RM Sotheby’s Paris 2020 – Top Ten Auction Results

The top result at the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2020 sale went to the restored, matching-numbers 1958 BMW 507 Series II that changed hands for €1,996,250. 1. 1958 BMW Roadster Series II – €1,996,250 2. 1964 Porsche 904 GTS – €1,917,500 3. 2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport – €1,523,750 4. 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing – €1,073,750 5. 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster – €764,375 6. 1965 Aston Martin DB5 – €623,750 7. 1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta – €522,500 8. 1939 Delahaye 135 Roadster – €455,000 9. 1969 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 ‘Red Pig’ Replica – €432,500 10. 1992 Jaguar XJ220 – €398,750

A 1964 Porsche 904 GTS sold for €1,917,500. A 2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport made €1,5m.

1989 RUF CTR Yellowbird - $4,680,000

One of only 29 W09 Group C Turbo Ruf (CTR) Yellowbirds. RUF’s global breakthrough came in 1987 with the release of the CTR, famously known as the “Yellowbird.” Based on the Porsche 911 Carrera, the CTR featured a bored-out 3.4-liter flat-six engine, twin turbochargers, and a racing-derived fuel-injection system. The mill produced 469 horsepower and was the fastest production car at the time. Paired with RUF’s own five-speed gearbox and reinforced chassis, the car achieved a 211-mph top speed.

Improving performance, buyers could specify a leichtbau—lightweight form of the CTR. This replaced body panels and doors with lighter aluminum. A leather-wrapped Matter aluminum roll cage found its way into the interior along with a set of Recaro Clubsport seats. These changes saved over 400 pounds to give a total weight of just around 2500 pounds. The sprint to 60 mph came in just 3.65 seconds, and to 100 mph in seven. Road & Track was properly impressed with the CTR in 1987 when the magazine named it the “world’s fastest car,” and the name they’d given the car during the test, “Yellowbird,” immediately stuck.

Ultimately, only 29 examples would be built by Ruf, making the car incredibly rare. This example crossed the block at Broad Arrow.

1971 DeTomaso Pantera - $130k high bid

3,006 miles. Ground-up restoration. Rare pushbutton U.S market model, 1 of 75 hand-built by Vignale Coachworks in Turin, Italy. Group 4 all-steel body with new PPG paint in 2025. Supercharged 351 CI Cleveland V-8 engine. B&M Roots-type supercharger. Holley fuel injection. 5-speed manual transmission. Custom Black interior. Les Gray prepped ZF-1 polished transaxle with 4.22:1 gears.

The De Tomaso Pantera is a mid-engine sports car produced by Italian automobile manufacturer De Tomaso from 1971 to 1992. Italian for "Panther", the Pantera was the automaker's most popular model, with over 7,000 manufactured over its twenty-year production run. More than three quarters were sold by American Lincoln-Mercury dealers from 1972 to 1975. The first 1971 Pantera models were powered by a 5.8 L (351 cu in) Ford Cleveland V8 engine having a power output of 330 hp. The high torque provided by the Ford engine reduced the need for excessive gear changing at low speeds.

Late in 1971, Ford began importing the Pantera for the American market to be sold through its Lincoln-Mercury dealers. The first 75 cars were simply European imports and are known for their "push-button" door handles and hand-built Carrozzeria Vignale bodies. A total of 1,007 cars reached the United States that year.

Hagerty suggests a concours 1971 DeTomaso Pantera is trending around $120k. This example appeared at Mecum.

1982 Chevy Cavalier - $1800

This barn find from 2019 is an ordinary car, forgotten on a dealer's lot. It wasn't squirreled away by an eccentric millionaire. But a barn find is a barn find. This too humble 1982 Chevy Cavalier hammered for US$1,800? It has a genuine 23.6 original miles on the clock. The car's finish is a 'patina' now.

Supercar depreciation kings

The second-generation Acura NSX was launched for the 2017 model year in the U.S. and discontinued after 2022. Sales never truly took off, and today low-mileage examples can be found well below their original MSRPs. Rock bottom when new was $156k USD. Value of a 2017 Acura NSX ranges today from $45,671 to $69,958, based on vehicle condition, mileage, and options.

Audi R8 V10. The original Audi R8 was a masterpiece. Its successor, launched in the US for the 2017 model year, was less so. Today the car can be had for a little over $100,000 – a steep discount on the original sticker of just over $160k.

Ferrari California. The arrival of the California for 2009 in the US made entry into Ferrari world easier, with a starting price just under $200k. Today, examples with fewer than 50,000 miles on the clock can be found for under $70k.

2012 Aston Martin V12 Vantage. Original MSRP was $183,585 but has since plummeted all the way down to $80k for a pristine example.

2015 McLaren 650s. The McLaren 650s was built with a 641 hp 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that makes 60 mph in 2.8 seconds. Its MSRP was $265,500. Top examples can be had for $100k less.

2003 Mercedes SLR McLaren. Its MSRP was a whooping $452,500, but has since dropped to $280k or less, representing the world's top depreciating supercar.

1967-69 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L88

The L88 was a factory racing option package. The 1967 L88 Corvette was powered by a modified version of Chevy’s 427 V-8. 435hp was claimed, with real output between 540 and 580hp. Four out of the five most expensive Corvettes at auction are L88s. The L88 package was more than just the potent race engine. It included choice of the manual Muncie M22 Rock Crusher or M20 Hydramatic transmission.

Also included were power assisted heavy duty disc brakes, and the F41 heavy duty suspension.

The L88 stayed in production until 1969 with a total of 216 produced. Values of 1967–69 L88s have grown exponentially over the past decade.

The rarest Stingray 427 example from 1967. There were only 20 original factory units produced with half of these convertibles. It sold in 2014 for $3.9m.

1969 Chevrolet Yenko Nova - $380k

Dennis Michalo purchased his 1969 Yenko Nova L78 396 new on April 4, 1969. Of 38 cars intended for conversion to L-72 427 iterations, only about half were converted. Produced only in 1969, less than ten are known to exist today. His forgotten Yenko Nova is a rare machine.

This example was parked in 1978.

Copo deemed the Nova too much of a compact car for the power generated. Yenko ordered stripped-down SS396 L78 Novas in Lemans Blue, Garnet Red, Rallye Green, and Fathom Green. Yenko then offered the L72 427 short-block replacement. This Yenko Nova didn’t move again until 2018.

As a collectible, the Yenko Nova is in a league of its own. These cars usually only circulate inside the inner circle of serious collectors. The last time a Yenko Nova changed hands at auction in 2015 it made $380k. Frame-off restoration. 427/450 HP engine. 4-speed transmission. 4.10 Positraction rear end. Power brakes. Lemans Blue with White Yenko stripes. Black bench seat interior. AM radio. Body-colored steel wheels. Dog dish hubcaps.

A fully restored 1969 Chevrolet Yenko Nova recently made $852k. Here.