Gooding & Company set nine new auction records in Scottsdale

Gooding & Company celebrated their 10th anniversary in Scottsdale with a blockbuster sale, setting nine new auction records on the way to a total of more than $33.4 million.

The highest price of the sale was achieved by a 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix, regarded as the arguably the finest example in the world. 

Offered with unbroken provenance and just three owners from new, the historic, matching-numbers car sold for a new record price of $3.3 million.

Another car offered with impeccable provenance was a 1955 Mercedes-­Benz 300 SL Gullwing which surpassed its high estimate to sell for $1,457,500.

With just over 31,000 miles on the clock, the iconic car had spent its entire 60-year history in the ownership of a single family and was presented in completely unrestored condition.

"Our clients understand the rare and important opportunity to own a significant car that is highly sought after, such as the three-owner 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix and the one-owner 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing," said David Gooding, President and Founder of Gooding & Company.

"These types of cars, which are rarely seen at auction and boast incredible provenance, may not come up for sale again for many decades."

Further pre-war classics achieving top prices included a 1932 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Grand Sport which sold for $1,595,000; a 1928 Bentley 4 ½ Litre Open Sports Tourer which sold for $1,100,000; a 1935 Auburn 851 SC Boattail Speedster which sold for $693,000; and a 1920 Stutz Series H Bearcat which sold for a world-record $451,000.

Amongst the leading American-built classics on offer were a 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra which realized $1,100,000, and a 1969 American Motors AMX/3 which sold for $891,000 – the highest price ever achieved by an AMC vehicle.

And European racers were in demand as ever, with notable prices achieved by a 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast which sold for $2,915,000; a 2011 Ferrari 599 SA Aperta which sold for a world-record $1,485,000; and a 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort which fetched $1,089,000.