Multi-Million Dollar Elkhart Car Collection To Be Auctioned

Over 240 cars from the single-owner Elkhart Collection will be auctioned this weekend almost entirely without reserve by RM Sotheby’s.

There’s not a whole lot of car collections that break the 200 count and even less that come up for auction, so you can imagine the Elkhart Collection will pique the interest of avid car collectors and enthusiasts in general.

Named “The Elkhart Collection” by RM Sotheby’s who are the auction house behind the sale, the event was originally announced in January 2020 and scheduled to take place 1-2 May in Elkhart, Indiana. In light of global events, it was postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic and rescheduled to 23-24 October 2020.

Offered almost entirely without reserve, the single-owner collection of over 240 vehicles is the result of decades of careful collecting and showcases a tremendous range of marques, led in by Jaguar, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat, Ford, Ferrari, and more.

Top-value highlights include an exceptionally rare, Jet Age designed 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic by Ghia, delivered initially to famed General Motors designer Henry S. Lauve; a striking 1969 Lamborghini Miura upgraded to SV specification; a beautifully restored 1964 Aston Martin DB5 upgraded to Vantage specification; and a 1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight Continuation, “car zero” built to 1963 specification for 2016 after which six more were constructed by Jaguar Classic, this one being the global press car prior to delivery.

A restored 1968 Iso Grifo GL Series I is yet another highlight, tastefully upgraded to the ultimate ‘7-Litri’ specification, alongside a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Roadster.

“The quality of the cars and the way that the Elkhart Collection has been maintained and looked after is incredible,” says Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, RM Sotheby’s. “The building that they’ve been housed in is much more than a storage facility and has been designed specifically for the care of collector cars. More than ever, it’s true to say that there is quite literally something for anyone in the collector car hobby within this group of cars, from microcars, to classics, 50s and 60s sports cars, the modern era, and beyond. If there’s something you like, you’ll likely find it in the Elkhart Collection. These cars are all great examples of their kind, meticulously chosen for the collection, and we’re excited to bring them to market almost entirely without reserve for an auction the entire hobby can enjoy.”

Cars in the collection range in value from $10,000 through to the multi-million-dollar mark and represent nearly every category within the collector car market. Additional cars on offer range from a London-to-Brighton veteran and still-eligible 1903 Clement 12/16 HP Rear-Entrance Tonneau, to the Classic Era beauty of a genuine factory-supercharged 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged ‘Sportsman’ Cabriolet, and the unmistakable tailfins of a Hampton Green 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. The spirited microcar era is led by a rare 1960 FMR Tg 500 ‘Tiger’ and modern supercars are represented by a low-mileage 1993 Jaguar XJ220 and a 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition owned from new by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.

Aside from the four-wheeled vehicles, the collection includes more than 30 motorcycles, a wooden triple-cockpit boat, an assortment of trucks, trailers, and equipment, alongside memorabilia such as children’s pedal cars, neon signs, and a variety of collectibles appealing to automotive collectors.

The auction follows in the footsteps of nearly 40 successful single owner private collection sales held by RM Sotheby’s over the years (an industry record), including the offering of The Guyton Collection, The Sáragga Collection, and The Taj Ma Garaj Collection in 2019 alone.

While live attendance to the 23 – 24 October auction has now been sold out, remote bidding is still available for those looking to add something new to their garage.