RM Sotheby’s continued its spectacular run of form in 2026 with a record-breaking €87,967,385 sale at Monte-Carlo’s Grimaldi Forum on 25 April. The biennial event became the highest-grossing multi-lot collector car auction ever held in Europe, comfortably surpassing the €81-million in sales posted at The Paris Auction at the start of the year.
Star of the sale was the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, an icon of the Riviera and the perfect car to lead the auction in Monte-Carlo. The immaculately restored covered-headlamp car set the tone for the sale, easing beyond its upper estimate to make a spectacular €16,655,000, in the process setting a new world record for the model.
Ferrari once again proved to be the marque of the moment, with a who’s who of Maranello greats accounting for no fewer than eight of the auction’s top 10 sales, all of which sold for in excess of €3,000,000.
Among the standout results was the 2004 Ferrari Enzo, which sailed past its top estimate to achieve €6,530,000. The car was one of only nine finished in Argento Nurburgring, just five of which paired the timeless shade with a Rosso interior. It was followed by a 2018 Ferrari FXX-K Evo that brought €5,180,000, and a 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari finished in Signal Green—the only of its type to leave Maranello wearing the shade—which fetched €5,067,500.
A beautifully preserved 1989 Ferrari F40 with just 1,799 kilometres on the clock sold for an impressive €4,336,250, while the ex-Carlos Reutemann 1978 Ferrari 312 T3 and a 2024 Bugatti Bolide both brought the exact same figure—and record highs for the respective models. The top 10 was rounded out by a 1991 Ferrari 642 and a 1955 Aston Martin DB3S, both of which sold for €3,380,000, and a 1990 Ferrari F40 Competizione by Harmann Motorsport that comfortably beat its upper estimate to sell for €3,183,125.
Away from the motorcars, the auction kicked off in fine style with a fascinating collection of Juan Manuel Fangio’s personal effects offered directly from the racer’s family. Quite incredibly, the Formula 1 legend’s 1955 Omega Tresor wristwatch sold for €204,000, while a pair of his Suixtil Racing Trousers made €132,000 and his 1950 International Driving Permit brought €102,000—this against estimates of €22,000, €8,500, and €3,500, respectively. Joining the notable automobilia lots was a Lotus Esprit S1 Film Prop from The Spy Who Loved Me, which almost tripled its €300,000 upper estimate to reach €852,000.
“This year’s Monaco auction was truly something special, with an incredible selection of collector cars spanning the length and breadth of the hobby,” said Augustin Sabatié-Garat, Director of Sales EMEA at RM Sotheby’s. “The results speak for themselves, with several individual records contributing to the biggest multi-lot collector car auction we have ever hosted in Europe, crowned of course by the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider—quite possibly the most glamorous car ever made. We look forward to carrying on our run of form at The Woodcote Park Auction in July.”
Top 10 lots sold during The Monaco Auction
- 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider – €16,655,000
- 2004 Ferrari Enzo – €6,530,000
- 2018 Ferrari FXX-K Evo – €5,180,000
- 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari – €5,067,500
- 2024 Bugatti Bolide – €4,336,250
- 1978 Ferrari 312 T3 – €4,336,250
- 1989 Ferrari F40 – €4,336,250
- 1991 Ferrari 642 – €3,830,000
- 1955 Aston Martin DB3S – €3,380,000
- 1990 Ferrari F40 Competizione by Harmann Motorsport – €3,183,125
More information is available at rmsothebys.com
