The atmosphere was once again electric at Battersa, as the hammer fell on the biggest seller of the evening, a rare, matching-numbers 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Tour de France Berlinetta. The TdF's big sale is proof-positive that Ferrari is still very much king of the auction hill at the top auctions - and that RM is still making the largest numbers on UK soil.

The final sales tally of over £13.3 million (,413,000) with a 79% sell-through is an excellent performance given the prevailing Eurozone economic unrest. Clearly buyers (who came from 22 countries to bid on the evening) are happy to sink their time and money into top classics.
 
The star Ferrari Ferrari 250 GT LWB TdF Berlinetta stood head and shoulders above the chasing pack, finally selling for £2,240,000 (,606,400) after frenzied bidding in the salesroom and from the 'phones.

Additional top-sellers included a matching-numbers 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast, one of only eight right-hand-drive examples for £644,000; a competition 1972 Autodelta Alfa Romeo 33/TT/3, a very rare car with Le Mans and Targo Florio history, for £588,000; and, a timeless, sporting 1935 Avions Voisin C25 Cimier Coupé for £380,800.
 
A further highlight was the sale of a bespoke 2008 Force India Formula1 car. Hand painted by motor sport artist, Dexter Brown, and signed by over 40 Formula One racing drivers and other dignitaries, the unique ‘Art Car’ gave a new meaning to ‘rolling work of art’, realizing a final sales price of £168,000. Proceeds from its sale, including RM’s auction commissions, will benefit the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, which provides world-class care for its young patients, and the newly-established Force India F1 Team Academy, an initiative aimed at providing youth in Indian the chance to get involved in motor sport.

'The London sale is always a highlight of our auction calendar, and as ever, this year’s event has brought our 2011 auction season to a spectacular close,” said Max Girardo, Managing Director, RM Europe. 'Battersea always attracts a large international audience and the sale consistently brings together a fantastic collection of very desirable cars,' he added.
 
Full report and analysis in the January issue of Octane on sale, 25 November.