.
Those in attendance bid on some of the finest and rarest cars around, coined by Business Insider’s Matthew DeBord as “rolling sculptures,” to the tune of many millions of dollars.
Aside from car aficionados and dealers, the event is primarily of interest to the investor class, who choose to park their money in vintage cars (along with fine art, expensive wine, antiques, and historical artifacts).
Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, is presenting a particularly impressive fleet of automobiles this year. On Friday, August 24 at 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 25 at 11:00 a.m., eighteen Gooding & Company vehicles will grace the auction stage.
The public preview of the vehicles began on Wednesday and will last until Saturday, with general admission costing $40 and auction catalogs going for $100. Bidder registration is $200.
Here’s a preview of the cars that will be sold for auction this weekend by Gooding & Company.
1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series II (Estimate: $5,500,000-$7,500,000)
With only one owner since 1960, this superb 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial is in excellent condition despite being raced 35 times. Noted Ferrari historian Marcel Massini says, “It also must be the best documented competition Ferrari ever.”
1952 Bentley R Type Continental Fastback (Estimate: $1,500,000-$2,000,000)
This classic 1952 Bentley R Type Fastback features alloy bumpers, lightweight bucket seats, a manual gearbox, and custom appointments. The car’s Antelope brown exterior mixes well with its brown leather interior, signifying both a bygone world as well as a still essential luxury.
1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing: (Estimate: $1,100,000-$1,300,000 without reserve)
This blue-chip collector car was previously owned by an original Hollywoodland developer, L. Milton Wolf, and remained in his family for six decades. The Gullwing is unrestored, keeping with it the original red-leather seats.
1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (Estimate: $1,400,000-$1,800,000)
A beautifully formed car, this 1964 250 GT Lusso comes equipped with a Colombo-designed V-12 engine producing 240 hp. Despite its speed, this car has been parked safely in storage since 1978 with just over 30,000 miles on its odometer.
1950 Ferrari 166 M 195s Berlinetta Le Mans ($6,500,000-$7,500,000)
One of only six examples of the Berlinetta Le Mans, this car was raced early on in the 1950s in Italy, Buenos Aires, Sebring, and Sussex. This car has been restored and presented in its original light blue coating.
1958 Ferrari 250 GT (Estimate: $6,500,000-$7,500,000)
This 1958 Ferrari was one of only 36 in its class of competition Berlinettas and spent its early years racing in Europe. After being restored in 2014, the car won the Coppa Bella Macchina Award at the Palm Beach Cavallino Classic, widely considered to be the premier Ferrari collectors event in the world.
1966 Ferrari 275 GTB C Series (Estimate: $12,000,000-$14,000,000)
Ferarri built just 12 examples of the 275 GTB/C solely for the purpose of competition and the windows are made of lightweight Perspex instead of glass, tailoring it for high speeds. This car was raced at the 1967, 1969 and 1970 24 Hours of Daytona and has been presented in excellent condition.
1935 Duesenberg SSJ: Estimate: (in excess of $10,000,000)
Once owned by Gary Cooper, this 1935 Duesenberg SSJ is straight out of the Golden Age of Hollywood and has sat on display for the past 32 years at The Revs Institute in Naples, Florida. David Gooding states, “This SSJ is one of the all-time greatest classics and is poised to set an auction record for a pre-war American car.”
1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport Cabriolet (Estimate: $800,000 to $1,000,000)
A truly beautiful car finished in metallic blue paint that’s elevated by the textured contrast of red leather seats, this Alfa Romeo 6C was originally owned by Alberto B. Segal.
The car was partially disassembled for restoration in the late 1960s and remained incomplete until purchased in 2011 and restored in 2016. This car has won Best in Show at the 2017 Danville Concours d’Elegance and Best in Class at the 2018 La Jolla Concours d’Elegance.
1952 Siata 208CS Corsa Spider (Estimate: $1,800,000 to $2,200,000)
With an original alloy body and sculpted fenders, this one-off 1952 Siata 208 Corsa Spider is one of the more impressive sports cars featured from the early 1950s. This model actually survived a fire while in storage but was saved by the quick-thinking of resourceful forklift operator.
The A6GCS/53 is a refined sports car powered by a two-liter twin-cam inline six-cylinder engine, perfect for racing. This restored 1955 Maserati won Best in Class and Best of Show at the 2010 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, and elegance competition for classic cars held in Lake Como, Italy
It’s the chassis body of this gorgeous 1956 Maserati Berlinetta that makes the difference. Renowned coachbuilder Carrozzeria Zagato of Milan framed this vehicle with one of his lightweight alloy Berlinetta bodies to create a sleek and beautiful look. This car also has a rich racing history.
1966 Ferrari Dino Berlinetta GT (Estimate: $2,000,000-$3,000,000)
The Ferrari Dino was named after Enzo Ferrari’s first son, Dino, and holds a special place in the hearts of Ferrari connoisseurs. This 1966 Dino Berlinetta GT was the first mid-engine, six-cylinder Ferrari designed to be used as a road car, rather than as a racing vehicle, increasing the brand’s popularity.
1967 Ferrari 330 GTC Speciale (Estimate: $3,300,000-$3,800,000)
Capturing the essence of 1960s modern design, this 330 GTC Speciale is a Ferrari-Pininfarina collaboration. Featuring angular lines and the stunning effect of a curved glass trailing pillar rear windshield, this car is one of only four such examples ever built and has not been shown since 1992.
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder (Estimate: $4,000,000 to $5,000,000)
The original owner of this Porsche 550 Spyder, California-based privateer racer Eldon Beagle, raced the model 20 times between 1955 and 1956. The car has been hidden from public view for the last two decades.
Only 34 RSK Spyders were ever built by Porsche. This model was driven by famed American racer Ed Hugus at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans and is an enviable addition to any racing enthusiast’s collection.
1966 Porsche 911 Spider (Estimate: $700,000 to $1,000,000)
This 1966 Porsche 911 Spider is a collaboration between California-based dealer John von Neumann and famed Italian designer Nuccio Bertone. Together they developed an open-air Porsche that is now available to own for the first time in nearly 25 years.
2007 Porsche RS Spyder (Estimate: available upon request)
The RS Spider is considered Porsche’s most illustrious prototype racing car with back-to-back IMSA LMP Championships, an overall win at Sebring, and class wins at Le Mans. Considered a a state-of-the-art racing car, the RS Spider is rarely made available to own.
