Five major auction houses in Monterey, California, achieved a record $747.9m in sales during Monterey Car Week, according to data from Classic Analytics. The total eclipsed prior highs as a pronounced "K-shaped" market emerged, where ultra-rare vehicles commanded exceptional prices while more common collector cars underperformed expectations.
The average selling price rose to $886,000 from $529,000, reflecting the concentration of value in top-tier lots. A 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupé, sold by Gooding Christie’s, set a new auction record for an American car at $42.9m, surpassing its $10m–$12m pre-sale estimate. A Ferrari Luce Tailor Made Sedan fetched $40m, roughly 35 times its pre-auction estimate, underscoring the volatility in ultra-high-end segments.
Other record-setting sales included a 1996 McLaren F1 road car at $34.7m, a new benchmark for British vehicles, and a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport at $18.7m. Among the top ten most expensive lots, seven were Ferraris, including a 1996 F50 at $14.6m, a 1985 288 GTO at $11.6m, and a 1991 F40 at $8.4m. All three established new auction benchmarks for their respective model series.
Lower-tier sales highlighted the market’s bifurcation. A 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE-24 AMG sold for $134,400, exceeding its $175,000–$200,000 estimate, while a 1971 Maybach fetched $56,000 against a minimum estimate of $100,000.
