Cars To Watch in Monterey: 10 From $100,000 – $1,000,000

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the most famous concours in the U.S., but the long weekend surrounding the event is also home to five collector car auctions that make up one of the biggest market spectacles of the year. Approximately 1,000 vehicles will sell for more than $300M, and while most stories about these auctions will recount the most expensive of the bunch, some of the most interesting cars will sell for substantially less. Here are 10 cars we are paying particular attention to from the broad $100,000 – $1,000,000 range.

1. 1958 Buick Century Caballero Hardtop Station Wagon
   Gooding & Company, Lot #16
   Auction estimate: $100,000 – $125,000
   Station wagons from the 1950s are picking up momentum in the market, and while Nomads have long been favorites among collectors, the less recognized models are the ones that are showings signs of life. The 1958 Buick Caballero is a cool four-door hardtop wagon, and this particular car benefits from a frame-off restoration and some mild driving upgrades.
2. 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190SL
   Bonhams, Lot #183
   Auction estimate: $150,000 – $175,000
   As hot as just about anything in the market right now is the 190SL, with sales of excellent cars routinely stretching well into six figures. And that is why no fewer than 10 are on offer this week. If the 190SL market wasn’t clear before, it should be very soon.
3. 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda Coupe
   Russo and Steele, Lot #S653
   Auction estimate: N/A
   Rare Hemis have inched up a bit the past over the spring and summer, and this particular restored ’Cuda coupe is equipped with a 4-speed transmission and painted In-Violet. This car is not likely to get much cheaper than it is today.
4. 1958 Aston Martin DB Mk III
   RM Auctions, Lot #224
   Auction estimate: $175,000 – $225,000
   When compared to the swiftly rising prices of the DB4 and DB5, the Aston Martin DB Mk III is something of a bargain. With a spacious interior and front disc brakes, it makes for a great tour car, and it marks the start of the familiar Aston front end. The Mk III offered by RM is restored and upfitted with a 5-speed and bigger brakes, and could look like a bargain in a few years.
5. 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition
   Mecum, Lot #F151
   Auction estimate: $300,000 – $400,000
   The Ford GT is one of the few modern supercars that has escaped long-term calamitous depreciation. Connoisseurs more than boy racers have gravitated toward the GT, with many now being part of very thoughtful collections. It now sells for well above its original MSRP fewer than 10 years after its introduction. This Ford is still in the wrapper with only six miles logged from new, and is also fully optioned, which answers the first two questions any prospective owner will ask.
6. 1974 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale
   Gooding & Company, Lot #26
   Auction estimate: $375,000 – $475,000
   The Lancia Stratos turned the world rally stage on its head in the mid-1970s, dominating virtually every race it entered. Completely unique both then and now, the cars are gaining ground in the market. This road car is in original, unrestored condition, and should incite a boisterous bidding battle on Friday.
7. 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring
   RM Auctions, Lot #251
   Auction estimate: $450,000 – $650,000
   As if the 1973 Carrera RS needed a brighter spotlight, along came the 911’s 50th anniversary. It’s hard to say if the extra attention is helping push values or if the current rise is simply inertia from the previous three years, but either way this car is a good bet to crack half a million.
8. 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback
   Mecum Auctions, Lot #F118
   Auction estimate: $600,000 – $750,000
   Rare American muscle is slowly climbing out of the hole it fell into in 2007, and those that fell the furthest are at the front of the pack. The Boss 429 is the alpha Mustang, and this particular example is an unrestored, original, 902-mile car that could potentially set a new high-water mark for the model. There are several Boss 429s on the peninsula this week, but this looks like the one to have.
9. 1975 Lamborghini Countach LP400 periscopica
   Bonhams, Lot #179
   Auction estimate: $600,000 – $750,000
   The Countach’s styling was about as radical a departure from any other car in existence in 1974, and would ultimately earn the car a place on seemingly every American adolescent’s bedroom wall. The earliest cars are considered the purest design, as they aren’t hindered by additional spoilers, flares or federalized bumpers, and it has been a year since we have seen a periscopica sell at auction. This is an opportunity to see what has happened during the past 12 months.
10. 1968 Toyota 2000GT
    RM Auctions, Lot #239
    Auction estimate: $800,000 – $1,000,000
    The Toyota 2000GT became the first Japanese car to sell for a million dollars at public auction in April when RM earned $1,155,000 for one at the Don Davis sale. No surprise then that we are seeing another so soon. Although the car has a fervent following, it has historically been a thin one, so this particular sale will help put the earlier sale in context.