Despite a general cooling off in the collector car market, a few recent sales have bucked that trend in a surprising way. And it’s hard to say if they’re genuine outliers, too: each example below has a certain quality or characteristic that can help explain its sale price, but some make more sense than others. To wit, a Ferrari that just a few years ago seemed like any garden variety mid-engined exotic sold for nearly $750,000.

For this case, we can thank the surge of demand for cars with manual transmissions, but comparable examples over the past year have sold for much less. An unloved but low-production 911 from the ’80s just went for over $450,000. A Mercedes 280 SL for more than $300,000. And a build slot, an opportunity to buy an HWA EVO, not even a physical car, went for almost twice the car’s starting price.

The car auction market has become more transparent in recent years with sites like Bring a Trailer, which you can use to give you a rough idea of how much a car’s worth has risen or fallen over time, along with the opinions of internet commenters who think that a given car is overvalued or undervalued or valued just right or “well-bought.” As a rule, cars are terrible investments, which hasn’t stopped many people from investing in them and probably never will. All of which makes the secondary market a fascinating thing to study. Let’s get into the details.

1988 Porsche 911 Carrera Club Sport

It wasn’t so long ago when late ’80s 911s were out of fashion with values that reflect that. They were even arguably cheap. The 911 Carrera Club Sport, however, is a different story, and for good reason. Produced in limited quantities between 1987 and 1989 — 340 total worldwide, with only 28 units sold in the US — the Club Sport was developed to appeal to drivers who favored lightweight and performance beyond what the standard Carrera offered. As such, the Club Sport weighed around 7 kilograms less than the standard car, thanks to the removal of air conditioning, sunroof, sound-deadening material, rear seats, power windows, and even reduced underbody sealer. For the US market, Carrera Club Sports were equipped with a 3.2-litre air-cooled flat-six whose output was identical to the standard car (159 kilowatts), but featured hollow intake valves and revised DME (Digital Motor Electronics) that raised the RPM limit from 6,250 to 6,840 rpm. The Getrag G50 transmission was outfitted with a short throw and revised ratio that helped knock half a second off the sprint to 96 (kph) compared to the standard car. A limited-slip differential also came standard.

This beautifully presented example from 1988 retains its original paint in Grand Prix White and has clocked a criminally low 24,000 kilometres over 36 years—that’s just over 600 kilometres a year. It’s also a two-owner car that’s shockingly original, the only modification being a catalytic converter bypass pipe that’s easily removable and impermanent. Though the Club Sport doesn’t exactly scream exotic, its low production volume and special factory touches sent this example’s value soaring to the tune of more than $450,000. Late ’80s 911s are uncool no longer.

2009 Ferrari F430

Launched in 2004, the Ferrari F430 borrowed from a familiar playbook by the Italian automaker: mid-engine, flat-plane crank V8, rear-wheel drive, and the choice of a manual or automated manual gearbox. With the exception of the transmission choice, Ferrari has successfully followed this recipe since 1975. After all, if it ain’t broke… Making nearly 361.6 kilowatts from a 4.3-litre naturally aspirated V8, the F430 hit 96 kph in the mid-three second range and sold well with total production estimated to be just above 15,000 units. But by the time Ferrari released the F430, many manufacturers were focused on outright speed and less on driver engagement. There was an industry-wide obsession with Nürburgring lap times and 0-60 figures, which meant manual transmissions began falling out of favor—even the early flappy paddle gearboxes fired off faster shifts than what was humanly possible. As such, Ferrari and other OEMs began to gradually phase out models with manuals, with Ferrari ending production of manual-equipped cars in 2010.

This 2009 F430 narrowly escaped the clutches of Ferrari’s focus on ultimate speed and is one of an estimated 1,500 units to feature a good ‘ole six-speed manual. A glorious gated six-speed manual to be exact. In what might be a record price for an F430, this classically specced 2009 model—Rosso Corso over beige leather—with 11,600 kilometres on the clock sold, in a multiple of its namesake, for $599,000

1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL

The grace, class, and elegance of the Mercedes-Benz 280 SL simply cannot be overstated. Its design has withstood the test of time, firmly cementing itself in the pantheon of the finest automotive styling. Produced between 1967 and 1971, the 280 SL (internal code W113) was a development of the outgoing 230 SL and 250 SL, which were created to strike a harmonious balance between sportiness and comfort. Despite being the ultimate representation of the W113 SL, the 280 only developed 71.6 kilowatts in US market models from a 2.8-litre naturally aspirated inline-six, and most featured four-speed automatic transmissions. So much for sporty, but the looks more than made up for it. Due to the shape of the hardtop—a slightly concave design—the W113 was given the nickname “pagoda.”

Made in the final year of production, this recently restored 1971 280 SL is finished in an apt hue called Tobacco Brown and features a sumptuous Cognac leather interior. (It really is the automotive equivalent of a cigar and cognac, no?) Further enhancing its grand touring appeal are air conditioning, power steering, and a gorgeous Becker Europa II radio. All that beauty doesn’t come cheap, however, with this particular 280 SL going for a hair below $322,000 on Bring a Trailer.

Riding the momentum of the white-hot restomod market, German racing outfit HWA has recently taken the sheets off its own build. Called the HWA EVO, it’s an homage to the Mercedes 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II of the early ’90s, a low-volume model that was built to satisfy DTM homologation regulations (502 were built, to be exact). For power, the original Evo II relied on a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated inline-four cylinder, which developed 173 kilowatts thanks to engineering input from British engine tuner Cosworth. To appeal to today’s restomod buyer, however, HWA has thrown out the idea of using a four-cylinder and instead has developed a brawnier solution in the form of a twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 372 kilowatts. Naturally, the bodywork is made entirely from carbon fibre and HWA has located the transmission to the rear of the car in transaxle form to optimize the weight distribution. The design language doesn’t stray too far from the original’s; the essence of the Evo II remains, but modern touches like LED headlights and larger wheels—forged six-spoke staggered 19” and 20”—bring the HWA EVO into a new era of performance.

HWA will produce 100 units of the EVO, with prices starting at around $1.2 million. Last month, however, RM Sotheby’s sold a build slot for an EVO at just shy of $2.2 million, indicating a strong demand for the Mercedes restomod.

Forget a resort. On your next European jaunt, you’ll have a slew of stylish estates where you can rest your head.

Luxury travel company Red Savannah just unveiled its Ultimate Estates collection, an assembly of private vacation rentals scattered across Italy, France, Greece, and Spain, to name a few. The 21 properties essentially function as a five-star hotel, with the added bonus of not having to share your space.

Want to stay in an English manor in the Cotswolds? How about a beach club-inspired villa in Ibiza? You can expect to find a minimum of six bedrooms no matter the booking, plus epic amenities like spas, private boats, gyms, tennis courts, wine cellars, and home movie theaters. In addition, each reservation comes with a full team of staff including chefs and a 24/7 concierge contact.

“These highly experienced travel specialists act as personal travel assistants to organize bespoke itineraries, secure one-of-a-kind experiences, and ensure a flawless stay,” Red Savannah said in a statement. “Past arrangements have included delivering a Steinway grand piano by helicopter to Villa La Cassinella and arranging for a soprano from Milan’s La Scala to serenade guests during dinner on a wisteria-draped terrace overlooking Lake Como.”

For bigger parties and a glitzy beach-club vibe, look no further than the 10-bed Villa Xi on Ibiza. At the property—which is just down the road from the iconic Blue Marlin on Cala Jondal—you and your family can tuck your toes in a sandy bar area nestled underneath pine trees and, by night, hang by the palm-shaded Jacuzzi. The villa’s generous 10 acres offer up plenty of opportunities to stay active, from playing volleyball to swimming in the over-80-foot pool. The villa itself was recently completed in 2017 and is decked out with modern interiors that merge Scandinavian and Indonesian designs: Think en-suite bedrooms with Balinese-style showers and tropical shrubs.

Nestled in the heart of the French Riviera on the Cap d’Antibes, Red Savannah’s Domaine de la Garoupe is perfect for smaller groups perhaps seeking a respite from the famous Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. The château has nine total bedrooms, split between a main house (known as La Palombière) and two separate dwellings dubbed La Maison du Cap and La Petite Palombière. Altogether, the abode can sleep up to 18 guests and packs a ton of perks such as a private spa, a salon for hair and nail treatments, a gym, a wine cellar, and a 15-seat cinema. La Palombière acts as the property’s hub with a marble-clad kitchen, a drawing room overlooking the garden, and an outdoor swimming pool.

If you’re looking for something with say, a tropical flair, the Ultimate Estates collection includes the Caribbean, too. There’s a massive 12-suite spread in Barbados planted right on the beach on the island’s northwest coast. The Great House, as it’s known, can sleep up to 30 people between its main digs, the Hillaby House, and two cottages. However, you’ll most likely spend a lot of time outdoors enjoying the alfresco perks. Chief among them is a beach bar with a pizza oven, a 33-foot motorboat, kayaks, and water toys.

As for any non-estate escapes, Red Savannah’s got you covered there, too. One of its newest itineraries will let you explore Marrakech just like Yves Saint Laurent, or you can opt for a litany of literary-themed activities in the brand’s In the Footsteps of the Great Detectives series.

Red Savannah

Watches and tennis are a match made in heaven. It likely comes as no surprise that players past and present would have some major wrist game at the Grand Slams. Each year, the U.S. Open closes out the season with a bang, and everyone seems to pull out all the stops for the occasion. Fans have set a new record booking the infamous suites (which can cost up to $149,000), and luxury brands like Tiffany & Co. have firmly planted their presence on the grounds with pop-up activations. As a major sponsor, Rolex, of course, is omnipresent. Come August, Flushing Meadows is the place to see and be seen, and with the close ties between timepieces and tennis, the watch spotting never fails to disappoint on and off the court. Here are eight of the coolest watches we’ve seen at the 2024 U.S. Open.

Roger Federer in a Rolex Le Mans Daytona in Yellow Gold

Last year, Rolex dropped a watch that made major waves. In honor of the 60th anniversary of the beloved Daytona and the 100th anniversary of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, the Crown unveiled a special edition model: the Cosmograph Daytona Celebrating 100 Years of Speed. Just shy of a year after its debut, Rolex announced it’d be discontinuing the model at Watches & Wonders 2024, while quietly replacing it with a yellow gold version. This illusive yellow-gold replacement has left much to the imagination, barring some texted contraband images we saw at Watches and Wonders in April, but now it’s plain as day. At the quarterfinal matches, Tennis legend and longtime Rolex collector Roger Federer was spotted wearing the coveted model.

Jessica Pegula in a De Bethune DB28XS Purple Rain

Number six ranked Jessica Pegula has held her own for the U.S.A in this year’s U.S. Open. The New York native has made it to the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows for the second time in her career but is still yet to land a Grand Slam win. Off the court, it’s yet to be seen how deep Pegula’s watch collection goes, but one thing is for certain: She has a particular affinity for one brand, and it shows the young player has interesting taste in timepieces. Her brand of choice? De Bethune. Pegula has been spotted wearing various models from the brand, including the DB28xs Starry Seas. However, this year, she’s been rocking the DB28XS Purple Rain that debuted at Watches & Wonders earlier this spring.

Jannik Sinner in a Rolex Submariner Date

With major upsets for Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic early on in the tournament, this year’s U.S. Open is Jannik Sinner’s to win. The young Italian player is currently ranked number one in the world ahead of Djokovic, Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverevs. Luckily for Sinner, he has Rolex on his side. At last year’s U.S. Open, Coco Gauff won in women’s singles, proudly accepting her trophy with the discontinued Rolex ‘Red Grape’ on her wrist, so perhaps the luck will wear off on Jannik. Sinner has been a Rolex ambassador since 2020, and his current model of choice is a classic two-tone Submariner Date with a blue dial.

Andrey Rublev in a Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton Ceramic

Russian tennis pro Andrey Rublev was knocked out of this year’s U.S. Open in the round of 16 by the Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov, who later went on to lose to American tennis star Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinals. Despite the upset, Rublev came to the tournament with a major wrist flex. Back in 2021, Rublev became Bulgari’s first-ever tennis ambassador, and since then we’ve seen him sport a number of models from the Roman Maison. For this year’s Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows, he opted for a pretty unique iteration from one of Bulgari’s most beloved collections. In the past decade, the brand has become synonymous with its Octo Finissimo line thanks to models shattering a whopping nine world records. Withing the collection, Rublev chose a ceramic version with a skeletonized dial and a tourbillon.

Tommy Paul in a De Bethune DB28XS Starry Seas

Who knew that De Bethune’s unconventional designs would be so popular among tennis pros? American player Tommy Paul became an ambassador for the brand just last year, with the pair announcing their official partnership during the 2023 Wimbledon tournament. Paul got knocked out by number one ranked Sinner in the round of 16 at this year’s U.S. Open, but he did so in style, of course, rocking a model from De Bethune. The DB28XS Starry Seas appears to be one of his particular favorites, and for good reason. When the model debuted last spring, it marked the world’s first random guilloche pattern along with new sweet-spot sizing at 39 mm.

Naomi Osaka in a TAG Heuer Aquaracer Limited Edition Naomi Osaka

Like Alcaraz and Djokovic, the young Japanese tennis pro Naomi Osaka was upset in an early round at this year’s U.S. Open. Despite her run being short lived, she still had a chance to put her collaboratively designed timepiece on full display. The four-time Grand Slam winner has been a TAG Heuer ambassador since 2021. A year later, she partnered with the brand to co-design her own watch, resulting in the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Limited Edition Naomi Osaka. We know green dials have continued to be all the rage the past few years, and Osaka was early to catch on to the trend, which started gaining traction three years ago. For the customized Aquaracer bearing her name, she chose light green for the dial and a darker green for the rubber strap.

Donna Vekic in a F.P. Journe Elegante 40

Croatian tennis pro Donna Vekic may be a lesser known player on the circuit. Back in 2019, she notched her career-high singles ranking just cracking the top 20 in at number 19. That same year, she made it to the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open. While she wasn’t as successful at this year’s tournament, losing to the Chinese player Zheng Qinwen in the round of 16, she certainly took her defeat in style. We’ve yet to see the full breath of Vekic’s watch collection, or perhaps she’s simply devoted to one brand—but a killer brand at that. She’s been spotted on countless occasions on and off the court wearing every color of the F.P. Journe Elegante 40 under the rainbow. At Flushing Meadows this year, she opted for the gorgeous turquoise blue version.

Serena Williams in an Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Blue Tourbillon

Like Federer, Serena Williams has been enjoying this year’s U.S. Open from the sidelines, cheering on the current players. It’s no secret Williams is a longtime ambassador and fan of Audemars Piguet, sporting countless models over the years from the tennis court to the red carpet and beyond. The former number one player and 23-time Grand Slam winner never ceases to keep us on our toes with which model from AP she’ll choose, sometimes opting for an ultra-sporty look and other times rocking a fully blinged out gem-set model. In the stands at Flushing Meadows, Williams chose the Code 11.59 Blue Tourbillon. The model came in 2022 featuring a fully blued-out design, from the ceramic mid-case to the hand-wound, open worked caliber 2948.

Visitors to the fabled Louvre Museum in the heart of Paris might remember an exquisite marble sculpture standing proud at the top of the main Daru staircase. Named the Winged Victory of Samothrace, this eight-foot-tall headless goddess—with gossamer wings—dates to 190 B.C.

What has it got to do with Rolls-Royce’s new Phantom Scintilla Private Collection limousine, unveiled during this year’s Monterey Car Week? A lot, in fact. Rewind to 1910 and Rolls-Royce’s managing director at the time, Claude Johnson, who reportedly commissioned well-known sculptor Charles Sykes to create a hood ornament to define the new Rolls-Royce brand. Apparently, Johnson had seen the statue during a visit to the Louvre and fell in love with it.

While a change in direction saw Sykes create the Spirit of Ecstasy, inspired by Johnson’s former secretary, English actress and model Eleanor Thornton, the Louvre statue was always considered by Goodwood to be the original inspiration for its now iconic emblem.

So, when Rolls-Royce designers looked for a muse for a 10-car, Phantom-based Private Collection series to be called Scintilla—derived from the Latin word for “spark”—the marque went back to the Winged Victory of Samothrace statue and its Mediterranean roots.

You see that influence in the car’s Spirit of Ecstasy figurine which, for the first time, features a translucent white, marble-like ceramic coating. It also carries over in the car’s two-tone paintwork—Andalusian White for the upper body, and powdery Thracian Blue, inspired by the color of the Med, for the lower section. A subtle metallic flake in the paintwork is said to mimic the sparkle of sunlight off the water.

Yet as with most bespoke and special-edition Phantoms, it’s the interior where Rolls-Royce craftsmanship is truly exhibited. In this case, the theme is exquisite embroidery or, as the automaker calls it, “painting with thread.”

For Scintilla, the embroidery work involves over 850,000 individual stitches. And at night, illuminated perforations in the material give the doors a wave-like glow. In Phantom tradition, there’s a Starlight Headliner in the roof, but here, more than 1,500 fiber-optic illuminations twinkle in sequence to mimic silk billowing in a breeze.

The centerpiece of the interior is the Phantom’s dashboard gallery ahead of the front-seat passenger. Named “Celestial Pulse,” it comprises seven metal ribbons, each individually milled from solid aluminum and given the same finely grained ceramic finish as the Scintilla’s Spirit of Ecstasy.

Rolls-Royce will build only 10 examples of the Phantom Scintilla, which had its public debut at the Quail, a Motorsports Gathering on August 16. Of that already small number, three will come to North America and, like the other seven, have already been sold. While there’s no official word on pricing, the figure $3.8 million has been reported.

“With every collection, we aim to tell the story of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and provoke our clients’ imagination, letting them know our Bespoke designers’ artistry is greater than they can envision,” stated Martin Fritsches, president of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars for the Americas, when asked for a comment by Robb Report. “We can’t think of a better way to tell this story than through the history of our idol, the Spirit of Ecstasy.”

RollsRoyce 

Back in April, Storm Kathleen slammed into the west coast of Ireland as a fearsome Force 10 gale, packing 112 kph winds and 15-foot waves. While locals sandbagged their homes and prepared for the worst, Frank Kowalski decided it was a swell day for a boat ride.

As owner of Safehaven Marine in County Cork, he’d just launched his brand-new, 70-foot T-2000 Voyager all-weather power catamaran. What Kathleen offered was a chance to put the new super-cat through its paces.

“We knew from scale-model tests that she should be able to tackle waves of more than 65 feet high,” Kowalski tells Robb Report. “But you never know until you’re out there. In the height of the storm, she just shrugged off the waves and weather and performed flawlessly.”

Evolved from Safehaven’s 75-foot XVS20 monohull launched in 2018, Kowalski used his expertise in building commercial, work-boat power catamarans to design the twin-hulled T-2000 Voyager to offer speed with stability.

“The stability in beam seas is what’s key here,” he says. “While we were out recently in a Force 8 with 40-plus knot winds and 12-foot seas, we were able to stop and leave the boat to drift while we retrieved a drone. It just took the waves on the beam with ease. In a monohull, it would have been rolling so badly you couldn’t have stood on the deck.”

Then there’s the sheer velocity that comes with twin, scalpel-thin hulls slicing through waves. With the T-2000’s pair of 1,550 hp MAN V12 diesels driving France Helices SD5 surface drives, the Safehaven can hit a top speed of 91 kph.

“It’s just the most amazing sight, standing on the stern, watching these huge roostertails behind,” Kowalski adds. “We’ve also incorporated retracting swim platforms so you can see the props spinning on the surface, plus valved exhausts that switch between silenced and straight-through. The noise from those V12s is sensational.”

While Safehaven has been building its Wildcat range of 40-, 53-, and 60-foot power cats for everything from oil-rig support, crew transfer, and even as a military cruiser for Britain’s Royal Navy, they were always pure, no-frills work boats. With this new T-2000, Kowalski is looking to appeal to private buyers searching for something a little different.

His hull No. 1 demonstrator boat has all-diamond-quilted marine leather, well-finished cabinetry, colored LED lighting, and below-deck accommodations for six in three cabins. Hull No. 2—already sold and due for completion in the next 18 months—will up the luxury factor.

“It’s going to a client in the Middle East who plans to use it for just himself and his wife,” says Kowalski. The client has specified a full-width owner’s suite with a central, king-size bed and oversized his-and-hers bathrooms and closets in each hull. “He also wants to go fast—very fast,” Kowalski continues. “So we’ll install twin 2,000 hp MAN V12s, again with surface drives, and a central hydrofoil to reduce drag. The plan is for it to hit a top speed in excess of 100 kph.”

The new T-2000 is also designed to go the distance. With the 10,977 kilogram tanks, it has a range of more than 1,000 nautical miles at 55.2 kph, and 1,700 nautical miles at 28 kph. Throttle back to 19 kph and range increases to 3,000-plus nautical miles.

Much of this is down to the yacht’s symmetrical, semi-wave-piercing hulls, made of a carbon-fibre-composite construction, with inverted lower bow sections and a double-chine arrangement that projects spray clear of the boat. The hydrofoil in mid position also means that, at speed in calmish seas, the T-2000 rides with half its hull length out of the water.

To eliminate waves slamming into the bridge deck windshield, Kowalski moved the pilothouse farther back. It also makes for a sleeker profile, giving the T-2000 the look of a single-hull sportsyacht.

As for creature comforts, the main, open-plan salon features an L-shaped Corian-topped galley, with a U-shaped dinette opposite. To enjoy the action, there are bucket-style, shock-absorbing seats for the captain and copilot, a wraparound sofa on the port side, and a single bucket seat to starboard.

The entire helm area gets flooded with light courtesy of the four-panel, angled windshield and quartet of fixed skylights above. To see the boat’s hydrofoil in action, the bridge has a glass panel in the floor that’s also designed for viewing marine life below at night. Most of the windows have half-inch-thick toughened panels to shrug off cascading water.

In finer weather than typically found on coastal Ireland, the T-2000 has a small flybridge with a helm station and sun-lounge area up top, plus a covered stern cockpit with sofas and table for alfresco dining.

This storm-tested, metallic-red demonstrator is available for around $5 million.