1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible - $200k high bid

The 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible symbolizes 1950s America: a time of exuberance, excess, and self-indulgence. Cadillac designers drew on jet aircraft for inspiration, the sharp swept-back tailfins reached their grandest and the front parking lights resembled B-52 bomber air intakes. Frame-off nut and bolt restoration. 1 of 99 Eldorado Biarritz convertibles made with bucket seats. 390 CI V-8 engine with Tri-Power carburetion. 4-speed Jetaway Hydramatic transmission. Factory air conditioning. White leather interior. Power windows including vent windows.

Price in 1959 for the top of the line 5060 pound luxury car was an eyewatering $7,401. Average 1959 wage was $4,965 per year.

The modern V8 engine pushed all two-and-a-half tons of the Eldorado land locomotive to speeds of up to 120 mph. 1959 saw the appearance of gas-filled shock absorbers, and cruise control, the first on a production Cadillac. The quintessential ‘big fin’ convertible, its ridiculous price led to low sales, making the car extremely collectible today. 1,320 in total were built. Hagerty suggests a concours example is trending around $320k. This example appeared at Mecum.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

The Toyota 2000GT is the most iconic model by the Japanese automaker, and it’s also one of the rarest performance classics that ever came out of Japan. This example is one of the 62 left-hand drive cars that reached the United States, with just 351 in total built between 1967 and 1970.

Engine is a 2-liter straight-six, producing 150 HP and paired to a five-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip rear differential. The 2000GT was the first Japanese car with four disc brakes.

This 1967 Toyota 2000GT is restored in its original Solar Red and was presented in immaculate condition at a RM Sotheby’s auction in 2020. Estimated to fetch between $700k and $850k. it hammered for $912k.

1964 Amphicar 770 Convertible - $69,300

1 of 3,878 produced from 1961-68. Triumph-Herald 1147cc 4-cylinder engine. Hermes 4-speed land and water transmission. Dual rear propellers provide a top speed of approximately 7 MPH on water. Wipers. Red-painted steel wheels with chrome Amphicar hubcaps. Wide whitewall tires. Promoted as “The Sports Car that Swims” and capable of 7 knots in water or 70 MPH on land, hence the Model 770 name.

Launched at the 1961 New York Auto Show, the car was made in West Germany and marketed from 1961 to 1968, with production ceasing in 1965. The Triumph four-cylinder engine of 1147 cc featured an 8:1 compression ratio and was rated at 43 bhp. The Amphicar's engine was mounted at the rear, driving the rear wheels through a 4-speed manual. For use in the water, the same engine drove a pair of reversible propellers at the rear, with a second gear lever engaging forward or reverse drive.

Most Amphicars were sold in the United States. Cars were sold in the United Kingdom from 1964. Total production was 3,878 vehicles, of which only 97 were right-hand drive. This example changed hands at Mecum.

2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra - $75,900

9,760 Miles, No. 193 of 300 Produced, 5.4L/385 HP V-8, 6-Speed. The 1993 Cobra R was the first of three special Cobra R models produced.  The "R" designation stood for "Race" and as per the name, the cars did not have a radio, speakers, wiring and antenna, air conditioner, foglights, sound deadener, rear seat, rear safety belts, rear carpeting, and roll-up cargo cover, among other items.  The car had power steering, but no other power assist options. The Cobra R was only available in Performance Red, and featured a distinctive front and rear spoiler. Production of the 2000 SVT Cobra R ended with a total of 300 examples were built.

With an MSRP of $54,995, Ford made dealers enter a lottery system for the privilege of selling one. Many cars sold for well over sticker price. Few were raced and many sat in garages in expectation of higher prices. This example changed hands at Mecum.

The 2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra managed the 0-60mph in 4.7 seconds, with quarter-mile in the low 13s and a top speed of 175 mph. It could also stop, braking from 70 mph in just 160 feet thanks to Brembo brakes. It pulled 1.02 g’s on the skid pad, an impressive feat for a 2000s Mustang. It was the last naturally-aspirated Cobra R Ford.

1966 Ford Galaxie 7-Litre Convertible - $38k high bid

The 1966 Ford Galaxie 7-Litre Convertible was a one-year-only, high-performance luxury model featuring a 428-cubic-inch V8 engine, which produced 345 horsepower. It was a limited-production model, available as a 2-door hardtop or convertible. 1 of 2,368 1966 Ford Galaxie 7-Litre Convertibles produced Long-term single-family ownership until 2014, three owners from new. Concours restoration completed by the original owner’s family, repainted in the original code T Candy Apple Red. First in Class at the 2022 Northville Concours d’Elegance. Factory Q-Code 428/345 HP V-8 engine. Factory Code 4 C6 dual range automatic transmission. Factory power steering, power front disc brakes, power convertible top, power windows, and power driver’s seat. Black convertible top featuring the original glass back window.

Hooker headers. Port-matched Survival Motorsports cylinder heads. Edelbrock Performer carburetor and intake manifold. Upgraded hydraulic roller camshaft and lifters with distributor gear. Custom pushrods. Chrome valve covers and air cleaner. High-performance fuel lines, timing chain, and spark plugs. Newer alternator, heater core, and power steering pump. Remote mirror.

Powered by the new Thunderbird 428 engine, the car was really just a 1966 Ford Galaxie 500/XL hardtop or convertible with different badges and wheel covers, power front disc brakes, and the 428. Like the 500/XL, it had standard bucket seats, a center console, and a console-shifted C6 Cruise-O-Matic or four-speed manual transmission. With the dual-four-barrel 427 cu. in. (6,986 cc) R-code engine, heavy-duty suspension, four-speed manual transmission, and 3.50 axle, it managed 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and a best quarter mile time of 14.9 seconds at 97 mph.

The car appeared at Mecum.

1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S

The Lamborghini Miura was named after Don Eduardo Miura Fernández, a legendary breeder of fierce Spanish fighting bulls.

Prior to the arrival of the Miura in 1967, the supercar didn't exist. The Miura was the first to be built around key criteria: tremendous speed and jaw-dropping design coupled with technical innovation, resulting in a price tag which only the wealthiest could possibly afford.

Almost immediately, the Lamborghini marque leapfrogged to the head of the class, well ahead of both Ferrari and Maserati, with it's innovative mid-engine configuration. The Miura, which breathed through four triple-choke Weber carburetors, initially offered 350 horsepower on tap and was capable of 175 mph. It was more than a match for any other road going production car of it's era.

In 1968, the “S,” or spinto (tuned), version appeared, boasting 370hp, updated brakes, and other enhancements. The S version was faster and more luxurious. It represented a step forward from its magnificent predecessor.

Rare and hugely desirable, prices for the Miura have exploded over the past 5 years.

The Miura S was capable of reaching 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds and 140 mph in fewer than 30 seconds. 160 units were produced in 1969.

Hagerty suggests a concours example is trending around $2.4m.

Ferrari LaFerrari

When the Ferrari LaFerrari debuted in 2014, they were impossible to get, even if you had the $1.4m burning a hole in your pocket.

Within days of its announcement over 1,000 people applied to buy one of the 499 cars slated for production. In order to even be considered for the waiting list, you had to own five other Ferraris already, and be considered a too valuable customer by the iconic marque to piss off.

The 950hp hybrid rocket was the most powerful street-legal Ferrari ever built and can do 0–62 mph in less than 3 seconds onto a blistering top speed of 217 mph. Most are locked up in collectors' vaults climbing in value whilst sitting still. Only a handful have been offered for sale and forget all about that ridiculously unrealistic $ 1.4m.

Bonhams sold a classic red version with only 230 miles on the clock for $3,685,000 in 2019, while Mecum sold a rare Nero DS Opaco (matte black) paint with 211 miles for $4.7m.

Hagerty suggests a top teir Ferrari LaFerrari is trending around $4.5m today.