---
title: "Top-Tier Cars Drive Auction Sales to Record High"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/296242084.md"
description: "Monterey Car Week auction sales hit a record $747.9 million, driven by high-value transactions like a $40 million Ferrari electric car and a $42.9 million Shelby Cobra. While top-tier rare cars soared well above estimates, the market shows a 'K-shaped' divide, with conventional collector vehicles often falling short of expectations."
datetime: "2026-08-18T14:17:03.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/296242084.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/296242084.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/296242084.md)
---

# Top-Tier Cars Drive Auction Sales to Record High

A remarkable 40 million dollar was paid at auction for Ferrari’s first electric car. finews has already reported on the record for the most expensive new car, but the traditional Monterey Car Week produced several other new highs.

According to an analysis by «Classic Analytics», the five major auction houses sold cars worth a combined 747,9 million dollar – more than ever before. The average sale price also rose sharply, from around 529,000 dollar to more than 886,000 dollar.

**Maybach Fetches «Just» 56,000 Dollar**

Yet the record figures tell only half the story. Classic Analytics describes an increasingly pronounced «K-shaped market»: at the very top end, rare and virtually irreplaceable cars are commanding record sums, while more conventional collector vehicles, even those in good condition, are sometimes falling short of expectations.

A «Mercedes-Benz 300 CE-24 AMG», for example, had been estimated at between 175,000 and 200,000 dollar, but lot 156 ultimately sold for 134,400 dollar. A 1971 Maybach was expected to fetch at least 100,000 dollar, but its new owner ended up paying «just» 56,000 dollar.

**Far More Expensive Than Expected**

At the other end of the market, prices for exceptional vehicles are soaring. A 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupé fetched 42,9 million dollar at Gooding Christie’s, setting a new record for an American car. Pre-auction estimates had stood at «just» 10 million to 12 million dollar.

Experts had expected the Ferrari Luce Tailor Made Sedan to fetch just over 1,1 million dollar. Its eventual price of 40 million dollar was therefore around 35 times higher.

Estimates proved considerably more accurate for the 1996 McLaren F1. The F1 GTR, originally approved only for racing, was converted by McLaren for road use. The auction ended at 34,7 million dollar, setting a new record for a British car and roughly matching expectations.

A 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport fetched 18,7 million dollar – also a new record for the model and significantly more than had been expected.

**Ferrari Sets Records**

No fewer than seven of the ten most expensive cars auctioned were Ferraris. A 1996 Ferrari F50 sold at Mecum for 14,6 million dollar, while a 1985 288 GTO fetched 11,6 million dollar at RM Sotheby’s. A 1991 F40 still commanded 8,4 million dollar.

All three models set new auction records for their respective series.

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