Italian grand-touring glamour: the stars of RM Sotheby's Miami auction

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For the first time ever, RM Sotheby's is hosting a sale at the Biltmore Hotel, a palatial 1920s venue at the prestigious Miami resort of Coral Gables. Set to take place on March 2nd, it contains a splendid assortment of consignments which encompass both the pre-war and post-war periods and hail from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Of all the hundreds of cars produced since the end of the Second World War, were there ever any more desirable than the glamorous GT cars of the 1950s and '60s? We would think not, so we're pleased to see a fantastic array going under the hammer with RM Sotheby's. These are some of the highlights...

1953 Ferrari 250 Europa coupé by Vignale — $4,500,000-5,500,000 (£4,175,000-5,100,000)

The sale's headline lot is a work the most exquisite beauty, as well as a landmark in Ferrari history. The first 22 Europa coupés built, of which just three wore Vignale's Michelotti-penned coachwork, it also has the distinction of being the first non-competition Ferrari ever to use the Gioacchino Colombo-designed three-litre V12, and one of only two Europas to do so. In effect, chassis 0295 EU was a prototype for Ferrari's later Colombo three-litre grand tourers, and it generated great interest when it was unveiled at the 1953 Paris Salon in its gorgeous combination of Rosso Rubino and Rosso Amaranto. It then passed to its first private owner, Robert Teakle of Detroit, Michigan. It changed hands several times before being acquired by California's Gilbert Walton in 1971, who stripped the car for restoration but, despite owning it until 2008, never completed it. Its next owner commissioned an exacting restoration to its original specification, and the result speaks for itself. The finished Europa  made its début at the Concorso d'Eleganza de Villa d'Este in 2016, and since then has appeared at numerous concours d'élégances in America and around the world. Along the way, it has scooped a seemingly endless string of awards, but arguably its greatest achievement was being put on display at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello. A landmark car and a show-stopped in every respect, we hope its new owner continues to ensure that it can be seen and enjoyed by other admirers.

1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport Villa d'Este coupé by Touring — $550,000-700,000 (£510,000-650,0000)

An equally historic car in its own way is this Alfa Romeo 6C 2300, a post-war development of a pre-war model which was one of 36 to receive the elegant Villa d'Este, named after the villa at the Concorso d'Eleganza Internazionale a Como where it was first seen in 1949. Chassis 915902 was the fifteenth Villa d'Este built and was sold new to Commendatore Vincenzo Francesco Ferrario, of Bellagio, a romantic village on the shores of Lake Como. Ferrario was a longstanding Alfa Romeo enthusiast and an associate of Enzo Ferrari, and being competitively enclined he entered the Villa d'Este in the Monte Carlo Rally in January, 1952, a gruelling drive in which he finished a respectable 108th out of 328 starters. The trail then goes quiet until 915902 was discovered in Switzerland in the early 1970s, and then treated to a full restoration. In the 1990s, it underwent something of a detail restoration, being faithfully returned to its original specification, since when it has been a star of numerous concours including Pebble Beach and Villa d'Este, and has won multiple awards. A new interior was installed in 2022.

1969 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 — $225,000-275,000 (£210,000-255,000)

By the late 1960s, Ferraris were still every bit as beautiful as they had been in the early 1950s, and the Pininfarina-designed 365 GT 2+2 is no exception. This example stands out particularly, not so much because it isn't a red Ferrari, but because it's specifically painted in Verde Bahram, a daring colour which it pulls off beautifully. Verde Bahram was its original colour, and other features of its original specification included a chromed grille guard, which it retains, and Beige Scuro Connolly leather upholstery. One of only 29 such cars to be finished in such a brilliant hue, it was delivered originally to dealer M. Gastone Crepaldi Automobili and sold to a buyer in Milan. Even among other Ferraris, this one stands out for all the right reasons.

1969 Fiat 850 Spiaggetta by Michelotti — $50,000-60,000 (£46,000-56,000)

If you've already got a grand tourer in your garage, you might like something different, and the Fiat 850 Spiaggetta is certainly different. Following on from the popularity of the Ghia-built Fiat 500 and 600 Jollys, the 850 was another fun beach car but with crisp modern styling resulting from a collaboration between Giovanni Michelotti and yacht designer Phillip Schell, and luxuries such as a heater and radio. While it might look something of a novelty, a 47 bhp engine would propel it to speeds of up to 60 mph and four-wheel drum brakes provided adequate stopping power, making it ideal transport around, or between, seaside resorts. Only 80 were built but owners included Jackie Onassis and the Dutch Royal Family. This example was new to Lois Philips Poster, reportedly a friend of Schell, and is said to have been kept by her until the early 2000s. Cosmetically restored following its discovery in a New Hampshire barn in 2012, it has to be the perfect addition to any seaside holiday home.

They're just a few highlights from a packed sale. Why not head to Miami and enjoy an in-person viewing of the RM Sotheby's auction? Until then, you can view the full catalogue here.
 

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