The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is one of the world’s greatest concours events, but increasingly it’s the concurrent auctions that steal the limelight and this year is looking little different.
RM Sotheby’s will host 2016’s Amelia Island auction. While topping 2015’s $60 million and 100 per cent lot sale record will take some topping, the metal on show will be just as special.
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How does a 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO grab you? With an estimate of between $2,300,000-$2,600,000 (£1.6m-£1.8m) it might be more of a punch than a grab, but values of Ferrari’s top supercars have never been higher and the GTO is rightly remembered fondly.
In our Ferrari supercar test in issue 064, Jethro Bovingdon said of the GTO, ‘The delicacy of its feedback, the rush of its turbos and the supple chassis really got under my skin. That all this comes wrapped in a compact, beautiful package is a big bonus.’ Of course, at the time (February 2004) we recorded the 288’s value at £190,000…
Another Ferrari to have risen in value – if not quite by the same amount – is the 328, on which the 288 is loosely based. The 1988 GTS for sale at Amelia Island has an estimate between $120,000-$160,000 (£84k-£112k), has covered little more than 13,000 miles from new and features a full fitted luggage set. And, while not as voluptuous as the GTO, is still one of Ferrari’s most iconic forms.
There’s plenty for Porsche fans to appreciate too, from a 1964 Porsche 356 C Coupe ($140,000-$180,000/£98k--£127k) to a 2005 Carrera GT, which still seems like a bargain by hypercar standards – an estimate of $750,000-$850,000 (£527k-£598k) considerably undercuts its contemporary, the Ferrari Enzo.
Other cars to catch our eye include a 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA Stradale – even rarer than the race cars, and priced accordingly at $275,000-$325,000 (£193k-£228k) – and an example of Japan’s most beautiful car, the Toyota 2000GT. An estimate between $800,000 and $950,000 (£562k-£668k) is representative of the car’s rarity.
Fans of American cars will appreciate the 1962 Chevrolet Corvette 283/230, 1968 Camaro Trans Am in full Sunoco race specification, and the 2005 Ford GT – as well as a long list of vintage American metal.
And if you like British cars? Well, there’s always a 2004 London TXII Taxi. The estimate? $35,000-$40,000 (£25k-£28k). If the owner is planning to recoup that in fares, they’d best stick to the Amelia Island area…
You can find a full list of the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island lots here.
