The Most Expensive Cars Auctioned Monterey Car Week 2016

Every August, the world’s most exclusive, expensive and explosive cars descend on Northern California to be driven, shown and sold in one of the most gratuitous displays of material wealth on earth.

It is, in a word, awesome.

And while the total sales at this year’s Monterey Car Week dropped down a bit from 2016, the auctions still managed to rake in a cool $345 million. Not too shabby.

Here are the 10 biggest spenders.

Best for never picking anyone up at the airport ever again
1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Spider by Scaglietti – $5,225,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
The winner of 12 Hours of Sebring in 1955, the Spider was driven by Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby. Sad story: it was later stripped of first place when race officials confirmed that Mike Hawthorn and Phil Walters won by some 25 seconds in their Jaguar D-Type. The ride would go on to haul in a number of other wins, including Pebble Beach and Palm Springs.

Best for brushing up on your painting skills
1950 Ferrari 166MM Berlinetta – $5,445,000 (Gooding & Company)
Didn’t see this one comin’. The Berlinetta fetched well below its estimated tag, perhaps because of the patina. But its track record speaks for itself, having raced in the 1950 Mille Miglia only to find itself down the road in a used car lot in Detroit. But it came to lot with its original revived engine and still went for a mighty fine price.

Best for building your portfolio
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione Tour de France– $5,720,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
It was a looker then, and it’s a looker now. The Berlinetta finished second of nine in the first Tour de France and undoubtedly ranks among the rarest Ferraris in the heritage game.

Best for becoming a “Bugattiste.” It really doesn’t get cooler than that.
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster – $10,400,000 (Gooding & Company)
Jumping up more than $4M from the Berlinettas, this Roadster is one of the seven models to go for more than $10M. Together with the others, they would comprise a third of the total auctions. Ultra-rare, she’s one of just 13 of the of the original makes still kicking today.

Best for those who don’t like to share
1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza – $11,990,000 (Gooding & Company)
She began in Italy competing in hill climbs and then traveled to Venezuela briefly until landing with an oil engineer in the States. It wasn’t until ‘82 that the coupe was fully restored and raced in top-notch vintage rallies through ‘96. The current seller purchased her in 2010. With only four owners in 64 years, the Monza is minty fresh.

Best for a mid-life crisis
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competizione Coupe – $13,500,000 (Gooding & Company)
When we think Ferrari, we think 250GT. This particular sexpot took seventh overall in the 1960 24 hours of Le Mans. With her V-12 and some 280 HP, it’s the perfect ride for blowing off decades of steam.

Best for the patriotic historian
1962 Shelby Cobra 260 Roadster – $13,750,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
Breaking the record for an American car sold at auction, this Cobra was the first prototype built by the one and only Carroll Shelby, making it not just an original, but the original.

Best for playing Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (if Ferris was actually Abe Froman)
1959 Ferrari 250 GT California LWB Alloy Spider – $18,150,000 (Gooding & Company)
Obviously Spiders fetch loot. Even stunt Spiders. But this particular steed breaks the eight-figure barrier because it is but one of nine aluminum-bodied, long-wheelbase Cali Spiders out there, and it saw some killer track action from ‘59-‘64.

Best conversation starter
1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider by Touring – $19,800,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
That ‘56 Ferrari Berlinetta was probably serving this Spider wine at a dinner party in its younger years.

Best for removing a zero from your bank account
1955 Jaguar D-type Roadster – $21,780,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
This D-type pummeled the British record from last year. The ride’s history is a long one, with a win at the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans following the particularly gruesome ‘55 edition, wherein a crash took the lives of more than 80 spectators. Since, this D-type has passed hands only twice, and remains in perfectly preserved race condition.