Old records tumbled and new records were set at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance auction as five classic cars each sold for in excess of $1 million at the annual classic car and motorcycle event.
1. 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Convertible Coupe: $4,510,000
One of only three ever built and the only example to feature a supercharged, 320 bhp, 420 cubic inch engine, many experts also share the belief that this is one of the most beautiful bodies ever to grace a Duesenberg chassis. This car was capable of hitting 140mph when it rolled out of the factory.
2. 1933 Stutz DV32 Convertible Victoria: $1,512,500
Only about 200 examples of the DV32 were built as Stutz succumbed to the effects of the Great Depression but its final cars are a lasting reminder of the company’s heyday and the DV32 in particular is the Stutz collector’s dream car.
3. 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB: $1,375,000
One of Ferrari’s most esteemed 1960s GT models, the 275 GTB was launched to replace the awe-inspiring 250GT and featured a legenadry Scaglietti-designed and built body. Only 250 ‘short nose’ examples were built, making it even more desirable.
4. 1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Berlinetta ‘Tuboscocca’: $1,237,500
One of only six competition berlinettas ever produced and one with a true racing pedigree, this car offered 210bhp from a glorious 2.7-litre V12 engine back in the early 1950s. Most Ferraris of this era were coach-built by different local Italian deisgn houses, meaning that no two are completely alike and this one, styled by Carrozzeria Vignale, is no exception.
5. 1911 Lozier Model 51 Seven-Passenger Touring: $1,100,000
Lozier was never a volume manufacturer and during the company’s 13-year life it built fewer than 600 cars a year. The Model 51 Touring was also one of the most expensive cars on sale in the US, costing $5,955 in 1911. But the cars boasted both luxury and performance, and Lozier competed successfully in a number of 24-hour endurance events and even raced at the inaugural Indy 500 – finishing second.
6. 1930 Cord L-29 Sport Cabriolet: $990,000
This is a one-off example was built for the 1931 Berlin Motor Show to show Europeans that American car builders were just as innovative and stylish. The German-built body and interior fittings — which included mahogany fittings and leather bucket seats – wowed enthusiasts on both sides of the Atlantic.
7. 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra: $836,000
A true 1960s American icon, the Cobra is a hybrid in the original sense of the word, in that it features a European body with an American muscle car engine – in this case a 520bhp 427 cubic inch V8, making it one of the fastest cars in the world at the time.
8. 1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourer: $825,000
Designed to look equally beautiful with the roof up or down, this was legendary car designer Gordon Buehrig’s favorite Duesenberg. Like all Duesenbergs it combined incredible engineering know-how with an exterior styling elegance, but like all cars built by the company, it was just too well-engineered and expensive to survive at a time when the country was going through a depression.
9. 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster: $792,000
When it was launched in 1957, this roadster was one of the fastest cars on the road, capable of 155 mph. It remained in production until 1963 and in total, 1858 were produced. This particular example set a new record for a 300SL Roadster at auction.
10. 1930 Stutz SV16 Monte Carlo: $550,000
One of only three ever built on an SV16 chassis, the Monte Carlo got its name because it aped the car design and technology of Europe’s leading car builders and as such features a padded fabric, rather than a beaten metal panel body.
