Ferrari singled out their Swedish dealer Autoropa at the brand’s 60th anniversary in Maranello, lauding their high sales stats. A reporter asked CEO Filip Larsson how they managed to sell so many cars in such a small country. “Easy,” Filip said. “We sell two cars instead of one.” Enkel. Unless you pay WAY over the odds to jump the queue for a hot new Ferrari—a practice which would earn some serious ire—there’s always a wait for the latest example of Maranello magic. While customers count the days until their nuova bella macchina assumes its rightful place in their humidity-controlled garage, Filip sells him/her a used Ferrari as a placeholder. ‘Cause it comes to getting a new Ferrari, Ferrari prefers Ferrari owners to own a Ferrari. Or two. Or three. Or more. Meanwhile, over at Porsche . . .

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At RM’s London classic car auction this was the “standard” fare of painstakingly restored Aston Martins, Ferraris and Mercedes Gullwings . The hall glistened and gleamed with well polished beauties. The star of the show, however, turned out to be a rusted, dilapidated and altogether disheveled former statesman.  A 1969 Mercedes–Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet, chariot of popes and princes, had been transported from a surrey barn and shoved into the far corner of the auction hall. With withered red leather interior and an engine that could barely stay in the chassis, much less start, the Pullman could hardly compete for the interest of the crowds with 250 GTOs and DB5 convertibles. That is, until bidding got underway.

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