Ferrari steals spotlight as Monterey car week auctions hit $432.8m

The world’s wealthiest car collectors opened their wallets wide at Monterey Car Week 2025, where five major auction houses sold $432.8 million worth of rare and exotic cars, making it the second-biggest Car Week in history.

Buyers drove fierce bidding wars that showed a generational shift in collecting tastes. For the first time, newer hypercars such as the Bugatti Divo and Ferrari LaFerrari competed with vintage icons like the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider for top bids.

“Collectors are no longer just chasing prewar classics,” said Hagerty’s market analyst Brian Rabold. “We’re seeing younger buyers paying eight figures for cars from the 1980s through to modern supercars.”

Ferrari dominated the sales, taking eight of the top 10 spots, including the weekend’s crown jewel: a one-off Ferrari Daytona SP3 ‘Tailor Made’ that stunned the room at $26 million under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s.

Gooding Christie’s came close with a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Competizione Alloy Spider selling for $25.3 million. Bugatti also proved its appeal with Bonhams’ 2020 Bugatti Divo reaching $8.55 million.

The figures underline Monterey’s influence as the global showcase of collector-car wealth. RM Sotheby’s led the pack with $165.3 million in two nights, while Gooding Christie’s hit $128 million. Bonhams posted $44.7 million, Mecum pulled $39.5 million, and Broad Arrow rounded up the totals with headline sales including a Maserati MC12 Stradale at $5.2 million.

Although the $432.8 million total fell short of the 2022 record of $471.2 million, experts say the results prove the market is still strong, but changing fast. “The next generation is shaping this industry,” said collector and bidder Lisa Moreno. “It’s not just about cars from the 1960s anymore—it’s about the ones we dreamed about in the ’90s.”

Below are the 10 most expensive cars sold during Monterey Car Week 2025:

1. 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 “Tailor Made” – $26M (RM Sotheby’s)
2. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Competizione Alloy Spider – $25.3M (Gooding Christie’s)
3. 1993 Ferrari F40 LM GTC – $11.05M (RM Sotheby’s)
4. 1995 Ferrari F50 – $9.24M (RM Sotheby’s)
5. 2020 Bugatti Divo – $8.55M (Bonhams Cars)
6. 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competizione – $8.14M (Gooding Christie’s)
7. 1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Prototipo – $7.26M (Gooding Christie’s)
8. 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta – $6.71M (Gooding Christie’s)
9. 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Special Roadster – $5.34M (RM Sotheby’s)
10. 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari – $5.23M (RM Sotheby’s)

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