Ferraris ruled at Bonhams|Cars Zoute sale

Knokke-Heist, Belgium – Bonhams|Cars returned for The Zoute Sale in Knokke-Heist, held during the Zoute Grand Prix, a premier automotive and lifestyle event appealing to car enthusiasts from all over Europe and beyond. October 12^th saw strong results especially for Ferraris. Marking its 13th anniversary, this year’s auction attracted record-breaking interest, with over 1,200 registered bidders from 36 countries and more than 1,000 attendees in the room. On the rostrum, auctioneer James Knight drew bids from the crowd and telephones. Featuring over 100 lots, including automobilia, motorcycles, and collector cars, the auction concluded with a total of more than €15.5 million, achieving an 87.5% sell-through rate and 96% sold by value — a testament to its growing global appeal and competitive bidding atmosphere.

Taking center stage at the Zoute sale was the 1991 Ferrari F40 Coupé which sold for €2,645,000 and the 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso from the Bernard Fornas collection presented in a beautiful shade of Griggio having recently been awarded the coveted Red Book certification by Ferrari Classiche, sold for €1,380,000. The impeccably maintained collection from Bernard Fornas, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Cartier International, made €2,275,850.

Alex Verstraete, Senior specialist, Bonhams|Cars, Belgium, said: “In a packed auction room with competitive bidding, a large range of highly original and extremely rare examples of some of the world’s finest luxury marques were offered at Bonhams|Cars beautiful beachfront sale in Zoute. The strong results achieved by cars from Mr. Fornas’ collection, presented in fantastic condition, were a testament to the quality of the vehicles offered.”

Other highlights from the sale included: a 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 'Daytona' Berlinetta sold for €603,750, and a 2021 Ford GT '66 Heritage Edition Coupé sold for €598,000. A 1967 Aston Martin DB6 Volante, one of only 140 'Mark 1' DB6 Volantes, sold for €402,500.

Once known solely for their off-road prowess, 1970’s Range Rovers and Toyota Land Cruisers have shifted gears, firmly establishing themselves as fashion statements in the worlds of luxury, lifestyle, and design. The ex-Alain Delon, 1976 Range Rover 3.5-litre in the Bernard Fornas collection sold for €120,750 and a 1979 Toyota BJ43 « Land Cruiser, driven by Thierry Sabine and his team for the first Dakar Rally (Oasis-Paris-Dakar) sold for €115,000.

In the Automobilia section, a unique diorama recreating the starting line of the 1968 “24 Hours of Le Mans” with exceptional scale and accuracy, sold for €63,900.

Whitney Maxwell, Managing Director, Bonhams|Cars added: "It was a true pleasure to be back in Zoute this year — an event that continues to attract a passionate and discerning crowd of enthusiasts from around the world, especially across Europe. The energy, elegance, and the shared love for exceptional automobiles made it a standout occasion once again. We’re already looking forward to returning next year for the 14th edition on 11 October 2026 as a proud Diamond Partner of Zoute."

About Bonhams|Cars - Bonhams|Cars uniquely offers a choice of live, online and private platforms for buying and selling collector cars—platforms characterized by levels of trust, reliability, and transparency born of over three decades of experience as a premier automotive auction house. Through prestigious live auctions around the world, 24/7 online auctions, and our recently introduced Private Sales service, Bonhams|Cars makes it simple for buyers and sellers to find the platform that best meets their needs.

Bonhams|Cars host 17 live auctions annually, participates in all the significant concours around the world, and presents unique selling opportunities at international events such as the 2023 Formula 1® Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the official auction partner of the Formula 1 Paddock Club™, Goodwood Motorsport Events in the UK, The Quail on the Monterey Peninsula in California, The Audrain Concours in Newport, Rhode Island and The Zoute Grand Prix in Belgium. At Bonhams|Cars Online, formerly The Market by Bonhams, 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, fromvintage cars to racing motorsport and automobilia to motorcycles.

For more information, please visit BonhamsCars.com

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