The Most Interesting Cars at RM Sotheby’s Tegernsee Sale

Sean Rooks | July 22, 2024

RM Sotheby’s

Tegernsee is a town located in the Bavarian Alps and adjacent to the waters of the blue lake from which it takes its name. Known in Europe for its luxury hotels, fine food and relaxing spas it also hosts the Concours of Elegance Germany. As is typical, a large collector automotive event attracts high-end auctions, in this case RM Sotheby’s Tegernsee Sale.

Organized by the hosts of the British Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace, the concours takes place at the site of an estate and fine restaurant overlooking the lake called Gut Kaltenbrunn. From Monday July 22 to July 27th, attendees can feast their eyes upon 150-200 of the finest cars from around the world in a spectacular setting.

RM Sotheby’s Tegernsee Sale has consigned a tidy selection of 30 impressive cars that nicely complement the concours entries. Lots include the typical assortment of supercars, such as the Bugatti Chiron and SLR McLaren. Classic and modern classic options include a 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C, 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB and a 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS.

The Most Interesting (or Unusual) Lots at Tegernsee

All the cars above are exceptional, but such vehicles are frequent attractions at high-end live auction events and have been profiled elsewhere. Some special cars are flying under the radar of the automotive media, so below you will find a list of what I consider to be the most interesting cars at this year’s RM Sotheby’s Tegernsee Sale that no one’s talking about.

RM Sotheby’s

Talbot-Lago was a French manufacturer of sport and racing automobiles founded by Antonio Lago, who produced cars from 1936 (when Lago purchased Talbot) until 1959. While most Talbot-Lagos produced in the 1940s were coachbuilt in the manufacturer’s workshops, the T26 Grand Sport was provided as a bare chassis. Bespoke coachbuilders, like Barou in France, would compete to produce the most opulent and stunning bodies for what was one of the most powerful production cars in the period.

RM Sotheby’s

The T26 Grand Sport being offered at Tegernsee is a well-known example, delivered in March or 1949 to its owner on a French registration. Originally presented in a cream color over a dark orange interior (which must have been quite stunning), the body wears a silver gray metallic paint applied in the late 1990s.

The provenance is quite well known, having passed through the hands of multiple collectors over the decades and is offered with its matching numbers engine and transmission. The interior appears to be original, with a patina that is a bit at odds with the restored bodywork.

RM Sotheby’s

Estimated at €1.4-1.6 million, this lovely streamlined post-war beauty is likely one of only 30 Grand Sports ever made. When you consider that most were coachbuilt, it becomes a likely one of one. The last coupe sold at auction was a very pretty but somewhat oddly proportioned car presented by Bonhams at its Paris sale in 2023. It hammered for €2,185,000, making this estimate perhaps a bit on the low side to inspire bidding. One to watch for sure.

RM Sotheby’s

Few people discuss BMW’s origins as a manufacturer of aircraft engines that helped power the German Luftwaffe in two World Wars. As with Volkswagen, BMW’s factories were heavily bombed during WWII and didn’t start producing cars again until 1951. It struggled in those early years, but did manage to produce some lovely luxury vehicles including the 501 and 503.

While the 503—a 2+2 coupe produced from 1956 until 1959—is not particularly a rare car with at least half a dozen crossing the block in the past year or so, the drop-top variant is a rare bird.

RM Sotheby’s

One of just 78 total 503 convertibles built, and one of 13 sent across the Atlantic to the United States, chassis #69091 is a lovely Fjord Blue over cognac car that has been treated to a complete and thorough restoration in the Netherlands from 2018 to 2023.

The restoration appears to be quite well done and is billed as a nut-and-bolt restoration, meaning nothing was untouched. However, the obviously incorrect air cleaners, reminiscent of something you’d see in an aftermarket catalog in the 1970s, make me question the expertise deployed for the mechanical restoration.

RM Sotheby’s

Even still, these cars are rare, beautiful, and sell for reasonable money considering it’s a V8-powered car from a storied make with such luxe features as a hydraulic system for the power windows and retractable top.

The last time a convertible 503 sold at auction was at Amelia Island in 2022, where a less sexy red over black, but equally nice car hammered for $340,500. This is probably a nice investment at the auction house’s guide of €300-400K.

RM Sotheby’s

Now this one is definitely unusual, as here we have an auction for a car that doesn’t yet exist. In this lot, you’re bidding for the exclusive opportunity to secure the first of 100 custom-built and reimagined Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo IIs to be manufactured by the tuner HWA.

HWA Racelab builds cars and components for Mercedes-AMG race cars. You may know them for production of the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Straßenversion, one of the most iconic homologation road cars in the brand’s history, as well as numerous winning DTM cars.

RM Sotheby’s

The Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo II has been featured on this blog before, but suffice it to say these youngtimer homologation specials are extremely valuable and collectible in their original form. Building on the success of such coachbuilt reimagining of iconics cars like the Singer 911, Automobili Amos Lancia Delta, and more, HWA is promising to construct a state-of-the-art ultimate Evo II.

A carbon-fiber body will replace the steel original and the car will boast a wider wheelbase with even more aggressive flares, LED headlamps and indicators, custom paint, a 500hp engine (nearly double the original output), and a DTM-inspired suspension. Despite the car’s modernization, it will be offered only as a 6-speed manual.

RM Sotheby’s

As you’d be acquiring the exclusive number plate of 1/100, I feel this lot could really stir up some bidding. A winning bid that exceeds the estimate of €700-900K is entirely possible, in my opinion. I will be watching the live stream of this one for certain!

RM Sotheby’s

The G-Wagen is the poster-child for celebrity opulence and excess. What’s more excessive? A Maybach version. This G 650 Landaulet is a stretched V-12-powered variant of the boxy SUV. Screaming from 0-60 in 4.8 seconds thanks to an engine cribbed from the S 65 saloon, you’ll be coddled by the car’s Napa leather interior draped over seats borrowed from the S 600 limousine.

RM Sotheby’s

Carbon trim, polished 22 inch wheels on lifted portal axle suspension, a convertible rear section and a Harmon Kardon sound system round out just some of the high-end features.

A couple of notes on this car—One, the Maybach G 650 was never sold in the United States. It is, however, able to be imported via show and display rules. So if you buy this car, don’t expect to daily drive it. Second, it’s one of only 99 ever made, making it very exclusive.

RM Sotheby’s

At one time, a dealer was asking $1.8 MILLION for one of these G-wagens, which seems a bit insane. They are now trading hands in the neighborhood of the estimated €650-700K. This is the type of lot I’d expect to see on SBX Cars, not RM Sotheby’s, but as this car fits into a potential future collectible market, its sale is worthy of attention.

Final Thoughts

RM Sotheby’s Tegernsee Sale is replete with rare and exotic metal—including a Porsche 550 Spyder with an iffy story that may justify its own analysis. I chose to highlight the four cars above for a few reasons.

First, based on recent sales it would seem that vehicles from the early days of motoring are far from losing their appeal, especially rare museum-piece examples. I’d like to see if that trend continues and extends to early post-war market cars like the Talbot-Lago. 

Second, the youngtimer market still feels underrepresented in auction reporting, especially when discussing the SUV and truck market. This is a growing and exciting segment of the overall collector vehicle market as younger money enters the hobby and in my opinion, one to monitor.

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisals, and auction services for buyers and sellers of collector European cars. If you’re interested in acquiring an overseas car, give us a call or drop a line!

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