Gooding Christie’s Pebble Beach auction once again captured the imagination of collectors and car enthusiasts alike, delivering record-breaking results over an action-packed two-day sale. Classic cars from across eras — ranging from pre-war Panhard-Levassors to modern supercars — commanded extraordinary prices, with rare Ferraris dominating the headlines. The event not only set new benchmarks for iconic models but also underscored the enduring appeal and investment value of the world’s most coveted automobiles.
Gooding Christie’s — the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance — sold nearly USD 128 million during its two-day event this past weekend, breaking numerous world records, including a 1961 Ferrari that fetched USD 25.3 million. The amount reflected a 19 percent increase over the previous year’s sales. The auction house sold 153 pieces, resulting in an 85 percent sell-through rate. Twenty-seven cars sold for more than USD 1 million, with the average price per lot increasing 17 percent to USD 847,262.
Image: Gooding & Company, LLC. Photo by Hanna Yamamoto. (left) &
Image: Gooding & Company, LLC. Photo by Hanna Yamamoto. (right)
The top lot was the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider Competizione, which went for USD 25,305,000. The price set a new auction record for the type. It made the automobile the most valuable ever sold by Gooding Christie’s, outbidding the previous standard for a California Spider by roughly USD 7 million.
“This sale demonstrates what Gooding Christie’s consistently achieves at this spectacular venue year after year,” said David Gooding, president of Gooding Christie’s. He hailed the record-breaking Ferrari as a watershed moment for the auction house, which conducted its first major sale under the newly created Gooding Christie’s brand following a business merger.
Ferraris dominated the top of the list, accounting for six of the 10 most expensive vehicles sold. Another 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competizione broke a model record by selling for USD 8,145,000. A 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS became the first of its kind to surpass the USD 1 million mark, fetching USD 1,028,000. The sale performed well across multiple eras. A 1990 Ferrari F40 sold for USD 3.8 million, while a 1994 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport cost USD 2,755,000. A 2021 RUF CTR Anniversary sold for USD 3,140,000 on its debut at auction.
LLC. Photo by Hanna Yamamoto.
“The tremendous, record-breaking results of our 2025 Pebble Beach Auctions stand as a testament to what Gooding Christie’s never fails to do at this spectacular venue year after year in selling the world’s greatest collector cars to a dedicated and loyal network of the most esteemed clientele,” said Gooding Christie’s president, David Gooding. Cars from before the war were similarly expensive. A 1898 Panhard-Levassor racing car sold for USD 1,380,000, establishing a new world record for the brand. A 1929 Bentley Speed Six Drophead Coupe — a Pebble Beach class winner — fetched USD 2,150,000.
Other noteworthy sales included a 1952 Jaguar C-Type for USD 3,635,000 and a 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT for USD 3,195,000. Three Mercedes-Benz 300 SL cars from the 1950s and 1960s sold for a total of USD 5.27 million. The sale featured cars from prominent collections, including that of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. His 1948 Tucker 48 sold for USD 1,545,000, which included a magnum of wine and a special tour of his Inglenook property. Principal Auctioneer Charlie Ross commented on the record Ferrari sale, describing the buyer as “decisive, firm, clear and FAST.”
Christie’s next auction — the Stan Lucas Collection — took place in Long Beach, California on 20 September 2026. The auction house will also hold the official sale for the Rétromobile event in Paris in January 2026.
“Throughout my years in the auction industry, we have offered and sold incredible cars, but few can compare to the Ferrari California Spider Competizione, chassis 2383 GT, which set a new record for the Gooding team by surpassing USD 25 million on the very auction block where we’ve set countless world records in years prior. We are incredibly proud of this milestone, achieved among several other major records, all of which took place at our first official sale under the newly formed Gooding Christie’s brand.”
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