Ron Kimball/RM Sotheby’s
- Three beautiful midcentury concept cars just sold for nearly $15 million through RM Sotheby’s.
- A collector bought all three cars in 1989 and sold them as a package October 28 during a contemporary-art auction.
- Alfa Romeo commissioned the BAT 5, 7, and 9d as studies in aerodynamic efficiency and revealed them in 1953, 1954, and 1955, respectively.
- RM Sotheby’s estimated the trio would sell for $14 million to $20 million.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Three stunning Alfa Romeo concept cars from the 1950s crossed the auction block on October 28, raking in nearly $15 million.
The trio of one-off vehicles — the Berlina Aerodynamica Tecnica 5, 7, and 9d — was a study in aerodynamic efficiency commissioned by Alfa Romeo and built by design studio Bertone from 1953 to 1955. In that pursuit of minimal drag and optimal efficiency, Bertone created some of the most elegant, beautiful concept cars of all time.
The models all sport futuristic styling that looks right out of “The Jetsons,” with swooping lines, teardrop shapes, and giant wing-like fins that make the acronym BAT an apt description. RM Sotheby’s estimated the striking cars could fetch up to $20 million and sold them as a set — not during a car auction, however, but alongside contemporary art.
The classic-car market is still going strong, despite the pandemic-fueled economic downturn. As auction houses moved their events online, they brokered some of the most expensive web-based sales ever. RM Sotheby’s, for its part, sold a 2003 Ferrari Enzo sold for $2.6 million in June.
Take a closer look at the BAT concepts below:
Ron Kimball/RM Sotheby’s
The BAT 5, 7, and 9d crossed the block on October 28 as a trio, selling for $14,840,000.
Ron Kimball/RM Sotheby’s
Alfa Romeo had one car built each year from 1953 to 1955 — they were designed by Franco Scaglione and manufactured by Bertone.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
In producing the concepts, Alfa Romeo aimed to experiment with aerodynamic design and minimize drag.
Ron Kimball/RM Sotheby’s
Hence the cars’ dramatic tail fins …
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
… teardrop shape …
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
… and closed-in wheel wells.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
And Bertone succeeded in making the cars very efficient — the black 1953 BAT 5 clocked a top speed of 123.6 mph despite its small 43-horsepower engine.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
The blue BAT 7 from 1954 was even more advanced, earning a coefficient of drag of .19 that makes it slipperier than the Tesla Model S.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
With the 1955 BAT 9d, Alfa Romeo sought to build something a bit more practical for the road, even though the car was never mass produced.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
It shares styling with the previous two concepts, but is a bit more understated, with less prominent wings and a more conventional front end.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
All three vehicles were sold off after their respective auto show seasons, changing hands several times over the decades.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
One owner of the BAT 7 had its fins removed for better visibility.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
But it — and all the other BAT models — were eventually restored.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
After seeing all three cars displayed together at the 1989 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, a private collector made offers each owner and united the trio.
Darin Schnabel/RM Sotheby’s
Now more than 30 years later, that collector has parted ways with the group.
Ron Kimball/RM Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s described the cars as an “automotive triptych” and sold them during its Contemporary Art Evening sale Wednesday.
Ron Kimball/RM Sotheby’s
Powered by WPeMatico
