Classic Bugatti Breaks Auction Record

Gooding & Co’s annual Pebble Beach auction in California, one of the elite car-sale shows in the world, which ended on Sunday, has seen the most expensive auction to date for a vehicle sold in North America at $7.9m (€5.3m), according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The 1937 Bugatti Type 37SC Atalante Coupe fetched the record value ($7.92 million). Overall, the auction raked in $64.2 million, topping last year’s tally of $60 million, proving that the automobile collectible market is still rolling strong. Twenty cars went for more than $1 million-more than tripling the number from two years ago. Five cars topped $2 million. The 12 car, Peter Williamson Bugatti collection hauled in over $15.5 million. A 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB “California” Spider snagged $3.63 million, a 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia “Sleeping Beauty” hauled in $2.585 million, and a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans went for $2.2 million. Three cars from Oprah Winfrey’s collection, including a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, sold for $716,000.

VIA Wall Street Journal Online