Category Archives: Auctions

Auctions

The Funky Green Unicorn: Jay Kay’s One-of-One LaFerrari Heads to Monaco

In the rarefied world of hypercars, exclusivity is everything. But every once in a while, something comes along that manages to stand out even among the rarest machinery on Earth. Case in point: a one-off green Ferrari LaFerrari formerly owned by Jay Kay—the famously car-obsessed frontman of Jamiroquai—which is headed to auction at RM Sotheby’s’ upcoming sale in Monaco on April 25.

Yes, that LaFerrari. And yes, that green.

Funk Meets Maranello

Jay Kay is well known in automotive circles as much as he is in music ones. His garage reportedly houses around a hundred cars, ranging from vintage classics to modern supercars. But even in a collection that eclectic, this LaFerrari stands out.

Among the 499 coupe examples Ferrari produced between 2013 and 2016, Kay’s was finished in a striking shade called Signal Green—a color that makes it the only LaFerrari ever delivered in that hue. In a sea of Rosso Corsa hypercars, this one is more Kermit than Cavallino.

Delivered new to Kay in 2014, the hypercar saw remarkably light use. The singer logged just 3000 kilometers before parting with it in 2019 for reasons unknown. Six years later, the car returns to the spotlight with fewer than 9000 kilometers on the odometer and an estimated auction value of roughly €4.5 million.

Subtle (and Not-So-Subtle) Personal Touches

If the color doesn’t already scream individuality, the interior seals the deal. The cabin echoes the vivid exterior theme, with green accents applied across the leather and carbon-fiber surfaces.

There’s also a small but unmistakable reminder of the car’s first owner: a plaque embossed with the word “Jamiroquai” mounted on the lower portion of the steering wheel. It’s the kind of detail that transforms a hypercar from collectible to conversation piece.

This particular car is also one of just 50 LaFerraris equipped with Ferrari’s transparent, removable carbon-fiber roof panel, effectively giving owners a glimpse of open-air motoring in a car better known for shattering lap times than catching sunlight.

The Hybrid That Changed Ferrari

When Ferrari unveiled the LaFerrari in 2013, it wasn’t just another halo car. It marked the company’s first venture into hybrid performance technology.

Behind the cockpit sits a naturally aspirated 6.3-liter V12 producing 800 horsepower on its own. Working alongside it is an electric motor that boosts the combined output to 963 horsepower and 900 Nm of torque.

The result? Hypercar performance that still reads like science fiction more than a decade later:

  • 0–100 km/h: 2.6 seconds
  • Top speed: 350 km/h
  • Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch sending power to the rear wheels

The LaFerrari was the spiritual successor to the Ferrari Enzo, and like the Enzo before it, ownership was limited to Ferrari’s most loyal clients. Back in 2014, the privilege cost a little over €1 million—assuming Ferrari even invited you to buy one.

A Green-Blooded Collectible

In the collector car market, rarity always drives value, but provenance helps push it into another stratosphere. A one-off color, celebrity ownership, low mileage, and a pristine service history make this LaFerrari a near-perfect storm for collectors.

And when the gavel drops in Monaco this April, someone may walk away with not just a hypercar—but arguably the most flamboyant LaFerrari ever built.

Not bad for a machine that proves even Ferrari occasionally likes to dance to a different beat.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

Auctions

The 1999 Continental SC Is the Rarest Way to Be a Gentleman Racer

Before the Bentley Continental GT became the globe-trotting symbol of nouveau-luxury speed, Bentley was already experimenting with how to make old-money muscle feel modern. One of those experiments—the Continental SC, also known as the Sedanca Coupe—is now resurfacing at auction, and it might be one of the most interesting Bentleys most people have never heard of.

Built in 1999 on the bones of the Continental R, the Continental SC was Bentley’s idea of a high-speed tuxedo with a removable roof. It was part grand tourer, part targa, and entirely unnecessary in the best possible way. Only 73 were built (plus six even rarer Mulliner versions), making this one of the rarest post-Crewe Bentleys ever produced.

And now one of them—barely driven and still looking freshly tailored—is heading to RM Sotheby’s in Miami.

Old-School Bentley, But Make It Sporty

Finished in classic Bentley black, the Continental SC looks exactly how a late-’90s British luxury coupe should: imposing, formal, and just slightly menacing. The upright matrix grille and mesh lower intakes are flanked by red Bentley badges, a subtle nod that this is no ordinary Continental R. The chrome trim is tasteful, not flashy, and the five-spoke 18-inch wheels give the car a planted, muscular stance.

Everything about the exterior says “banker by day, outlaw by night.”

But the real party trick is on the roof.

A Bentley With a Split Personality

The Continental SC is a targa in the most Bentley way possible. Two removable glass panels sit above the front seats, while a fixed glass roof section covers the rear. Whether the panels are installed or stowed away, the cabin remains bright and open—more Riviera than racetrack.

When you want open-air motoring, the glass panels lift out and disappear into a dedicated trunk compartment. To keep the chassis from turning into a luxury noodle, Bentley borrowed structural reinforcements from the Azure convertible, making this part-coupe, part-convertible Frankenstein surprisingly stiff for something weighing well over two tons.

It’s weird. It’s brilliant. And Bentley would never build something like this today.

Wood, Leather, and Late-’90s Excess

Inside, the SC is peak pre-VW Bentley. Heated leather seats with black piping look barely used, and they’re surrounded by acres of burled walnut, cold metal trim, and the sort of craftsmanship that made Rolls-Royce nervous back then.

There’s also an Alpine audio system with a CD changer, which is a reminder that this car was built when people still curated music instead of streaming it. It’s not modern, but it is wonderfully period-correct.

Turbo V8, Because of Course

Under that long, formal hood lives Bentley’s legendary 6.75-liter turbocharged V8. It makes 400 horsepower and a truly absurd 590 lb-ft of torque—numbers that still feel outrageous today. Power flows through a four-speed automatic, because manuals are for peasants, and Bentley had places to be.

The result? 0–60 mph in just over six seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. That might not sound shocking now, but in 1999 this was supercar territory for something with walnut trim and heated seats.

The Price of Rarity

This Canadian-market example is being sold without reserve at RM Sotheby’s Miami auction and is expected to bring between $250,000 and $300,000—roughly what a brand-new Continental GT costs today.

But here’s the difference: a new GT is mass-produced luxury. This is hand-built, absurdly rare, and nearly untouched, with just 4,330 km (2,691 miles) on the clock over 27 years.

You’re not just buying a car. You’re buying a Bentley that Bentley almost forgot.

And in a world of increasingly digital, sanitized luxury, the Continental SC feels like a reminder of when automakers still took wild, wonderful risks—just because they could.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

Auctions

This 1966 Ford Bronco Was Built to Fly Over Sand, Not Crawl Over Rocks

Classic Ford Broncos are everywhere right now. They’re being reborn as six-figure restomods, lifted into Instagram-ready off-roaders, and polished into weekend cruisers that will never see a dirt road. But this 1966 example doesn’t care about any of that. It was never meant to crawl over boulders or idle through Cars and Coffee. This Bronco was built for one thing: going as fast as possible in a straight line across loose sand—and it looks like it still wants to do exactly that.

What makes this truck especially fascinating is that it didn’t start life as a normal Bronco at all. This was a pre-production model, later handed over to off-road legends Charlie Erickson and Bill Stroppe in the mid-1960s. Their goal wasn’t refinement or utility—it was domination. The result was a one-off sand drag racer that competed in desert events at a time when off-road racing was still being invented on the fly.

The first rule of racing is simple: add power and remove weight. This Bronco did both. Anything that didn’t make it faster was stripped off. Doors? Gone. Windows? Useless. Comfort? A luxury for people who aren’t trying to win. What remains is a skeletal, purposeful machine that looks more like a homemade missile than a vintage SUV.

Power comes from Ford’s humble 170-cubic-inch inline-six, but don’t let the displacement fool you. This one is force-fed by a Paxton supercharger and breathes through dual Stromberg two-barrel carburetors sitting on a custom intake manifold. Add revised intake and exhaust lobes, and you’ve got a recipe for a six-cylinder that’s working far harder than Ford ever intended. No one seems to know the exact output—and that somehow makes it even better. It’s paired with a modified three-speed manual, because of course it is.

The Bronco was fully restored in 2011, and Mecum notes that while its wild appearance was preserved, everything underneath was gone through properly. The suspension was revised, traction bars were added, and both axles now feature limited-slip differentials. Heavy-duty front shocks and custom 15-inch wheels help keep it pointed in the right direction, wrapped in Goodyear tires with hand-cut grooves specifically designed for sand.

And then there’s the braking system—or rather, the lack of one. In a move that perfectly captures the spirit of this machine, the front brakes were deleted entirely to save weight. In sand drag racing, slowing down is someone else’s problem. Preferably after the finish line. Hopefully on flat ground.

Inside, the Bronco is just as uncompromising. There’s a single bucket seat, a steering wheel, and a handful of gauges mounted into a wooden dash. That’s it. No insulation. No trim. No creature comforts of any kind. There aren’t even doors or windows, so driving it is less like piloting a truck and more like strapping yourself to a mechanical projectile. A helmet and goggles wouldn’t be overkill—they’d be smart.

Mecum will auction this Bronco on March 21, though no estimate has been released yet. Whatever it sells for, it won’t just be another classic SUV with a shiny paint job. It’s a rolling artifact from the wild early days of off-road racing, when builders made things up as they went along and weight reduction meant simply unbolting anything that looked unnecessary.

If you’re the kind of enthusiast who thinks doors, windows, and front brakes are optional, this Bronco isn’t just appealing—it’s perfect.

Source: Mecum Auctions