Auction prices can be tough to predict, but certain aspects tend to attract interested parties with deep pockets. A desirable car, made in low volumes, often by a boutique coachbuilder, with a performance pedigree, is a recipe for bidding fervor. Those categories most often apply to European marques, while American brands, although equally capable of producing gorgeous designs, tend to do so at a larger scale. There are exceptions. We’ve taken a look at the highest auction sales of American-branded cars*, and it’s no surprise that the same criteria of scarcity, prestige, and performance add value. One could argue that many of the cars in this list are not purely American, and we’re sure you will in the comments. Without further ado, here are the 10 most expensive American cars ever sold at auction.
*Note: These results ignore charity auctions.
Sale price: $22,000,000
Gooding & Company Pebble Beach 2018
Duesenbergs were some of the most extravagant vehicles of their era, serving as status symbols for the wealthy and famous. This powerful roadster with coachwork by LaGrande is one of only two SSJ models built on the short wheelbase with the twin-carb supercharged engine. A powerhouse of its era, this unrestored example is in phenomenal condition with its original chassis, engine, and body. It was originally owned by Academy-Award-winning actor Gary Cooper and spent time in the collection of racer Briggs Cunningham and finally Revs Institute founder Miles Collier before being offered for sale in 2019.
Sale price: $13,750,000
Compared to the lauded 427 Cobra with its bulging flares and intimidating hood scoop, this slab-sided Cobra seems remarkably understated. Its value is not just about its performance—which was still impressive—but also its provenance. It’s the first Shelby Cobra ever built, the testbed that proved Ford’s compact pushrod small-block V-8 would fit and flourish in the confines of an AC Ace roadster.
This prototype features several unique characteristics not shared in later production Cobras, including inboard brakes in the rear, a fuel filler mounted just aft of the driver, and lots of remaining AC trim parts that were replaced with Cobra-specific parts in subsequent models. It’s also powered by Ford’s 260-cubic-inch V-8, which predates the better-known 289. The legacy of this first Cobra is hard to quantify. It’s impossible to imagine what Shelby and Ford Performance, even today, would have looked like without it.
Sale price: $13,205,000
Walt Hansgen and Mark Donohue drove this GT40 to a second-place finish at the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring behind the GT40 X-1 roadster piloted by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby. Just eight Mk II GT40s were built. Each of them was on the starting grid of the 1966 24 Hours of LeMans. Three famously swept the podium, marking the first time an American team had won. This particular GT40, driven again by American Mark Donohue this time teamed up with Australian Paul Hawkins, did not finish and was the first GT40 to have to bow out of the race after its rear hatch blew off on the high-speed Mulsanne Straight, damaging the rear differential. With its well-charted history and famous drivers, its place on this list is no surprise.
Sale price: $11,000,000
Perhaps the most recognizable motorsports livery ever created, the light blue and orange Gulf motif is inexorably tied to the Ford GT40. Jacky Ickx and Dr. Dick Thompson drove this car in its race debut at Spa in 1967, where it won, marking the first win for partnership between Gulf and team manager John Wyer. At that time, the car wore different bodywork and was a Mirage 001. For 1968, it was rebodied as a GT40, and it won the Monza 1000 Kilometre, making it the only Gulf team car to win in both configurations. As if its race prowess wasn’t enough, it also served as a camera car in Steve McQueen’s Le Mans.
Sale price: $10,340,000
Gooding & Company Monterey 2011
Powered by smooth, DOHC inline-8 engines, the big Duesenbergs were also powerful, easily outperforming their contemporaries. This luxurious coupe, with Coachwork by Walter M. Murphy Company, was restored to exacting standards and won its class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Its polished paint, contrasted by vivid red fender lining, is reminiscent of a patent leather Louboutin pump, an appropriate, if impractical, footwear choice for the Concours.
Sale price: $9,795,000
By now, you know how special the 427-powered GT40 Mk II was. Rare and powerful, with gorgeous lines sculpted to speed down the Mulsanne Straight, the GT40 Mk II was the car that finally brought Ford the overall win at LeMans in 1966. This car, the #5 driven by Americans Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson, took third overall behind a pair of similar GT40s. Throughout its race career, this car was campaigned by legends including Ken Miles, Richie Ginther, A.J. Foyt, Mark Donohue, and Peter Revson. At the 1989 GT40 Reunion at Watkins Glen, it was driven by Jacky Ickx. While it has been raced in several configurations, it was last restored to its 1966 Le Mans spec of Kandy Gold with pink accents.
Sale price: $7,865,000
When Ford’s 7.0-liter V-8 became obsolete due to rule changes, the GT40 reverted to small-block power. Aluminum Gurney Weslake cylinder heads helped the V-8 make an impressive 440 hp and power the GT40 to wins around the globe. Equipped with its original body, chassis, engine, and transaxle, this small-block-powered GT40 lightweight was rebuilt and restored to its 1969 specification.
Sale price: $7,705,000
This low-slung roadster was the personal project of Zora Arkus-Duntov, the father of the Corvette. Built to race at the onset, it competed at the 1957 Sebring 12 Hours and is powered by a 283 Chevrolet V-8 fitted with Rochester mechanical fuel injection, aluminum cylinder heads, and a solid roller camshaft. A one-of-one design, it shared little but the grille with its factory Corvette brethren. Underneath its curvy magnesium body is a lightweight and sturdy tubular chrome-moly chassis. One-off Corvette designs are rare, and one with a racing pedigree, built in secret by Zora Arkus-Duntov, is even more special.
Sale price: $7,685,000
Mecum Monterey 2009
The mid-engine GT40 wasn’t the only racer that Shelby used to take on the world. The Shelby Cobra roadster held its own against the best, but even when fitted with a hardtop, was not cut out for high-speed courses like the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans, so Shelby developed a car on its own. A new, sleek body was in order, and Shelby’s Pete Brock stepped up with a design featuring a more aerodynamic nose, a fastback rear window, and a tapered, truncated tail. Not only was the Daytona a gorgeous design, it proved to be a success on the track as well, helping Shelby win the GT 3.0+ class at the 1965 World Sportscar Championship. Just six copies of the beautiful Cobra Daytona were built, making them a rare sight and a prized collectible.
Sale price: $7,650,000
Rare even by GT40 standards, just five roadster versions were built, and this one was the first. It served as a promotional car for Shelby and made stops at racetracks across the country, including Laguna Seca, where Ken Miles got behind the wheel for some hot laps. Carroll Shelby then got behind the wheel to give a ride to Henry Ford II, perhaps the only time Ford would ride in a GT40. It was used to develop the X and J series of the GT40, which ultimately led to the LeMans-winning Mk IV GT40. GT/108 had a storied life before it was thoroughly refreshed in 2003 by Phil Reilly and Company in Corte Madera, California.
Considering that a special roof bubble had to be built to accommodate six-foot-four-inch-tall Dan Gurney, it’s safe to say that the confines of the GT40 cabin were not roomy. A roadster might be the ultimate collectible for others who are similarly lanky.
I met a guy that worked for the shop that did the work on the Clark Gable Dusey. It was a twin to the Cooper car. Their shop was not far from the owner so he got to drive the car back home. He said it was an amazing and nervous drive.
That had to be cool.
There are a number of American cars that have sold for as much or would sell but they have not been offered and many are private sales.
It would be interesting to see what amount they would bring or did bring.
The Corvette SS was NOT built in secret. It was done completely under the engineering and design departments of Chevrolet/GM specifically for racing. The engine was a 283 but it had many special aluminum components such as cylinder heads that had not been used in production at that time. The AMA racing ban later in 1957 by all American manufacturers put an end to its racing and it became a show car. Duntov wisely donated the SS to the Indianapolis Museum before it was destroyed as most prototypes are.
Also the SS is one of two made. Harley Earl had a red one made for his son. One of the grand sport owners has it Bill Towers.
It’s easy to see that any car that has “GT 40” in it’s name is a sure bet for high sales.
7 out of 10 – Shelby (and Ford) wins.
Mostly Fords, Shelby’s .They won the big races LeManns , etc .No other American car has done that and I seriously doubt any could .In 1965 Shelby American won the World Championship for GT Cars with the Daytona Coupes. That the only time in history that America won that .The 1967 Ford GT MarklV that won LeManns is the only Car to win LeManns that was built in America ,owned by an American team , and driven by Americans ( Dan Gurney & AJ Foyt)
It wasn’t the hatch coming off the Emberglo (a ‘66 Mustang color) #4 GT40 that damaged the differential. In “The Unfair Advantage,” Donohue said that when Hawkins started the race, he popped the clutch and broke an axle shaft, which let the engine overrev and bend some pushrods. They replaced all those, but when Donohue went out, the engine would freewheel, then engage with a bang around 4,000 rpm. While that was going on, the rear bodywork came off. He was able to go around slowly and find it, and it actually wasn’t that badly damaged. They were able to reattach it, but the axle breakage and overrev had lunched the Weismann locking differential, so they finally had to retire.
Duntov did not make a “solid roller cam”. They were solid lifter, flat-tappet camshafts. Very popular and installed in racecars and hot rods for many years.
Other than Duesenberg and the one Corvette this is basically a list of Sheby’d Fords. Not a huge surprise on how the GT 40 dominates most of the space on this list.