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McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Edward Jones – January 03, 2023

1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air Being Auctioned At Mecum K...

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 For many Pontiac and performance fans in general, the 1969-71 GTO Judge represents a high-water mark for the entire muscle car era. It had all of the elements for such lofty reverence: a powerful engine lineup, spectacular styling, colorful paint options, wild graphics and the required scoops and spoilers needed to project the image of speed and the youthful exuberance that defined the era. This 1970 Pontiac Ram Air IV GTO Judge Convertible from The Chuck Cocoma Judge & GTO Ram Air IV Collection headed to Mecum’s flagship Kissimmee event this January is among the rarest of the breed, with its pairing of the Ram Air IV engine and automatic transmission making it just one of seven of its kind built that year. With the easing of GM corporate mandates for the 1970 model year, the largest-displacement engines from each division were now eligible for installation in the A-body platform. This meant the new, high-compression 455 rated at 360 HP was made available to the GTO and Judge powertrain lineup as an option. It was a particularly good choice for heavily optioned cars with air conditioning, as it developed a whopping 500 lb-ft of torque. It complemented the Ram Air III and Ram Air IV powerplants, which returned to the lineup in 1970, essentially unchanged aside from some revised casting numbers. Pontiac produced a total of 40,149 GTOs in 1970, of which 3,797 were Judges and 168 were Judge convertibles, and of those Judge convertibles, 17 were Ram Air IV-powered and only seven were built with the Ram Air IV and automatic transmission. This particular Orbit Orange 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV Convertible from The Chuck Cocoma Judge & Ram Air IV GTO collection is one of those seven Ram Air IV automatic cars, and it has had an interesting life. Starting out as a factory exhibition car used for show duty that year, it was later invoiced to the Milwaukee zone office and sold through Don Nichols Inc. of Walworth, Wisconsin. In addition to the aforementioned powertrain, the Judge convertible was also factory-equipped with power steering and power front disc brakes, a Formula steering wheel, an AM/FM radio, stereo 8-track tape player, console, custom seat belts, a Soft Ray tinted windshield, a hood tachometer and Rally II wheels mounting Firestone Wide Oval white-letter tires. This particular Ram Air IV Judge convertible has been treated to an extensive body-off-frame restoration and has received a treasure trove of awards, with wins at the Meadow Brook Concours in 1998, Ault Park in 2000, Cranbrook in 2004, the Milwaukee Masterpiece in 2009, as well as a POCI Junior Gold in 1999 and a Senior Gold in 2000. This 1970 Ram Air IV Judge convertible is an incredibly desirable example of the breed, with the most desirable engine in the most desirable body style of a special-edition model in the most desirable color combination offered for that one year. Add to that its history as a factory exhibition vehicle and its impressive number of awards and it becomes one of the rarest and most sought-after examples of the breed to ever come to market. Its availability at Mecum’s Kissimmee 2023 auction marks a unique opportunity for a new owner to make it the crown jewel of their high-end muscle car or Pontiac collection. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information

By Edward Jones – December 29, 2022

1959 BMW 507 Roadster Series II Being Auctioned At Mecum ...

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 1959 BMW 507 Roadster Series II Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 There’s a reason Elvis Presley had one of his two BMW 507 Roadsters painted red: it didn’t show the lipstick marks left by adoring fans. That’s the way the story goes, at least, but perhaps some of them were simply showing their admiration for a truly spectacular and exotic car that Road & Track described as a “fortuitous combination of all-out racing beastliness and the true grace of postwar Italian design.” Once again, as with other landmark luxury European sports cars including the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and Roadster, the driving force behind the BMW 507 was legendary New York importer Max Hoffman, who persuaded BMW there was a market—particularly among America’s highest rollers—for an exotic, high-priced, European open-top sports car. Hoffman recruited New York-based German ex-patriot industrial designer Count Albrecht von Goertz to pen the dramatic aluminum body. The chassis was a shortened version of that used on the 502 sedan, which also furnished the fabulous burble of the all-aluminum 3168cc OHV V-8 breathing through a pair of Zenith twin-choke carburetors. With the V-8 rated at 150 HP, the 507 was good for 124 MPH. When deliveries started in June 1956, sales didn’t materialize as fast as Hoffman had hoped, in large part because, although the exotic BMW was undoubtedly beautiful, its initial price of $8,988 was a deal more exotic than Hoffman’s $5,000 target, at which he forecast annual sales in the thousands. Nevertheless, the 507 got even more exotic, its price rising to $10,500 in 1959. In its short career, which returned sales of just 252, BMW invested considerable development effort in the car, befitting its status as a prestigious flagship model. This 1959 BMW 507 Roadster is No. 242 of those 252 produced. As a late-production Series II model, it benefits from the revised cabin that increased space and legroom by moving the fuel tank aft to the trunk floor. Early cars were drum-braked, while front discs later became an option; however, this example features the very rare 4-wheel disc-brake option, developed in conjunction with BMW by none other than British motorcycling world champion and future Formula 1 world champion John Surtees for his own 507. Another extremely rare extra is the hard top, which it’s reckoned was supplied to just 11 BMW 507s. Each of the hard tops was individually fabricated to fit a particular car, as the hand-crafted bodies varied from one car to another. The BMW 507 also features a Blaupunkt radio, three-piece luggage set and a tool kit under the hood. Part of Rick Grant III’s collection since 2002, this BMW 507 Roadster was previously owned by well-known BMW collector Goetz Pfafflin, a long-time BMW Car Club of America member and founder of the BMW Vintage and Classic Car Club of America. Its 3168cc OHV V-8, backed here by a ZF 4-speed manual gearbox, was rebuilt along with the suspension and brakes in 1997 by BMW specialist Brummer of Munich, Germany. A professional restoration by Bruce Kelly’s Lake Country Classic in Minneapolis, Minnesota, followed in 2021, focusing on the bodywork, paint, upholstery, top and chrome. That same year, Pfafflin completed the 3,500-mile BWN Vintage Marathon of Europe, with Brummer repairing the wiring system prior to the rally, and the BMW was displayed at the 2021 Concours d’Elegance of America. With 202 known survivors of the 252 built, it goes without saying that any BMW 507 is far rarer than the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, which totaled 1,858 sales. This example is rare even within the small and exclusive circle of BMW 507s. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information

By Edward Jones – December 28, 2022

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Being Auctioned At Mecu...

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 A universally recognized design and engineering tour de force, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing coupe stands tall as one of the ultimate postwar European sports cars. Based upon the W194 competition coupes that returned Mercedes-Benz to racing and dominated the 1952 international racing season, the car was refined for production at the insistence of New York-based importer Max Hoffman. Retaining the purposeful gullwing-style doors of the initial racing cars, the 300SL road cars are unofficially named after this distinctive feature. Its 1954 New York debut marks the first Mercedes-Benz model not launched in Germany. The “SL” designation translated to English as “Lightweight Sports,” with race-bred features including an extremely light tubular frame, all-independent suspension and a 3.0L (2996cc) OHC straight-6 engine with dry-sump lubrication. Fuel injection was a production-car first. Power, rated at 240 HP at 6,100 RPM (SAE) and 215 HP at 5,800 RPM (DIN), was delivered through a 4-speed manual gearbox, rendering the 300SL the fastest production car of its time. Production of the semi-hand-built 300SL continued into 1957, with just 1,400 built in total, including 146 in 1954, 867 in 1955, 311 in 1956 and 76 in 1957, the latter completed as 300SL Roadster production commenced. Finished in black over period-correct green and red plaid seats and green interior panels, this visually striking 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is the product of a comprehensive, bare-metal restoration completed by renowned Canadian Mercedes-Benz expert Rudi Koniczek of Rudi & Company in Victoria, British Columbia. Powered by a matching-numbers 2996cc SOHC inline-6 engine with Bosch fuel injection, this 300SL features a 4-speed manual gearbox, custom-made fitted luggage, 15-inch chrome wheels with center hubcaps, a correct tool kit and a Becker Mexico radio. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information

By Edward Jones – December 27, 2022

1959 Porsche 718 RSK Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 Immensely successful with factory drivers and skilled, well-heeled privateers, Porsche’s 718 RSK Spyder debuted in 1957 with the purpose-built competition spaceframe and Type 547 roller-crankshaft, DOHC powerplant ushered in by the prior 550 Spyder. Capable of defeating many seemingly more formidable opponents, the 718 RSK finished third overall—a Porsche first—at Le Mans in 1958. Since the FIA approved full envelope-type bodies for the 1957-58 Formula 2 seasons, the 718 RSK was also available with a center-mounted steering box and scored further victories so equipped at Reims and Avus. Of the as few as 34 built, only an estimated six 718 RSK Spyders were built with center-steering, and of them, four were factory-built with provisions to quickly switch between center- and offset-steering configurations for F2 and sports-car races, including this 718 RSK, Chassis No. 718-028. Built in April 1959, this 718 RSK was delivered new with the center-seat adaptation to successful privateer racer Christian Goethals of Belgium. In addition to finishing fourth with 718-028 in the car’s first race at the 1959 German Grand Prix, Goethals drove this 718 RSK to victory at the 1959 Leopoldville Grand Prix in the Belgian Congo. In 1960, Goethals co-drove 718-028 with Curt Delfosse to sixth overall and third in class at the Buenos Aires 1000km Grand Prix. Other notable outings in 1960 included a class win at the Formula Libre Prix de Paris at Montlhèry and a second-place podium at Spa. Additionally, Goethals scored two overall victories at Belgium’s Lance Anvers hillclimb. After the season, Goethals commissioned Porsche to install a 1600cc engine at the factory in Stuttgart, where the car remained until Goethals sold the car to Carmelo Guiffre of Mohawk, New York. Guiffre shipped 718-028 from Germany to the United States and later sold the car to G.F. Leydorf Jr. After years of perseverance and a very lucrative trade offer, Rick Grant of Dayton, Ohio, was finally able to acquire 718-028 from Leydorf. Grant had it restored for vintage racing and entered it into more than 100 events with John Higgins driving. Displayed at the 2009 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, 718-028 retains most of its original Wendler alloy bodywork. The twin-Weber carbureted type 547/3 engine (No. 90220) was rebuilt by Porsche 4-cam expert Bill Doyle at California’s Rennwagen Motor Company. Documents with the car include letters and telegrams dated 1963-64 from Goethals to Guiffre, shipping invoices for the car’s export from Germany to New York in 1964, an original Porsche 718 RSK Spyder driver’s manual and a Telefax from Jurgen Barth of Porsche stating the car’s factory engine and gearbox numbers. A true racing icon, 718-028 is eligible for myriad exclusive vintage racing events because it has the option to convert from center-seat to two-seat configuration. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information

By Edward Jones – December 26, 2022

1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissim...

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 A magnificent example of Ferrari’s first midengine, road-going sports car, this 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS was recently the subject of a no-expense-spared restoration by renowned Coachwerks Restoration in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, specialists in the restoration of limited-production, hand-built, exotic sports cars. Named after Enzo Ferrari’s son Alfredino, a brilliant engineer in his own right who passed away prematurely at just 24 years old, the Dino concept made its debut at the 1965 Paris Auto Salon as the 206 S Speciale, a midengine display prototype built on a racing chassis with alluring Pininfarina-designed coachwork. The first working prototype, the 2.0L/180 HP V-6-powered Dino Berlinetta GT, appeared a year later at the Turin show, but it was another year before the first Dino 246 GT appeared, again at Turin, and again powered by the eponymous Dino V-6 DOHC engine designed by the young Ferrari just before his passing in 1954. With a slightly extended wheelbase, the more powerful 2.4L/195 HP transversely mounted V-6 engine, a 5-speed manual transaxle, 4-wheel independent wishbone suspension with coil springs, and 4-wheel disc brakes, the Dino 246 GT proved an immensely enjoyable driver’s car that was quick, highly maneuverable and comfortable. Writing in Motorsport magazine, motorsports journalist Denis Jenkinson declared, “Of all the mid-engine cars of which I have had the experience of testing, the Dino stands head and shoulders above the rest … once you have experienced it, it makes all front-engined or rear-engined cars obsolete.” Production commenced in the second half of 1969 and, in 1972, Pininfarina took advantage of the car’s exceptionally solid construction to produce the targa-roof 246 GT Spyder. The fact Dinos did not carry the Ferrari name has never detracted from their value as a superb enthusiast’s car, and there hasn’t been any uncertainty about its respected place in the Ferrari lineage. Traditionally adorned in Rosso Corsa over a tan leather interior with Daytona-style black seat inserts, this 1973 246 GTS’ signature features include Michelin XWX radial tires on 14-inch Cromodora wheels, factory air conditioning, Dino-branded Veglia Borletti instruments, power windows and a Becker Europa radio. It also comes with receipts totaling more than $200,000, a significant documentation of its restoration and the resulting marvelous presentation. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 23, 2022

RM Sotheby's Sold $925M Of Cars In 2022

For RM Sotheby’s, 2022 had unprecedented cars and unprecedented results. Many auction houses celebrated an incredibly successful year in 2022, but for RM Sotheby’s, 2022 was a year like no other, with some incredible and unique cars selling all over the world and values and sales that absolutely shattered records and changed the rules of classic car auctions. The grand total of sales results for the house was a staggering $925 million for the year, taking into account auctions, private sales, and the new Sotheby’s Sealed platform. For the auction house, 2022 also saw growth, as 38% of this year’s bidders were new clients. MUST READ: The Bugatti Chiron Profilée Is Revealed As A One-Off Auctioning February 1 The highlight of the entire year was the sale of the current most expensive car ever sold, the sale of the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR ‘Uhlenhaut Coupé’ from the Mercedes-Benz Museum for an incredible estimated $143 million. Proceeds were donated to charity, and as a result of this sale, previous perceptions of the car market have been shaken to their core. Another highlight was the Monterey Sale at the incredibly famous Monterey Car Week, which grossed a record-breaking $239 million, with just one car, a 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider by Scaglietti selling at over $22 million. With 26 auctions taking palace this year, and nearly a billion dollars in sales, RM Sotheby’s had one of its most remarkable years ever this year, and with the upcoming sale of the previously hidden, one-off Bugatti Chiron Profilée in February. View All Exotic Cars For Sale Source: RM Sotheby's

By Edward Jones – December 22, 2022

2020 Ford GT Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 2020 Ford GT Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 The Ford GT40 was made famous long before the movie “Ford vs. Ferrari.” When Henry Ford II was rebuffed by Enzo Ferrari in his attempt to buy the Italian automaker, Ford took it personally and began an all-out assault to beat Ferrari at Le Mans. Not only did he succeed, he did it in grand fashion as a four-time consecutive winner (1966-69), including a first through third sweep in 1966. The original car got its name due to its 40-inch height. The second and third generation, like this 2021 Ford GT, are simply referred to as GTs, sitting a bit higher than the 40 inches at which their namesake’s sat. Like the original though, performance of the current version is exemplary, with 60 MPH coming up from rest in just 3.0 seconds and a blistering 216 MPH top speed. The second-generation Ford GT was produced in 2005 and 2006 to celebrate Ford’s 100th anniversary. A total of 4,038 were produced, no doubt influencing Ford’s decision to design and build a third generation, which debuted at the January 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The competition version won its class at Le Mans in 2016 (plus third, fourth and ninth places), and European road-going versions debuted in 2017 at Frankfurt, Germany. The supercar features a carbon fiber passenger cell and structural carbon fiber body panels. Since 2020, Ford GTs have been equipped with a 3.5L/660 HP twin-turbo Ecoboost V-6 affording 550 lb-ft of torque driven through a Getrag 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Ford was slated to build just 1,350 third-generation cars through the end of the 2022 model year, with cars being assembled at a rate of four to five per week by Multimatic, a Canadian carbon-fiber and racing specialist, in Markham, Ontario. With just 18 miles on the odometer, this spectacular GT is finished in Ingot Silver with orange stripes, matching orange Brembo brake calipers and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires on black alloy wheels. In addition, the exterior has full paint protection film. The black leather interior is accented in carbon fiber and equipped with air conditioning and an AM/FM stereo radio. This 2021 Ford GT comes with the colorizer box, a window sticker and purchase agreement, a car cover and battery trickle charger. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information Tags: First Second Third Forth Fifth Sixth

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 21, 2022

Broad Arrow Group's Inaugural Auction Season Achieves $86...

The top 10 auction sales of 2022 are led by three Ferrari examples from across the ages. As 2022 comes to an end, we look back at some of the most incredible auction sales responsible for exchanging automotive icons that will forever live on in history. Founded in December 2021, Broad Arrow Group offers a new platform for buying and selling across multiple channels including auctions, private sales, and financing solutions. Broad Arrow Group is now making its own history by finishing off its first year with a remarkable accomplishment, achieving over $86.7 million in total sales across three of its live auction events. The action-packed year saw everything from highly-curated catalog sales to single-owner private collections, offering the very best when it comes to high-end automotive examples. Broad Arrow Auctions Top Ten Sales 2022 1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Scaglietti "Tour de France" - $5,500,000 (Monterey) 1995 Ferrari F50 - $5,175,000* (Monterey) 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari - $3,910,000 (Monterey) 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 LWB Landaulet - $2,590,000* (Monterey) 1964 Aston Martin DB5 (from the estate of Sir Sean Connery) - $2,425,000 (Monterey) 1990 Ferrari F40 - $1,985,000 (Monterey) 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Package - $1,930,000 (Monterey) 1987 Porsche 959 - $1,875,000 (Monterey) 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster - $1,820,000 (Cars of Jim Taylor) 2005 Porsche Carrera GT - $1,765,000 (Monterey) Broad Arrow Group’s three auction events include the Monterey Jet Center Auction at Motorlux in August ($55.3 million total), The Cars of Jim Taylor in October ($21.3 million total), and the West Palm Beach Auction in November ($10.2 million total). Broad Arrow’s top auction sales of 2022 were led by a trio of Ferraris sold during Motorlux at the Monterey Jet Center Auction, representing milestone models for the Italian manufacturer. As for 2023, Broad Arrow will kickstart with the company’s inaugural Amelia Auction and debut as the official auction of The Amelia. Stay up-to-date with Broad Arrow Group’s upcoming auction events by clicking on the link below. Broad Arrow Group Auctions Source: Broad Arrow Group

By Edward Jones – December 21, 2022

1965 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster Being Auctioned At Mecum K...

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 Owned by famed actor-comedian Tim Allen from 2007 to 2022, this 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster was invoiced to Yount Ford Sales Inc. in Barrington, Illinois, on November 6, 1964. CSX2517 was delivered finished in Rouge Iris paint with a beige leather interior and fitted with Class “A” accessories including WSW tires, five chromed wire wheels, an outside rearview mirror and a radio and antenna. It was reportedly sold to a young enthusiast who, after several unsuccessful attempts at obtaining an SCCA competition licence, parked the car. He was later approached by a friend who wanted to purchase the body and substructure, and circa 1969 the car's original body and substructure were removed and sold while the original chassis and legal paperwork remained with the original owner. In 1975, Cobra specialist Bill Kemper of Barrington, Illinois, purchased the chassis and drivetrain from the original owner. Kemper proceeded to reconstruct the car to street specs using a fresh substructure, the undamaged left-hand side sheet metal from CSX2215 and fresh right-side alloy panels. After a number of subsequent owners including John McCaw of Seattle, Washington, CSX2517 was sold to a Spanish buyer and then spent time in Japan before being acquired and returned to the United States by Symbolic Motorcars of La Jolla, California. Purchased by Tim Allen in 2007, this highly documented, early rack-and-pinion Cobra is now finished in black with a black leather interior. It is essentially prepared to USRRC specifications, incorporating a Weber-carbureted 289 CI V-8 engine, long-tube headers with side-exit exhaust, a 4-speed manual transmission, an engine oil cooler, quick jacks, a chromed roll bar and S/C-style wheel flares. An interesting detail can be found in the car’s FIA Halibrand six-spoke knock-off wheels, which were cast by Bill Kemper, who then owned the original molds. Offered with an unbroken chain of title since 1964 and documented in detail in the Shelby Registry, CSX2517 is an outstanding specimen of the highest quality and is sure to bring its new owner the enjoyment only possible behind the wheel of Carroll Shelby’s epochal creation. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information Tags: First Second Third Forth Fifth Sixth

By Edward Jones – December 20, 2022

1967 Ford GT40 MK IV Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 1967 Ford GT40 MK IV Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 Even as the three GT40 Mk II racers were completing their famed 1-2-3 sweep of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ford Motor Company and its in-house specialty contractor Kar Kraft of Brighton, Michigan, were hard at work creating an all-American successor to the Anglo-American Mk II: the “J-Car.” Named in reference to the FIA’s Appendix J rules for sports prototypes, this all-new racer was based on a highly advanced chassis constructed of honeycomb-aluminum sandwich paneling produced by the Brunswick Aircraft Corporation. Lightweight and extremely rigid, the new chassis saved considerable weight compared to that of the more conventional Mk II, a crucial requirement in a car designed to carry the big iron-block, iron-head NASCAR 427 engine and the heavy-duty ancillaries it demanded. Initial tests revealed serious aerodynamic problems, but extensive bodywork revisions by Shelby American Chief Engineer Phil Remington and subsequent relentless testing evolved the J-Car into the formidable GT40 Mk IV. The most technically advanced and powerful racing prototype ever built to its time, the Mk IV ultimately fulfilled Henry Ford II’s desire to build an all-American racer, driven by American drivers, to win the world’s greatest endurance race. With Shelby-American drivers Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt sharing duties, the Mk IV delivered a second consecutive victory for Ford at Le Mans in 1967 and also won the FIA’s Index of Thermal Efficiency as the most fuel-efficient entrant, an astounding achievement given its monstrous power. The GT40’s absolute dominance was thus established, and Ford’s resounding double defeat of Ferrari became one of the most memorable chapters in the history of motorsports. In just two races, Sebring and Le Mans, the Mk IV so overwhelmed the competition that the FIA rendered it illegal for 1968. In the end, only 12 Mk IV chassis were built, the first four of which bore the original J-Car bodywork. Two of those were destroyed in testing, one instance of which took the life of the great Ken Miles. The second group of four were fitted with the Remington-developed Mk IV bodies and raced twice in 1967, compiling a perfect two-for-twi win record. The last four chassis were left uncompleted when the FIA announced new rules for 1968 that disqualified the Mk IV from competition. Two of those chassis, J-9 and J-10, were built by Kar Kraft into open-cockpit racers using the remaining spares from the Le Mans effort. J-9 was fitted with a twin-element dihedral rear wing and was tested in Ford’s wind tunnel and at the company’s Michigan test track driven by Mario Andretti, but it was never raced. In February 1969, the entire lot—J-9, J-10 and all the remaining spares—were sold for $1 to Agapiou Racing in Los Angeles, owned by former Shelby mechanics Charlie and Kerry Agapiou. Ford attached one proviso: that they could buy everything back for the same price for the term of one year. That never came to pass. The Agapiou brothers ambitiously took aim at the 1969 Can Am series with J-10, fitting it with new open-cockpit bodywork, a Chaparral-inspired high rear wing and Boss 429 power. In a two-year campaign that lasted through the 1970 season, J-10 was driven by such star drivers as Peter Revson, Jack Brabham, George Follmer, David Hobbs and Vic Elford, with Canadian John Cannon most often behind the wheel. Indeed, it was Cannon who drove J-10 to its best finish, placing second in that year’s Kyalami Group 7 invitational. After a racing accident at the November 1970 LA Times Grand Prix at Riverside, the chassis was sent to Johnathan Thompson’s TC Prototypes in England for repair and restoration. J-10 then remained in the Agapiou brothers’ care until 1989, when Los Angeles real estate developer Martin Yacoobian purchased it and began rebuilding it to Mk IV configuration. In 1996, approximately 70% complete, J-10 was purchased through Motor Classic Corporation in White Plains, New York, by ERA Replica Automobiles founders Jim Holden, Peter Portante and Jose Velez in New Britain, Connecticut. They continued the transformation to Mk IV specifications and completed a meticulous four-year restoration to exacting standards in 2017, including the creation of new bodywork using molds from chassis J-6 and fabricated by veteran Holman-Moody metalwork specialist Ken Thompson of North Carolina. The completed bodywork was finished in the 1967 Le Mans-winning J-5’s red and white No. 1 livery. A thorough mechanical refurbishment was executed to the same demanding standards, including a correctly prepared 427 CI FE big-block V-8 mated to an exceedingly rare Ford-designed, Kar Kraft-built, all-synchromesh T-44 4-speed transaxle. The completed J-10 was presented to the public at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance to unanimous acclaim, the occasion recorded for posterity in an episode of Discovery Channel’s “Chasing Classic Cars” TV series. As one of only 12 Mk IVs produced, Chassis J-10 is among the rarest racing prototypes of the 20th century, a valuable artifact of Ford’s historic undertaking to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans that was also driven in the classic Can Am series by some of the period’s greatest drivers. Documented with an unbroken ownership chain and painstakingly restored to authentic Mk IV presentation, J-10 is worthy of the highest concours honors, a prominent position in the vintage racing world and inclusion in the most prestigious collections. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information Tags: First Second Third Forth Fifth Sixth

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