9:21 am, October 31, 2008
CREDIT crunch? What credit crunch?
So says, we’re sure, the buyer who’s just paid an amazing £2.5m for a McLaren F1 supercar.
The sale took place at RM Auctions’ Automobiles of London event, run in association with Sotheby’s. It is, apparently, the first time the car’s been offered since sold new by McLaren.
Indeed, the car sold was the original Park Lane dealer display car – which sat in the showroom to be ogled for years.
Bidding was reported to be ‘spirited’ – you can say that again – and it ended up achieving twice the pre-sale estimate. That’s £2,530,000 in all. A new world record.
Max Girardo, MD of RM Auctions’ European Division, said: ‘The £2.5 million sale price redefined the market for these superb vehicles.
‘The McLaren F1 is quite simply one of the most contemporary cars ever produced, and tops a sale that has again shown that great cars attract great prices.’ No wonder it was standing room only at the seven-hour sale.
But it wasn’t just the F1 achieving eye-watering prices. A 1966 Ferrari 250 LM Berlinetta made £2,225,000 – as did a ’59 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France. And a 1938 Horch 853 Special Roadster went for £1,127,000.
This is wild. We say again, what recession? See the full results at www.rmauctions.com. No wonder all eyes will be on Ferrari Leggenda e Passione event at Ferrari’s Maranello factory in Italy next May…
