Bonhams|Cars out of the gate strong in 2026 with over $11 million in sales at Scottsdale auction
Scottsdale, Arizona – Bonhams|Cars kicked off its 2026 auction calendar with a 90% sell-through rate at The Scottsdale Auction, held on January 23 at the Westin Kierland Resort in Arizona. Running alongside Arizona Car Week, the event attracted strong interest from…
Scottsdale, Arizona – Bonhams|Cars kicked off its 2026 auction calendar with a 90% sell-through rate at The Scottsdale Auction, held on January 23 at the Westin Kierland Resort in Arizona. Running alongside Arizona Car Week, the event attracted strong interest from collectors and enthusiasts. Featuring an exceptional lineup of 59 collector cars, the auction totaled $11 million in sales.
The headlining and undisputed highlight of the sale was the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport “Éléphant Blanc” – a one‑of‑one Sur Mesure commission conceived as a contemporary tribute to the legendary Type 41 Royale and its famed motif. Presented in its original Glacier White finish with just 2,750 miles, it embodies the seamless blend of heritage and innovation that defines Bugatti’s most exclusive modern creations, ultimately exceeding its pre-sale low estimate and achieving $5,065,000, including premium
Following the success of the Bugatti, another highlight in the sale was the 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster that realized $945,500, including premium. Delivered new from Stuttgart in a rare special‑order palette and now finished in Ivory with Dark Red leather, it remains a well‑presented example of one of the most iconic sports cars of its era.
Another standout of the sale was the 1996 Hummer H1 Four‑Door Hard Top Pickup – the last car purchased by the late Tupac Shakur and a defining artifact of his brief but monumental career – which exceeded its pre‑sale low estimate when it sold for $456,000, including premium, establishing a new world auction record for a Hummer H1. Modified during Tupac’s ownership and accompanied by documentation from his estate, the truck remains an instantly recognizable emblem of 1990s rap culture and stands as a rare surviving link to one of music’s most influential voices.
Additional highlights of the sale included:
- 2026 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring, sold for $373,500. Showing only 19 miles from new, this factory‑fresh Touring is finished in Slate Grey Neo over Exclusive Guards Red leather and represents a particularly desirable specification of Porsche’s celebrated GT3 lineage.
- 2006 Ferrari F430 Spider, sold for $362,500. This single‑owner, 6,300‑mile example is finished in Rosso Corsa over black leather and equipped with the coveted gated 6‑speed manual gearbox, making it an especially appealing F430.
- 1966 Aston Martin DB6 Coupe, sold for $246,400. Originally delivered in its factory Silver Birch over Red leather, this numbers‑matching DB6 now presents beautifully in Oyster Shell Grey. A three‑time Great Race finisher, it is a highly desirable and rally‑prepared example of the ultimate evolution of the classic “DB” series.
Bonhams|Cars will return for its annual The Paris Sale on January 30 in Paris – this year staged for the first time at the distinguished and historic Polo de Paris. The forthcoming sale will bring together a standout selection of pre‑war icons and contemporary supercars during Rétromobile Week.
Bonhams|Cars will continue its 2026 calendar with a diverse slate of U.S. sales across key automotive destinations, beginning with The Miami Auction on May 3, held during the Crypto.com Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. The schedule then moves to Connecticut for The Greenwich Auction, hosted by Berkley One, on May 31, followed by a dedicated sale for the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada on June 13. Rounding out the U.S. calendar, Bonhams|Cars will once again present its prestigious Monterey Car Week auction on August 13 in California.
About Bonhams|Cars: Bonhams|Cars hosts 17 live auctions annually, participates in all the significant concours around the world, and presents unique selling opportunities at international events such as the FORMULA 1® CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX, Goodwood Motorsport Events in the UK, The Quail on the Monterey Peninsula in California, and The Zoute Concours d'Elégance in Belgium. At Bonhams|Cars Online, we provide our clients with fast, expert, accurate and agile single-car auctions, 24/7. With dedicated motoring departments in London, Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Brussels and beyond, Bonhams|Cars has a world-class team with expertise in all divisions, from vintage cars to racing motorsport and automobilia to motorcycles.
For more information, please visit BonhamsCars.com.
If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.
Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.
