RM Sotheby's is the world's most influential classic car auction house and the definitive pricing benchmark for the ultra-high-end collector car market. Founded in Ontario, Canada in 1976 by Rob Myers, it began as a restoration workshop dedicated to pre-war classics before expanding into the auction sector, eventually rebranding as RM Sotheby's in 2015 following a strategic partnership with Sotheby's.
Positioned as an exclusive auction platform for ultra-high-end classic cars and limited-run supercars, RM Sotheby's operates a dual-track model comprising public auctions and private treaty sales, backed by specialist services including vehicle valuations, financing, estate planning, and restoration. With a global clientele spanning over 40 countries, the auction house regularly hosts flagship sales in Monterey, Paris, Abu Dhabi, and Amelia Island. In 2025, RM Sotheby's global sales turnover surpassed USD 1 billion, setting 75 auction records in the process.
RM Sotheby's has orchestrated some of the most expensive automotive transactions in auction history. In 2022, a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe fetched USD 142 million, retaining its title as the most expensive car ever sold at auction globally. At the 2026 Monterey Car Week, a 1996 McLaren F1 GTR crossed the block at USD 34.655 million, making it the most expensive British car and McLaren F1 in history. In the very same auction, a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport went under the hammer for USD 18.705 million, setting an all-time record for the Corvette nameplate.
The year 2026 underscored a robust resurgence in the classic car market for RM Sotheby's. The Monterey Auction grossed a staggering USD 380 million—the highest in the firm's history for the event—with a 90% sell-through rate, where 69 lots surpassed USD 1 million and 14 lots exceeded USD 5 million. Meanwhile, the Monaco Auction became the highest-grossing multi-car sale in European history at EUR 87.97 million, led by a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider that achieved EUR 16.655 million, setting a new world record for the model.
The Paris Auction also delivered an exceptional outing in early 2026, recording a total turnover of EUR 81 million, spearheaded by a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM that fetched USD 36.07 million.
RM Sotheby's has built a formidable reputation for curating prestigious single-collector sales. In 2025, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Collection hammered for USD 123.6 million, while the Tailored for Speed Collection achieved USD 86.65 million. Over in Monaco, Juan Manuel Fangio's personal memorabilia collection—which featured his 1955 Omega timepiece, racing trousers, and international driving licence—sold for a combined EUR 763,000, comfortably outperforming pre-sale estimates.
Alongside major auction houses such as Gooding Christie's, Bonhams, and Mecum, RM Sotheby's anchors the core landscape of the classic car auction arena. However, its dominance in the ultra-rare, blue-chip automotive sector remains unparalleled, having handled seven of the top ten most expensive cars ever sold at auction. For collectors worldwide, RM Sotheby's auction results serve not just as sales records, but as the key industry benchmark guiding global market trends and classic car valuation metrics.
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