The annual festival of automotive excess known as Monterey Car Week is a lot of things at once, but one of those elements it does as well, if not better than, any other auto-centric event is the auction scene. There will be auctions held by RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams, Gooding Christie’s, Broad Arrow and Mecum, and the selection is outstanding. Should you find yourself with several million dollars to burn and a hankering for some legendary vehicles, it’s a great place to find yourself.
It’s impossible to call out every significant vehicle crossing the auction block, so we at Road & Track took the liberty of culling down the list and naming a small gaggle of cars that caught our eye. And don’t worry, there’s even a Lada on the list... in case your budget doesn’t stretch to fight for a seven-figure Porsche.
1993 Ferrari F40 LM by Michelotto
It's not as though the F40 is common, but the LM ups the rarity factor, with only 19 ever produced. This one was built to GTC spec, making it the most powerful version of the F40 sold: the regular LMs produced 720 horsepower, while the GTC upped that to 760. Of course, chassis, aero and brake enhancements were all made to translate the extra power to the ground.
Estimated price: $8.5–$9.5 million.
1989 RUF CTR1 Yellowbird Lightweight
Yellowbirds in colors other than yellow do exist, and this Ruf here has been nicknamed “Redbird” for its Bordeaux Red paint. It’s one of the six Lightweight models ever produced, and was even used as a personal car by Alois Ruf himself. The Lightweight model started as a Yellowbird, then had steel body panels replaced with aluminum, used lighter foams, Clubsport seats and deleted the center console, roll cage, power brakes, sunroof and radio.
Estimated price: $4.5–$5.0 million
1968 Porsche 911R
All right, yes, there has to be at least one very special, very old 911 on this list, and this 1968 911R fits the bill. This 911R is one of 20 lightweights ever built and was raced in Europe when new. It was passed around to various drivers, sold, then sold again before it was ultimately restored back to original spec in the 2010s.
Estimated price: $2.5–$3.0 million
1968 Alfa Romeo T33/2 'Daytona'
This Alfa race car is reportedly just one of 10 still surviving, and saw action in all sorts of endurance races across the globe. It was restored in the 1990s and campaigned in vintage racing since 2000. And while most T33/2 race cars were equipped with a 2.0-liter V-8, this is an extra-special example sporting a 2.5-liter eight-pot.
Estimated price: $1.7–$2.0 million
2011 Ferrari LaFerrari Prototype M4
It’s shocking this ever made it out of Maranello’s care and just happens to be offered at auction for anyone to buy it. The LaFerrari test mule takes on the form of a 458 in much of its bodywork, but of course, it’s hiding the hybrid V12 powertrain that ultimately made it into production on the Ferrari hypercar.
Estimated price: $900,000–$1.2 million
1991 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC 6.0 AMG 'Wide-Body'
This is undoubtedly one of the most badass AMGs ever produced. It’s a show-stopper from every angle, finished in Malachite Green Metallic and sporting the 6.0-liter V8 good for 375 horsepower. RM Sotheby’s is touting it as one of the most customized examples to exist, and the more you read about the enormously expensive spec, the more you’ll fall for it.
Estimated price: $650,000–$850,000
1969 Volkswagen Beetle Limousine by Troutman-Barnes
Ever seen a Beetle converted to a limo before? Didn’t think so, but here it is from 1969. This limo is a one-off commission that cost about $35,000 when new, a price so steep VW even ran nationally printed ads about it. In case you were worried about its ability to move the extra heft (about 400 pounds more than a normal Beetle), rest easy that the 1500cc engine was swapped for a 1600cc one with Weber carbs in an effort to maintain forward momentum.
Estimated price: $150,000–$200,000
1980 BMW M1 Procar
Want a race car that never saw the field of battle? This M1 Procar fits that bill, as while it was originally acquired to race in the Procar series, rule changes made it ineligible before it could hit the track for its first fight. Only about 54 M1 Procars were ever built, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that is as original and factory-fresh as this one.
Estimated price: $1.45–$1.85 million
1965 Volvo PV 544 Sport
In case these prices were too discouraging, rest easy that RM Sotheby’s does have a more budget-friendly option in this little PV 544 Sport. Expected to stay under $35,000, this Volvo is the successor the 444, which was the company’s first unibody vehicle. Crash protection and efficiency were key highlights from this Volvo. The green car on the auction block here went through a full cosmetic restoration in 2012, and it comes from the model’s last year or production.
Estimated price: $25,000–$35,000
1999 Chrysler Viper GTS-R Oreca Works
For a more American take on racing, check out this beautiful Viper in the legendary Oreca livery. It saw plenty of track time, race victories, and even a full restoration from 2007–2008. The 8.0-liter V-10 produced 600 horsepower and has even campaigned recently in historic race events.
Estimated price: $850,000–$1.25 million
1994 Honda NSX-R
This NSX-R lived its life through various owners in Japan before being imported to the U.S. this year. The R features all sorts of goodies to make the NSX more hardcore: it has a blueprinted and balanced 3.0-liter V6, stiffer suspension, weight savings everywhere and the typical Type R aesthetic elements such as Championship White paint and the customary red badges.
Estimated price: $375,000–$425,000
1984 Lotus Etna
This one-off Lotus concept was styled by none other than the father of the wedge, Giorgetto Giugiaro. Offered as a vision for the future of Lotus road cars, it has a 4.0-liter V-8 engine and an active suspension using tech from Lotus’s Formula 1 program. It’s a fully driveable concept — and a piece of Lotus history most wouldn’t know about.
Estimated price: $250,000–$400,000
1969 Citroën DS 21 Chapron Cabriolet de Série
Gather round, Citroën aficionados, for this DS is not like the others. Coachwork by Henri Chapron Carrossier gives this DS the unique look, and it’s been well-cared-for as of late, with the Mullin Museum being one of its most recent owners. It did see a full restoration, which means this Citroën is about as perfect as it can be these days.
Estimated price: $200,000–$300,000
1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona NASCAR
If you're looking for some true American racing heritage, step right up to this fully restored NASCAR driven by Bobby Allison. The 426 under the hood produces a monstrous 650 horsepower, and it saw speeds in excess of 200 mph in the past. The Coca-Cola livery brings you right back to the 1960s, and for those who are Allison fans, know he autographed the dash in two (!) places.
Estimated price: $2.5–$3.5 million
1984 Lada Niva 1600
Lada is back! So why not pick up a piece of its history for cheap? Okay, so maybe there are a lot of reasons not to, but this little Niva 1600 sure is tempting. Sure, it only has 75 horsepower, but at least it has disc brakes in front and is ready to take on America’s potholed roads. It’s also another great example of the fact that not every single auction held during Monterey Car Week is going to break the bank.
Estimated price: $15,000–$25,000
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider Competizione
What did we say about budget cars in Monterey? Yeah, this isn’t one of them. Read the highlight reel on this Ferrari, and you’ll understand why it’s estimated to pull in over $20 million at its Gooding auction. The rarity factory is obscenely high — and it’s just the sort of car that shows up for auction during Monterey Car Week that maintains the reputation for being one of the greatest weeks of car auctions anywhere in the world.
Estimated price: Over $20 million
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