Cars set auction records in Monterey

One of some 12 existing Spiders, the 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider has a 180-horsepower eight under the hood and a 118-inch wheelbase.

Top seller this year was the 1955 Jaguar D-Type, winner of the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans, which sold for $21,780,000 -- an auction record for a British automobile, according to the auction house.

A blue 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra CSX 2000 -- the first Shelby Cobra ever built -- sold for $13.75 million - a record for an American car.

Meticulously restored, some three dozen Mercedes-Benz 220 Cabriolets have subsequently been intensely decorated by Hiro Yamagata as part of his “Earthly Paradise” series.

This 1952 220 Cabriolet, “Rose Garden,” brought $187,000 at auction.

Designed by Gordon Buehrig and featuring a Derham body, this 1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster five-passenger touring car offered increased passenger room by having its rear sear located in front of the rear axle and footwells inside the frame rails. One of eight original Derham Toursters built, this car sold for $1.3 million.

This 1939 Bentley 4-1/4 Litre Sports Coupe was built to go head-to-head with Mercedes-Benz’s 540 K sport coupe. The power-operated rear window blind and generous luggage space led to its “Honeymoon Express” nickname. It sold for $770,000.

Rare and fun to drive, this 1953 Moretti 750 Gran Sport with 71-horsepower 748 cc four and four-speed manual brought $132,000.

The second 1956 250 Berlinetta Competizione built by Ferrari, this car has an admirable racing record and its original build sheets. It sold for $5,720,000.

Capable of reaching a top speed of 135 miles an hour with its 3,168 cc aluminum block V-8, the 1957 BMW Roadster 507 Series I brought good looks and high energy to BMW’s lineup. This example, one of 252 built, did not sell. It was estimated to be worth up to $2.7 million.

Described as “a more refined car” than its gulllwinged predecessor, this 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, one go 554 built that year, sold for $1,320,000.

Known for its beautiful styling, this California Spider 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB has power to match its looks: 222.5-horsepower 2,950-cc Colombo V-12 with triple Weber Carburetors and four-speed manual transmission. With an estimated value of up to $14 million, The Ferrari failed to sell at the Monterey auction.

If this 1962 Ghia L 6.4 Coupe reminds one of a Plymouth, that’s not far off. It was the product of a limited-production line begun by Detroit businessman Eugene Casaroll who took a Chrysler concept car and produced sought-after convertibles. This 1962 Ghia L 6.4 Coupe, hand-built in Italy and exported to the U.S., sold in August for $577,500.

The history of this 1964 Ferrari 500 Superfast Series I includes an beautiful original interior and the fact that the 500 was never taken apart. A show car at the 1964 Chicago Auto Show, it sold at auction for $2,750,000.

Valued at up to $2.6 million, this 1964 Shelby 289 Competition Cobra with a long history of racing and winning, is powered by a 289-inch V-8 that develops an estimated 450 horsepower. It did not sell at RM-Sotheby'’s Monterey auction.

Driven by Dan Gurney at Indianapolis in 1966, this first Indy 500 Eagle continued to show up at the 500 until 1972. With a 425-horsepower 255-inch V-8, Holborn fuel injection and rack-and-pinion steering, the 1966 AAR Eagle Indianapolis sold at auction for $962,500.

Dan Gurney admirers have suggested the champion race driver, team owner and race car builder make a run for the White House.

Owned by its consignor for some 25 years and boasting a well-documented history, this 1966 Ford GT 40 powered by a 345-horsepower 289-inch V-8 with five-speed manual had a pre-sale estimated value of up to $3.75 million. It sold in August for $2.9 million.

Driven by Graham Hill at the 1968 Indianapolis 500, this 1968 Lotus 56 has been the property of Richard Petty, has been displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum and the subject of a restoration supervised by Clive Chapman and Vince Granatelli. With an estimated value of up to $1.2 million, it did not sell at auction.

This 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider is one of 121 original Daytona Spiders built. Ready for U.S. delivery, it includes factory air condition and Borrani wire wheels. The car brought $2,365,000 at auction.

This 1993 Jaguar XJ220 features a twin-turbocharged four-cam 3.5-liter V-6 with five-speed manual and rear drive. Able to develop 542 horsepower and explode from zero to 60 miles an hour in 3.5 seconds, it was the fastest and quickest production car for its day. The silver bullet sold for $379,500.

Single ownership and just over 6,000 miles from new, a 2005 Maserati MC 12 with 630-horsepower V-12 and six-speed paddle-shift transmission brought $1.430,000 at auction in Monterey.

This 1926 Miller Locomobile Junior 8 Special was driven by Cliff Durant at the 1926 Indianapolis 500. Durant, described as a “playboy sportsman.” qualified for the race but did not complete it. The restored ’26 Miller, with 92-inch 16-valve inline eight, sold for $770,000.

This 1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton is one of 17 authentic Sport Phaetons on the V-16 chassis still in existence. Over the years it has been owned by experts of the marque; it last changed hands in 2001. The Cadillac brought $687,000 at auction.

The dual cowl of this 1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton features a crank for raising and lowering the window and gauges including the speedometer, for keep track of one’s chauffeur’s habits.

This 1932 Bentley 8-Litre Tourer has confirmed original chassis and engine and is ready to participate in”virtually all” rallies. The beautiful period piece sold for $1,705,000.

This 1938 SS 100 Jaguar with upgraded 3/5-liter engine and fewer than 100 miles following a complete restoration sold for $572,000, short of its pre-sale estimate of up to $800,000.