Bonhams|Cars’ 10 most expensive sales in 2024

10. 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S 

€954,000 (£791,805)

Les Grandes Marques du Monde a Paris

Alright, stating you'd go no better on beauty with your first slot is bold, especially when you know there's a Miura coming up. It's a tight race, so I'll say I was correct as they are just as pretty as each other.

This specific model of the first ever supercar was bought new in Paris in 1969 and is an example of the upgraded S that followed the initial P400. In this simple yellow that would come to be a signature of Lamborghini, it looked spectacular when we saw it in Paris and has undergone a large-scale reconstruction – including gaining new parts from several other Miuras. 

It had a slightly convoluted driving history, displaying 53,000km – which would be good going for a Miura – but seemingly only managing 10,000km before 1986 and 100km between then and 2008. Intriguing.

9. 2015 McLaren P1 

CHF966,000  (£854,658)

The Bonmont Sale

There is definitely a small irony to the fact that this McLaren P1 was fitted with the so-called ‘Steal Pack’, while also being the most vivid shade of purple you could ever see. It's called Mauvine Metallic in case you were wondering, and was a McLaren Special Operations extra. 

Perhaps it's that colour that kept the value of perhaps McLaren's finest hypercar under a million quid, but to us that feels like someone got a little bit of a bargain. You can always re-wrap a car, after all. 

Number 99 of just 375 made, and with 14,000km on the clock so far, there's surely both plenty of value and plenty of fun to be had in this P1. It might not be quite as pretty as the previous two cars on this list, but the McLaren P1 is still utterly gorgeous. 

8. 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL roadster 

$1,160,000 (£916,898)

The Audrain Concours auction

Starting with perhaps the most beautiful car on this entire list. Values for Mercedes’ iconic Gullwing have swung back and forth over the last few years, with some nudging up toward £2million and others creeping just below the seven-figure mark. 

This one sits in the latter category. A car that sold in October at the stunning concours event put on by our Members' Meeting presenting partner Audrain Motorsport. It was a car previously owned by the legendary car collector, and stalwart of the Petersen Museum (our visit to which you can watch here), Peter Mullin.

7. 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Atlante Sunroof Coupé

$1,380,000 (£1,090,793)

The Scottsdale Auction

Bonhams' Scottsdale auction threw up not one, but two stunners for this list, and both are from the French side of the channel. In this case, the gorgeous coupé version of the Type 57 Atlante, which nudges us just over the million-pound mark for the first time.

This one hasn't been a garage queen either, spending much of its youth wanging around France on various rallies – from the 1938 Rallye des Alpes to the Monte Carlo. Yes, the Monte Carlo rally. 

This Atlante has had multiple owners since then, and been shown at concours around the world, including our own Cartier Style et Luxe in 2003. But perhaps our favourite story is that the original owner, Charles Olivero, was allowed to take his girlfriend, Daisy as navigator on some rallies... because his wife hated fast cars and "didn't object." Lifestyles of the rich and famous, eh?

6. 2011 Aston Martin One-77 

€1,473,000 (£1,119,063)

The Zoute Sale

The One-77 is a bit of an odd bod in Aston Martin history. A truly top-of-the-range halo car that wasn't really directly preceded or succeeded by anything. You can't even compare it to the Valkyrie as they do such different jobs. One is the ultimate in luxury and speed from Aston Martin and the other is there to destroy your ears and perhaps your spine.

This particular One-77 was given the number one (of 77) when it was manufactured, and is finished in ‘Bronze Pearl’ (dark brown) with ‘Kestrel Tan’ (light brown) leather. But perhaps the most interesting bit of that spec is that it has rose gold switches, which would have set you back £40,000! In 2011, you could very nearly buy a new Audi RS4 for that, and you'd probably have gone further than the One-77's 550km total in your RS4, too.

5. 2011 Ferrari SP30 Berlinetta

 $2,296,000 (£1,814,827)

The Miami Auction

A one-of-one Ferrari that has only done 121 miles in its life based on the 599 GTO. Sounds like a recipe for something pretty good to us.

Although the looks are perhaps a little bit... challenging, there's no denying that the SP30 is a pretty special car. Its fancy aero bits are meant to recall the track-only 599 XX, while the scoops look to the F12TdF. Either way, there simply isn't anything else out there like this. 

And it has been looked after. Even having completed just 121 miles, it had full services as recently as 2022. In fact, it was so completely box fresh that the plastic film on the interior nav screen hadn't even been taken off. Possibly worth $2million just to do that on Instagram alone.

4. 1956 Porsche 550s RS Spyder 

€2,530,000 (£2,098,761)

The Zoute Sale

The first and only proper racing car in this list is this stunning little Porsche 550 RS Spyder. Finished in the Equipe National Belge colour of yellow, it was one of 90 made and of the ten that raced at Le Mans.

That race, its most significant, came in 1957, although it was actually disqualified due a rules breach. As well as competing in La Sarthe, this 550 Spyder claimed a class win in the 1956 1,000km of Monthlery and third at the 12 Hours of Reims that year. 

Later it would race in hillclimbs and rallies across Europe, before being rebodied as a coupé in the 1960s. It was returned to its original body in the 2000s. Fingers crossed that with a new owner we might see it at something like the Le Mans Classic next year.

3. 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss 

€3,220,000 (£2,671,151)

The Zoute Sale

You really won't miss this one. A Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is pretty showstopping, anyway. Make it the most vivid red possible and it'll really turn heads. Chop the roof off so you're sticking right out the top, and people will probably be running alongside filming.

Seventy-five were made including this example, which has a specially arranged paint colour. One so rare it doesn't have a name, just a code: 000U. It also has gold brake calipers and a red leather interior with yellow stitching. Hardly a shrinking violet. Perhaps that's why it only ever went out to do 50km total before this sale. 

2. 2004 Ferrari Enzo 

€3,910,000 (£3,243,540)

Les Grandes Marques du Monde a Paris

An example of why not all Ferraris should be bought in Rosso Corsa. The pictures don't quite showcase how stunning this Enzo looks in deep blue.

Only 12 Enzos were finished in Nero Daytona, and only three had a red interior like this. A contrast, but one which works so well. Another example of why we think the Enzo is one of the finest ageing cars in history. You can see why, when the previous owner became unable to drive it any more, they still enjoyed having it on static display at the centre of their home.

1. 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ 

$5,175,000 (£4,052,334)

The Scottsdale Auction

We return to both Scottsdale and Bugatti for Bonhams' biggest triumph of 2024. The fastest car in the world when built, a car made specifically to be able to do more than 300mph, and one of only 30 ever made. The Chiron Super Sport 300+ might not be as pretty as some of the other cars on this list, but its achievements cannot be matched.

Andy Wallace was the man who broke that barrier, hitting 304.777mph in 2019. Three years later, Bugatti allowed actual members of the public to drive the same spec car on roads. 

What we do now hope is that the new owner will do that. Its first owner took delivery of the car on 250 miles and had stretched that as far as 255 when it was sold. Now it might be time for this orange-over-black stunner to see the road again.