The classic vehicle market is one of the finest areas for the world’s affluent and famous to invest enormous quantities of money, and these rare and extremely desired machines are among the world’s most sought-after investment pieces. As a result, rare historic automobiles dominate the top ten most expensive auction cars ever sold.
Since 2013, all of these cars have sold at auction, demonstrating how popular the market for these very desirable and pricey vehicles has become. The title of the world’s most expensive car changes frequently, and the top rank is presently held by a car that was sold as recently as 2022.
List of 10 Most Expensive Cars Sold at Auction in the World?
1. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe
- Auction: RM Sotheby’s, Stuttgart, 2022
- Price: $142,000,000 (estimated)
This car, one of two 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupes, was sold for an astonishing £114 million at a special, invite-only auction at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.
Surprisingly, the beginning bid for this German racer was more than the winning bid for the second-place Ferrari 250 GTO. The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe was purchased privately and named for its designer and principal engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, who drove the car to European events. Mercedes owned it from new, covering only 3,756 kilometres in seven decades.
While neither 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe was raced, they did have an improved 302bhp 3.0-litre straight-eight from Juan Manuel Fangio’s historic two-time Grand Prix World Championship-winning W196 R.
2. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
- Auction: RM Sotheby’s, Monterey, 2018
- Price: $48,405,000
The second Ferrari 250 GTO on this list was sold in 2018 at RM Sotheby’s in Monterey.
Dr Gregory Whitten, a Ferrari enthusiast and vintage racer, held this specific 250 GTO – chassis number 3413 GT – for two decades before selling it in 2018. Derek Bell, a five-time Le Mans winner, drove it to the auction block, and the auctioneer commenced bidding at an astounding $35 million. Over the span of ten minutes, three bids competed for the car, with the ultimate price reaching $48,405,000.
3. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
- Auction: Bonhams, The Quail, 2014
- Price: $38,115,000
In 2014, this 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta set the record for the most expensive automobile ever sold at auction, a record it held for four years. It was designed to compete in the 1963 FIA World GT Championships, which it won.
Only 39 250 GTOs were made by Ferrari, and this particular 62-63 specimen is not only one of the best-surviving examples, but it also has a true racing record.
4. 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti
- Auction: Bonhams, The Quail, 2014
- Price: $38,115,000
The impossibly curvy Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti pictured here has a racing history as long as your arm – and that’s responsible for its place on this list. The car has competed in everything from the Sebring 12 Hours to the Mille Miglia and even Le Mans. Due to Euro/Dollar exchange rates, its exact position on this list is somewhat contentious – but it’s a worthy contender nonetheless.
5. 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta
- Auction: Bonhams, the Quail, 2023
- Price: $30,255,000
The Ferrari 412P is definitely one of the sexiest racing vehicles to ever grace the track, but it’s more than just aesthetics that saw a bidder spend over more than $30,000,000 to become the latest owner of ‘0854’.
The chassis and engine number of this specific 412P are 0854, and it possesses a lot of attributes that appeal to high-end collectors. In 1967, it competed at Le Mans, Spa, and Brands Hatch due to its strong racing heritage. It went on to win the Nuremberg 200 Kilometres, the Solituderennen, and the Swedish Grand Prix a year later.
After such a demanding racing career, 0854 was passed down via a succession of affluent collectors before undergoing a nine-year repair. Perhaps most importantly, assuming the next owner is courageous enough, this V12-powered vintage racer is totally road-legal.
6. 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196
- Auction: Bonhams, Goodwood Festival of Speed, 2013
- Price: $29,600,000
This Mercedes-Benz W196 Grand Prix automobile was driven by five-time Formula One world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, which contributed to its £17.7 million price tag at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The automobile was offered for sale in ‘genuine’ condition, with apparent flaws and a light layer of grime as if it had just rolled off the track. You pay all that money, and they don’t even wash your car for you.
7. 1956 Ferrari 290 MM
- Auction: RM Sotheby’s Auctions, New York City, 2015
- Price: $28,050,000
This ex-works Ferrari 290 MM made records for the most expensive automobile sold in 2015, the most expensive car sold in New York City, and the most expensive car RM Sotheby’s had ever sold. It was developed for Juan Manuel Fangio to compete in the 1956 Mille Miglia and went on to have a successful career.
8. 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider
- Auction: RM Sotheby’s Auctions, Monterey Sale, 2013
- Price: $27,500,000
The Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider is one of only ten ever constructed. It sold for £16 million in 2013, boosted by a rich history that included an appearance in the film The Thomas Crown Affair with Steve McQueen.
The NART spiders were the invention of car importer Luigi Chinetti, who realized the American market’s need for open-topped sports cars. He asked Enzo Ferrari for a series of convertible 275 GTBs with the classic NART (North American Racing Team) insignia on the rear.
9. 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale by Scaglietti
- Auction: RM Sotheby’s Auctions, Monterey Sale, 2014
- Price: $26,400,000
This £15.7m Ferrari is even more rare than the legendary 250 GTO. It is one of just three Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale models constructed in late 1964 and early 1965 to homologate the Maranello marque’s new 275 GTB race vehicle. In 1965, the Ferrari 275 GTB was created and produced to compete against the Ford GT40 and Shelby Cobra Daytona at Le Mans. It was the first Ferrari with independent rear suspension, and it represented the next step in the evolution of the successful 250 series automobiles, which included the renowned 250 GTO.
10. 1956 Aston Martin DBR1
The 1956 Aston Martin DBR1/1 sold for a jaw-dropping $22.5 million at Monterey automobile Week in 2017, making it the most expensive British automobile ever sold at auction. It was the first of five DBR1s produced, and it achieved remarkable racing victory at the 1959 Nurburgring 1000 in the hands of Sir Stirling Moss.
Source: wwwghgossip.com
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