After an intense bidding war presided over by Gooding’s auctioneer Charlie Ross, the 14-louvre Tour de France’s hammer price finally settled at USD 8.6m, equating to an overall sum of USD 9.46m including buyer’s premium – a World Record price for a TdF.
A few lots later and another World Record lay in smithereens, this time a 1997 McLaren F1 the culprit. Sold for a total of USD 8.47m, the Magnesium Silver, 14,000-mile car claimed the title of most valuable F1 sold at auction – no doubt assisted by some inspirational words from its famous designer, Gordon Murray.
But perhaps the most surprising lot of the evening was the cutesy Fiat 600 Jolly, selling for an impressive USD 148,500 against an upper pre-sale estimate of USD 95,000.
