Exotic Collector Car Prices Surge in 2026: Ferrari Records Fall at Global Auctions

This is my 13th year editing the U.K. Hagerty Price Guide, and during our latest update, something unusual occurred: prices for certain exotic European cars rose sharply. While auction records often fall, these 2026 sales were not isolated events. Typically, extraordinary sales are one-off occurrences—whether a single lot, a collection, or an entire auction exceeding expectations. Hagerty’s analysts usually adjust prices slightly afterward, recognizing these sales as often unrepeatable.

But 2026 was different. The surge began at Mecum’s Kissimmee auction in early January, where a collection of modern Ferraris, including over 45 cars from the late Phil Bachman’s estate, dominated headlines. Many featured low mileage and rare specifications. Mecum reported that 19 Ferrari auction records were broken, including all five of Ferrari’s “halo” models: the 288GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari.

The trend did not stop there. The following week, RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale saw another Enzo and F50 sell for prices exceeding Hagerty’s top condition (#1 concours) values, though not surpassing Mecum’s records.

By the end of January, the phenomenon crossed the Atlantic. In Paris, top modern classic Ferraris commanded staggering sums: a 2004 Enzo sold at RM Sotheby’s for €8.105 million ($9.7 million), while Gooding & Company at Christie’s sold a 1984 288 GTO for €9,117,500 ($10.9 million) and a 2018 FXX K Evo for €6.98 million ($8.3 million)—both world records.

Dealers in Paris offered varied explanations. Some suggested Kissimmee’s results were skewed by a single bidder or that certain sales hadn’t finalized. Others dismissed the surge as a temporary “flash in the pan,” expecting prices to stabilize. Yet the trend persisted.

The phenomenon expanded beyond Ferrari’s halo models. The Ferrari Monza SP2, a two-seat collectible with limited practicality, had set a benchmark of $2.5 million at RM Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi auction in December 2025. Just three months later, Broad Arrow nearly doubled that record, selling a delivery-mileage red Monza SP2 with blue trim for $4.955 million.