Despite the possibility of a global recession, the classic car market has seen a significant increase in value for the world's most sought-after vehicles. In fact, 2022 was a record-breaking year, with the highest price ever paid for a classic car at auction and the highest total sum for online and in-person sales in a year. This is demonstrated by the £115 million paid for a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR, which more than doubled the previous record of £52 million for a Ferrari 250 GTO in 2018. Overall, more than $3 billion, nearly £2.5 billion, was spent on classic cars by the end of October 2022, according to Hagerty data, exceeding the total for 2021 with two months to spare.
TEN
1958 Maserati 450S Fantuzzi
Price: £7.6m+
Location: California, USA
Who: RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2022 auction
Date: 18 August 2022
NINE
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Coupe
Price: £7,762,500
Location: London, United Kingdom
Who: Gooding & Co’s London auction
Date: 3 September 2022
EIGHT
1924 Hispano Suiza H6C Torpedo Roadster
Price: £7,814,877
Location: California, USA
Who: RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2022 auction
Date: 18 August 2022
SEVEN
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
Price: £8,372,781
Location: California, USA
Who: RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2022 auction
Date: 18 August 2022
SIX
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Coupe
Price: £8,715,249
Location: California, USA
Who: Gooding & Co’s Pebble Beach auction
Date: 19 August 2022
FIVE
1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe
Price: £10,149,694
Location: Florida, USA
Who: Gooding & Co’s Amelia Island auction
Date: 4 March 2022
FOUR
2003 Ferrari F2003 GA
Price: £13,000,000
Location: California, USA
Who: RM Sotheby’s Luxury Week auction
Date: 9 November 2022
THREE
1955 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Sport Spider
Price: £18,601,014
Location: California, USA
Who: RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction
Date: 20 August 2022
TWO
1998 McLaren F1
Price: £21.1m+
Location:USA
Who: RM Sotheby’s sealed bid
Date: 20 August 2022
ONE
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe
Price: £115,000,000
Location: Germany
Who: RM Sotheby’s Uhlenhaut sale
Date: 5 May 2022
