RM Sotheby's Returns to Monaco
RM Sotheby’s will return to Monaco for the 7th time this coming weekend and will be offering a bit of something for everyone. The Jody Scheckter Collection will available to bidders who desperately want to own a car touched by the talented driver. Collectors of a certain means will have one more chance to get their hands on the reimagined Lamborghini Countach and a certain six-wheeled race car will hit the block.
The Tyrrell P34 was… well, to call it unexpected would be an understatement. It is so well-known that it became a staple of households in the 80s and 90s who had kids who enjoyed collecting model cars.
The car was revealed to the world in 1975 and made its racing debut at the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix, qualifying in third position with its sister car that only sported four wheels qualifying down in 14th. Later in the season Jody Scheckter won the Swedish Grand Prix behind the wheel of a P34 with his teammate finishing in second place.
Of course the dream of a six-wheeled car wasn’t long for this world and Tyrrell reverted to a more conventional four-wheel car in 1978.
The P34 on offer by RM Sotheby’s comes from The Jody Scheckter Collection and started its life as a spare tub. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the real work of putting it together into a track-worthy vehicle began, but by 2008 the car was racing at Laguna Seca for the Monterey Historic.
These are particularly difficult cars to attach a valuation to because of how few were produced and the limited usage the next own can get from it. Of course, the next owner of this car isn’t likely searching for something to take to the local cruise night – this is for track usage only.
We’ve seen a continuation example of the P34 listed with an asking price well in excess of $1,000,000, but we haven’t seen one of the original cars at auction until now. Granted, this example spent much of its life as a spare tub, not built up to race, but it still carries the pedigree associated with the other P34s that were built prior to the two continuation cars.
Considering its coming from The Jody Scheckter Collection, and that he actually won a Grand Prix driving one of its sister cars in 1976, the estimate from RM Sotheby’s seems entirely reasonable.
Estimate: €450,000 – €650,000
The 1981 BMW M1 being offered by RM Sotheby’s is one of just 399 examples built by the German marque and helped BMW’s M division get started. Although it was originally painted in Blau, it presents very nicely in the Brillantrot it currently wears.
Although this car started its life in France, it spent some time in the US which is when the currently-installed odometer was fitted, which reads in miles rather than kilometers. Since 2011 it’s been in a collection based in Singapore and this will be the first opportunity for it to head home to Europe in nearly 15 years.
RM Sotheby’s estimate of €400,000 – €500,000 seems reasonable for a car in such good condition. It frankly wouldn’t surprise us to see it sell for a bit over the high-end of their estimate.
Estimate: €400,000 – €500,000
This Jaguar XJ220 shows just 4,492 km since new and presents nicely in Dark Grey over a Sand leather interior. It’s the 265th example produced out of the 282 built in total.
It was treated to a comprehensive engine service by Don Law Racing in 2018 when it resided in Switzerland. That service also included upgrades to the brake system, new seals, belts, gaskets, and lines along with some optional BBS light alloy mesh wheels.
The consignor purchased the car in 2020 and has put all of 300 km on it while entrusting Rebellion Motors of Lausanne with upkeep that has included some fine tuning of its fuel system and electrical components.
Other than the repaint from the factory finish of Silverstone Green and the BBS wheels, there’s not too much that separates this from any other XJ220 that remained stock. RM Sotheby’s should have no issue hitting their estimate on this car.
Estimate: €350,000 – €450,000
The Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada is an absolutely stunning car and the one being offered by RM Sotheby’s is one of only 86 alloy-bodied examples built. It’s powered by a Chevrolet V8 and the racing-spec versions were able to reach 305 km/h on the Mulsanne Straight back in 1965.
They were so successful as race cars that they won the GT class at Le Mans in 1964 and 1965. The one being offered by RM Sotheby’s is the Strada, or street legal version of the car, though one could be fooled into thinking it’s more than that just reading the specs.
This car seems to have started life in the US before being imported to the UK in 1990, at which point it underwent its first restoration. It was purchased by the consignor in 2016 and was then sent to Rebellion Motors of Lausanne to being a multi-year restoration that included stripping the car down to its bare metal. Invoices from that work are included with the car.
The brainchild of the “Father of the GTO,” Giotto Bizzarrini himself, when speaking of the 5300 GT said he sought to improve on the GTO when designing this stunning car.
RM Sotheby’s sold a 1968 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada Alloy in 2023 during Monterey Car Week for $915,250 and it also featured power windows as the one set to his the auction block in Monaco does. Considering the rarity of these cars RM Sotheby’s shouldn’t have any issue reaching their pre-auction estimate.
Estimate: €750,000 – €850,000
Lamborghini reimagined their groundbreaking supercar to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its unveiling in 1974 by creating the LPI 800-4, a truly modern interpretation of the car that crept into the dreams of so many young enthusiasts.
While the design language remains the same, there are notable changes such as the Aventador chassis and the hybrid powertrain from the Sián. Combining the 6.5L V12 and the electric motor powered by a supercapacitor, this car can produce 802 horsepower.
Lamborghini only built 112 examples of this, all of which were sold before it was even unveiled in August of 2021. This is a remarkably rare car and one that is offering a second chance to those not well-known enough to Lamborghini to have been able to buy it new. It shows 110 km since new and is as close to a new LPI 800-4 as anyone will ever get.
The base price of these was around $2.64 million so this is another car that, assuming the correct bidder is in attendance, should prove to be another success for RM Sotheby’s.
Estimate: €1,900,000 – €2,300,000
Next for RM Sotheby's?
The next sale RM Sotheby’s will hold is the Dare to Dream Collection that includes cars, sneakers, and other of the collectibles we all wish we’d own one day. That sale will take place in Toronto on May 31 and June 1.