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RM Sotheby’s Motor City 2015 – Auction Preview

1933 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Sport Phaeton David McNeese ©2015 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's
1933 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Sport Phaeton (photo: David McNeese)

The RM Sotheby’s Motor City 2015 auction will be staged July 25th at the Concours of America at St. John’s in Plymouth, Michigan. The 21st annual sale will feature 80 automobiles expected to cross the podium, including American classics, sports and muscle cars and late-model collectibles.

“Motor City is a staple of our annual calendar and has proven a terrific venue over the years to celebrate America’s rich automotive heritage,” said Gord Duff, Car Specialist, RM Sotheby’s. “As the event enters a new decade – we celebrated 20 years of thrilling auctions in the Detroit area in 2014 – we are excited to further grow the sale and showcase a wider range of marques and models from across the decades. Attendees can expect a more eclectic offering than they have enjoyed in the past – think mighty American classics juxtaposed against sleek European sports cars. There will truly be something for everyone.”

Entries for RM’s 2015 St. John’s auction shine a spotlight on pre-war American design and engineering. Highlighting this group is a trio of Packards, led by a 1930 Packard Deluxe Eight Dual-Cowl Sport Phaeton, chassis number 185699. This Sport Phaeton is well-known in Canadian collector car circles, having been previously in the care of both Jim Miller and Ontario’s Craven Collection (Est. $300,000 – $350,000). The July 25 sale will also feature a 1933 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Sport Phaeton in the style of LeBaron, chassis number 901471 (Est. $400,000 – $450,000), and a multi-award-winning 1938 Packard Super Eight Sedanca deVille, chassis number A500689. No stranger to the Concours field, this example with one-off coachwork by Barker was judged Best in Class at Pebble Beach in 1989 and 1999, and placed Second in Class in 2009 (Est. $250,000 – $300,000).

Other early American Classic entries include a 1933 Auburn Twelve Salon Speedster, chassis number 1935E, (Est. $375,000 – $450,000) and a 1934 Pierce-Arrow Twelve Convertible Coupe Roadster, chassis number 3110110, formerly of Harrah’s Automobile Collection (Est. $200,000 – $275,000).

Additional highlights for RM Sotheby’s Motor City 2015 include:

  • Pair of Shelby GT500 Convertibles, including a restored 1968 Shelby GT500KR in Acapulco Blue (Est. $190,000 – $240,000) and a 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, finished in Maroon and showing 75 original miles (Est. $50,000 – $70,000);
  • 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 Cabriolet D, reportedly one of the best restored examples in existence, cherished by its original owner up until his passing in 1999 (Est. $275,000 – $375,000);
  • 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe, offered from nearly 20 years of single-family ownership (Est. $100,000 – $125,000); and,
  • 1988 Lamborghini LM002, a carbureted version finished in its original color combination of white over a black interior (Est. $140,000 – $180,000).

RM’s 2015 Motor City sale will be held at the Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth, Michigan on July 25, with a full day preview on July 24. For further information, visit www.rmsothebys.com or call +1 519 352 4575.

[Source: RM Sotheby’s]