Around 9 million cars every year are sold at auction. In some cases, dealerships are auctioning off vehicles that they weren’t able to sell. Other auctioned cars might have been totaled by an insurance company or left on a towing lot unclaimed. However, out of those approximately 9 million vehicles sold on the auction block each year, there are tens of thousands of classic cars. Many of these sales make up some of the most expensive cars sold at public auction in any given year. So, let’s look at the top 10 vehicles that got top dollar in 2024 so far.
10. 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Rennversion Coupe $7 Million
Broad Arrow Monterey 2024 class car auction saw the sale of a 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Rennversion Coupe. It left the auction block for $7,045,000 and was the most expensive car sold at this particular auction. The Porsche was able to fetch top-dollar because it is one of nine customer versions of the GT1 built. Additionally, it is a piece of racing history. It was raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and also gained four race wins during the 1997 U.S. PSCR season.
9. 1969 Ford GT40 Lightweight $7.8 Million
Mecum Monterey’s 2024 car collector auction saw the sale of a 1969 Ford GT40 Lightweight. It was the most expensive car sold at the auction at $7,865,000 million and it was the third-highest sale price for a GT40 in history. This model is 1 of 10 lightweight cars produced by Ford. When it made its debut it was sold to privateer teams and this specific model was raced in Angola by AF Pires. Later, Emilio Marta got behind the wheel of the car in 1975.
8. Jody Scheckter’s 1979 Ferrari 312 T4 $8.2 Million
RM Sotheby’s Monaco auction saw another of the most expensive cars to be sold this year. Jody Scheckter’s 1979 Ferrari 312 T4 sold for $8,250,800, selling for the fourth-highest price ever paid for a Formula 1 car at auction. It was also the second-highest price paid for a Ferrari F1 car at auction. This particular model was driven by Jody Scheckter in nine races during his driver’s championship-winning year. He was behind the wheel of this F1 car for all three of his victories in 1979. It is also a piece of F1 history, being Enzo Ferrari’s last Formula One Drivers’ World Championship-winning car.
7. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Alloy’ Gullwing $9.3 Million
The 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Alloy” Gullwing sold for an astounding $9,335,000. It was only expected to sell for $4.5 million to $6 million. This Mercedes sold at the RM Sotheby’s The Junkyard Rudi Klein Collection sale in Los Angeles and it brought the most money of any car auctioned off that day. One thing that made this vehicle special was that it was the 26th of only 29 Alloy Gullwings produced. Despite missing the front bumpers, shift knob, tool kit, jack, and spare wheel, it was still able to sell for more than a perfectly restored 1955 model of the same car.
6. 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione $10.6 Million
RM Sotheby’s Paris sale auctioned off the 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione for $10,644,861. This made it the most expensive car sold during the Paris Retromobile Week 2024. The Ferrari is a very rare and highly-coveted vehicle that has a lot of racing history behind it. It earned 7th overall and 5th in class at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring as an N.A.R.T. entry. Not to mention, it had a total of 10 podiums finished in 1960 and 1961. Its rich history helped it fetch top dollar on the auction block.
5. 1903 Mercedes-Simplex 60 HP ‘Roi des Belges’ $12.1 Million
When it comes to classic cars, you tend to think about the 1960s, maybe even the 1950s. It’s not very often you see something like the 1903 Mercedes-Simplex 60 HP “Roi des Belges.” The rare vehicle sold for $12,105,000, making it the most expensive car sold at any Amelia Island 2024 auction. Selling for this price made it the 12th pre-World War II car to bring in more than $10 million at auction. This specific model remained in the hands of a single family for 121 years and was featured at the National Motor Museum in England for half that time.
4. 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider $12.9 Million
Ferrari tops the list at #1, #2, and #4. The 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider was the second most expensive car sold at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2024 classic car auction. It sold for $12,985,000, which was actually kind of disappointing. Another similar model earned $22,005,000 at the same auction in 2022. Nonetheless, it has made its way into the top five most expensive cars sold at auction this year so far. What made this vehicle stand out is that it was the prototype for the iconic 410 Sport Scuderia Ferrari Works cars. Carroll Shelby won his first of many Ferrari victories in this car.
3. 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider by Touring $14 Million
A 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider by Touring sold for $14,030,000 this year at auction. It was put on the block at Gooding Pebble Beach’s 2024 classic car auction. Although it fetched such a high price, it was somewhat of a disappointment. It was well below the estimated $16 to $20 million it was forecasted to earn. Considering that it is one of five long-chassis 2900B Alfas that have survived, it’s surprising that it isn’t at the top of this list.
2. 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider $17 Million
Ferrari Spiders top the list at numbers one and two. The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider sold for $17,055,000. It was the most expensive car sold at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2024 car auction. This specific model was the first ever produced and it was the original show car featured at the 1960 Geneva Auto Salon.
1. 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider $17.8 Million
Edging out its sibling car, a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider earned $17,875,000 at the Mecum Kissimmee 2024 collector car auction. It was the most expensive car sold at the auction and it was the first time Mecum sold a vehicle for more than $10 million. This specific model was the last SWB California Spiders produced between 1960 and 1963. There were only 55 in total made. What made this car fetch top dollar is that it is fully restored with its original chassis, body, engine, and gearbox. The car’s full history is also known, which can be hard to find in the classic car world.
Car Auctions Bringing in the Money in 2024
So far in 2024, 255+ cars have been sold for more than $1 million. This list of 10 vehicles topped the list, with each earning $7 million or more. As the year comes to an end, it is interesting to see which makes and models have fetched top dollar.