Monterey Car Week 2025 delivered another extraordinary round of auctions, with five major houses achieving combined sales of $432.8 million across four days. That figure makes this year the second-highest in Monterey history, eclipsed only by the $471.2m total in 2022. The headline moment was without doubt RM Sotheby’s sale of a one-off Ferrari Daytona SP3 for $26m, a record for a new Ferrari at auction and a charity lot that skewed the overall totals.
Octane’s David Lillywhite was on the ground in Monterey, and commented: ‘The individual sale of the week was the Ferrari Daytona SP3 “Tailor Made” sold by RM Sotheby’s. A group of us watching the sale were trying to predict what it would go for. Some said $5m, I said $7.1, randomly. It started at $5m, leapt straight to $10m and then rose in huge increments to $26m, to the apparent surprise even of auctioneer Sholto Gilbertson.’
Commissioned beyond the standard 599-unit production run, the car’s exposed carbon fibre finish with Giallo Modena graphics, Ferrari logotype down its flanks and sustainable Q-Cycle fabric interior made it unique. All proceeds went to the Ferrari Foundation, and it was this sale that ultimately pushed RM Sotheby’s total sales to $163.8m, the highest of any auction house in 2025.
Ferrari dominated the sale overall, taking the top three results and several world records. A 1993 Ferrari F40 LM by Michelotto, one of just 19 examples, sold for $11m, while Ralph Lauren’s former 1995 Ferrari F50 in Giallo Modena achieved $9.25m – both record prices. Modern limited-production models such as the 599 GTO, 599XX Evo and 812 Competizione also set new benchmarks.
Other standouts included a 2017 LaFerrari Aperta at $6.7m, a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Sindelfingen Special Roadster at $5.34m, and a 1935 Duesenberg Model J Torpedo Phaeton at $4.4m. German performance was well represented, with the uniquely-specified 1989 RUF CTR1 Yellowbird Lightweight realising $4.29m, while Porsche enthusiasts chased a 1960 718 RS 60 Spider to $3.52m.
The freshly rebranded Gooding Christie’s saw sales total $127.8m from its carefully curated catalogue. ‘Gooding Christie’s was the connoisseurs sale, with some of the most important cars,’ said Lillywhite. Led by a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Competizione Spider at $25.3m, the sale set the tone for a catalogue heavy with blue-chip Italian machinery: a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competizione sold for $8.1m, while two more California Spiders achieved $7.5m and $7.2m respectively.
Gooding also highlighted the breadth of Monterey’s market. A 1952 Jaguar C-type realised $3.6m, and a 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT sold for $3.2m. More modern exotica included a 1990 Ferrari F40 at $3.8m, a RUF CTR Anniversary at $3.1m and a Bugatti EB110 SS at $2.75m.
Bonhams’ Quail Auction brought in $44.7m, with a 96% sell-through rate bolstered by its headline-grabbing ‘Future Classics’ hypercar collection. ‘Bonhams had worked hard to consign a bunch of no-reserve hypercars, which gave them a strong sales rate,’ noted Lillywhite. The star was a 2020 Bugatti Divo, which sold for $8.6m – a record at auction.
The line-up also included a 2023 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport ($4.46m), a 2021 Chiron Pur Sport ($3.96m), and a 2022 Apollo Intensa Emozione ‘Ocean Dragon’, which set a $3.4m world record. Pagani too was represented, with a Huayra Roadster at $3.3m. The no-reserve approach generated packed bidding rooms and ensured results.
Now in only its second Monterey appearance, Broad Arrow has cemented itself as a serious player. Its $57.4m total was led by a record-setting Maserati MC12 Stradale at $5.2m, the most valuable modern Maserati ever sold. The appetite for modern collectibles continued with a Koenigsegg CCXR at $3.2m, while a BMW M1 Procar set a model record at $1.6m.
Broad Arrow also proved the continued draw of traditional classics, with a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 at $2.56m, a Ferrari Lusso at $1.62m and a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing at $1.9m. The mix illustrated the generational shift in demand that Lillywhite observed: ‘The very best cars sold well but that shift away from the 1950s and into the 1990s and 2000s is still clear. Prices are lower for 1960s cars, though still selling – which means they’re at least more affordable.’
Mecum, with its largest catalogue, grossed $39.5m. As Lillywhite remarked: ‘Mecum had the widest range of cars on offer and some strong results’. Its top lot was a Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider at $2.2m, followed closely by a Lamborghini Miura P400 S at $1.98m and a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing at $1.65m. American muscle also shone, with a Dodge Daytona NASCAR car making $1.32m.
In general, Monterey 2025 highlighted a healthy, evolving market. Ferrari remains the dominant force at the top end, with six of the ten most expensive cars of the week wearing the Prancing Horse badge. But hypercars and 1990s icons are increasingly in focus, underscoring the shift in generational taste.
‘The no-sales were often cars in less than perfect condition,’ said Lillywhite. ‘The low-mileage hypercars weren’t quite as prevalent, thankfully. Veteran, or Brass Era, cars that are eligible for London to Brighton are still strong, which is encouraging. All in all, a good week in auction land.’
Top 10 2025 Monterey auction prices
$26,000,000
2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 ‘Tailor Made’
RM Sotheby’s
$25,305,000
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Competizione Alloy Spider
Gooding Christie’s
$11,005,000
1993 Ferrari F40 LM by Michelotto
RM Sotheby’s
$9,245,000
1995 Ferrari F50
RM Sotheby’s
$8,557,500
2020 Bugatti Divo
Bonhams
$8,145,000
1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competizione
Gooding Christie’s
$7,550,000
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider
Gooding Christie’s
$7,265,000
1957 Ferrari 250 California Spider
Gooding Christie’s
$6,715,000
2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta
RM Sotheby’s
$5,340,000
1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Sindelfingen Special Roadster
RM Sotheby’s
