Our Five Favorites from RM’s Upcoming Monterey Auction

In a continuation of previous years, RM’s upcoming Monterey auction, coinciding with the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, promises to be one of the most significant gatherings of historic and exotic vintage automobiles for sale in one place anywhere on Earth. This year on August 16–17 on the northerly coast of the beautiful Monterey Peninsula, a mere five miles from its southern cliffs and the grand Pebble Beach golf course, home to America’s most prestigious concours, dozens of the world’s rarest and most desirable classic cars will go under the gavel. Below is a small handful of our favorites.

Any D-Type is a remarkable car for a large number of reasons, most stemming from its central role in Jaguar’s 1955 Le Mans victory, and from its status as the last of Coventry’s streetable race machines. This particular car enjoys not only an accomplished period competition history, it’s also brings with it a juicy tale of tax evasion on the part of both Jaguar and its first owner, a privateer named Curt Lincoln. As demonstrated by included factory documentation, Lincoln avoided import duties by having Jaguar make the car appear used prior to delivery—a task that included scuffing its pedals, fitment of a used steering wheel, and a small adjustment to the odometer reading…

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Photography by Teddy Pieper ©2013

Fresh from a recent no-expense-spared restoration, this 1965 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada is an especially rare alloy bodied version. Fitted with a 365 HP, 327 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 and backed by a four speed manual, this exact car was tested by Italian sports car magazine leader Quattroroute in February of 1966, during which it shot from 0-100 MPH in 13.7 seconds, on to a top end of 161—absolutely stunning numbers for the day. Fresh from a recent no-expense-spared restoration, this car looks factory fresh and is itching to take a caning through those four long gears.

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Photography by Robin Adams ©2013

The Maserati A6 series of 1947–1956 represent the beginning of Maser’s closing days as a maker of sports cars, with the following decades slowly but steadily turning more towards the manufacture of GTs. Offered in a long and somewhat confusing array of models, A6s were frequently clothed in very elegant, minimally adorned bespoke suits by various important carrozzeria, of which this car is a prime example.  One of only three Frua spyder-bodied A6GCS chassis, and the only fitted with what is essentially a race-spec, 150 HP, two liter, twincam six—it must sound as spectacular as it looks.

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Photography by Darin Schnable ©2013 

Many old Astons dating from the David Brown era reportedly drive like work trucks, with heavy, slow-witted controls and skittish handling—when they look as good as this thing does, though, does any of that really matter? The original 1960 Turin Motor Show car, this car comes with an extensive history from new. A numbers-matching car the subject of a high-quality, late-nineties restoration, it is said to be in outstanding mechanical and aesthetic condition. GTs were special higher-powered, lightweight cars with shorter, and significantly lighter bodywork fashioned from incredibly thin 18 gauge aluminum. With 302 HP (up 62 from the standard DB4’s) from a musical 3.7 liter, DOHC six, this DB4GT represents one of the fastest cars of the decade.

Click here to see the RM Auctions listing.

Photography by Darin Schnable ©2013

Mercedes’ 300SL is frequently credited as being the world’s first supercar, supporting evidence including the use of unconventional doors, prevalent use of cutting-edge, race-derived technology, world-beating performance, and gob-smacking good looks. I’m not here to argue for that sentiment one way or the other, as I’m just too smitten with these incredible cars to bother—besides, the Gullwing needs no defense, least not from someone whose only experience with them is limited to nearly cracking my head open on one’s open door after a prolonged peek inside left me momentarily high. This 1955 car is extraordinary even among 300SLs for being largely original, even down to the paint and upholstery—a spectacular combination of dark gray enamel over red hide. With one owner from 1957–2010, it comes with the kind of history money just can’t buy, including factory tools, manuals, promotional materials, and fitted luggage.

Click here to see the RM Auctions listing.

Photography by Darin Schnable ©2013

All photos courtesy of RM Auctions