The RM Sotheby auction in NYC was able to realize more than $73.5 million in auction sales with 81 percent of all lots sold during its exclusive ‘Driven by Disruption’ event. Held at Sotheby’s global headquarters in Manhattan, the two hour 45 minute ‘Driven by Disruption’ auction presented 31 pioneering automobiles and select memorabilia before a packed house. Illustrating the extensive combined global reach of both RM and Sotheby’s, bidders hailed from 18 countries, including Hong Kong, Brazil and Russia, with 22 percent representing new clientele to RM Sotheby’s.
However, the star of last night’s sale was the historic ex-Fangio, ex-Works 1956 Ferrari 290 MM, chassis no. 0626, which powered to a final $28.05 million to claim the highest automotive auction sale of 2015. Combining rarity, powerful mechanical specification, important racing history, and purposeful good looks, 0626 was built by the factory for Juan Manuel Fangio for the 1956 Mille Miglia and raced by the ‘Who’s Who’ of Motorsport in period. Attracting many admirers during the exhibition, the historic Ferrari was contested by multiple bidders in the room and on the phone; its impressive sales price confirms its status as one of the greatest, most original and most valuable cars ever sold at public auction.”We are thrilled that last night in New York, the historic 1956 Ferrari 290 MM sold for $28 million to set a series of records: for a car sold at auction in 2015, for a car sold in New York City, and for a car sold by RM. The Driven by Disruption sale caps off a record year for RM Sotheby’s with 31 of the world’s finest motor cars redefining a series of auction benchmarks,” said Ian Kelleher, Managing Director, RM Sotheby’s West Coast Division.