1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster, sold for more than $9-million at this year’s RM Monterey auction.
RM Auctions, the world’s largest collector car auction house, continued its strong track record in Monterey, California on Saturday August 20, 2011, setting a new world record for a Mercedes-Benz sold at auction. Additionally, the auction house sold 12 automobiles for individual million-dollar-plus results.
The star of the night, a spectacular 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster, chassis number 154140, attracted spirited bidding in the room and on the phones, selling for an impressive US$9,680,000 to applause from the crowd—a new world record for a Mercedes-Benz sold at auction.
The stunning 540 K was joined by a magnificent series of four other supercharged eight-cylinder Mercedes-Benz automobiles from the 1930s, each fetching multi-million-dollar results before the packed house.
Other highlights included a superb roster of historic Ferraris, lead by the sale of a rare alloy-bodied 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione for US$5,280,000.
Unofficial million-dollar-plus sales from Saturday, August 20, 2011 (all prices in US dollars and include a 10% buyer’s premium)
Lot 229 – 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Spyder – $2,530,000
Lot 232 – 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster – $4,620,000
Lot 236 – 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Coupe – $3,080,000
Lot 237 – 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Berlinetta – $3,685,000
Lot 238 – 1958 BMW 507 Roadster – $1,072,500
Lot 242 – 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster – $9,680,000
Lot 244 – 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione – $5,280,000
Lot 247 – 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Roadster – $3,767,500
Lot 248 – 1953 Ferrari 375 America Coupe – $1,980,000
Lot 249 – 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Sport Cabriolet A – $2,970,000
Lot 251 – 1924 Mercedes-Benz 28/95 Sport Phaeton – $1,017,500
Lot 252 – 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupe – $2,090,000
The sale marked the conclusion of RM’s biggest ever Monterey auction, which attracted record bidder registrations from 20 countries, including Argentina, Japan, and United Arab Emirates.
Complete official results for RM’s Monterey sale is posted online at www.rmauctions.com.