Having attended RM Sotheby's exclusive Dubai auction in early December, where we witnessed the spectacular Pagani Zonda 760 LM Roadster sell for $11 million (making it the 6th most expensive car sold at auction in 2024), we can tell you that an RM Sotheby's auction catalog is never dull.

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The Ferrari the won Le Mans for the last time, over 60 years ago in he sun, on a highway, in her original pain scheme of Rosso Corsa Red

A very rare 1/1400 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing, the Alloy version that will last for centuries more

Including the last ever Ferrari that won Le Mans — six decades ago. And a cheeky Centiodieci.

Their upcoming Paris event proves this point perfectly - featuring everything from Le Mans winners to... well, a Porsche tractor.

Let's rank these mechanical marvels by just how fascinating their stories are:

14. 1998 Williams FW20

Estimate: €200,000 - €300,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

When a Formula 1 car is actually one of the least interesting lots at an auction, you know you're in for something special. Don't get me wrong - chassis 03, driven by Jacques Villeneuve to a 5th place finish in Australia and 4th at San Marino, is fascinating. But when your competition includes cars that changed automotive history and won Le Mans, even a former World Champion's company car starts to look ordinary.

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The car later became a test mule, with Juan Pablo Montoya, Alex Zanardi, and others putting miles on it. It's being offered directly from Williams Heritage, though it currently doesn't run - which is probably for the best, as finding spare parts for a 1998 F1 car isn't as easy as popping down to AutoZone.

13. 1956 Porsche-Diesel A111 'Junior'

Estimate: €20,000 - €30,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

Yes, it's a tractor.

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It's the automotive equivalent of finding a lost Stradivarius that's also a time machine.

But it's not just any tractor - it's what happened when Ferdinand Porsche got bored of making fast cars and decided to revolutionize farming instead.

Due to post-war restrictions, Porsche couldn't actually build tractors under their own name initially, so they licensed the technology to Allgaier before Mannesmann AG took over in 1956.

This is from that first year of proper Porsche-branded agricultural machinery. It's basically a 911 for farmers.

12. 2011 Porsche 911 Speedster

Estimate: €220,000 - €280,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

Number 84 of just 356 built (see what they did there?), this Speedster represents Porsche's occasional habit of making their cars less practical and charging more for the privilege.

With just 9,136 kilometers from new and finished in Carrara White, it's essentially brand new. The fact that it's one of the last hand-built 911s before everything went digital makes it particularly special.

11. 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo 'Flat Nose' Coupé

Estimate: €140,000 - €180,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

One of 204 second-generation 'Flat Nose' cars, this one has a particularly interesting history - delivered new to Qatar before making its way to the UK. Recently treated to a £44,000 engine rebuild, because maintaining a rare Porsche costs about the same as buying a new family car. The factory-correct Garnet Red Metallic paint makes it stand out even among other Flat Noses.

10. 1970 Citroën DS 21 Décapotable

Estimate: €140,000 - €170,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

Only 483 DS21 cabriolets were ever built, and this is one of the rare fuel-injected versions. The DS was already the most advanced car in the world when it launched; removing the roof just made it more spectacular. Recently serviced and fitted with new Michelin XAS tires, it's ready for its next owner to experience what it's like to drive a car that still looks futuristic today.

9. 1959 Aston Martin DB Mark III Drophead Coupé

Estimate: €380,000 - €500,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

One of just 84 drophead coupés ever made, this Paris-delivered Aston represents the last of the DB2/4 line before the iconic DB4. Originally delivered to a Champagne producer (because of course it was), it's the kind of car James Bond would have driven if Ian Fleming had written about weekend trips to wine country instead of saving the world.

8. 2008 Bentley Continental 'Flying Star' by Touring Superleggera

Estimate: €300,000 - €400,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

When a regular Bentley Continental isn't exclusive enough, you send it to Milan and have Touring Superleggera turn it into a shooting brake. One of just 19 built, this particular example was ordered new by The Curated Collection for a cool €343,000 - on top of the cost of the donor car. It even comes with custom-made luggage, because regular luggage would be far too common.

7. 1931 Talbot AV105 Works 'GO51'

Estimate: €1,000,000 - €1,500,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

The first of the legendary 'GO' cars, this Talbot shocked the racing world by being far more competitive than anyone expected. It finished 2nd at the Brooklands Double Twelve and might have won Le Mans if the chassis hadn't cracked. The fact that it's still around and racing in historic events is nothing short of miraculous.

6. 1954 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback

Estimate: €1,800,000 - €2,400,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

The car that proved Bentley hadn't forgotten how to make the "world's fastest lorries." One of just 13 left-hand drive examples with a manual central gearshift and lightweight seats, this particular car was important enough to be displayed at the 1954 Brussels Motor Show. Recently restored to concours standards, it's essentially the great-grandfather of every luxury GT car on the road today.

5. 1928 Lancia Lambda Torpedo Lungo

Estimate: €70,000 - €100,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

If you're wondering why a relatively modest Lancia is this high on the list, consider this: it was the first car in the world to use a monocoque chassis and independent front suspension. That's right - this unassuming Italian from 1928 invented the basic architecture that almost every modern car still uses today.

The Lambda was so ahead of its time that other manufacturers thought Lancia had lost their minds. While everyone else was still building cars like horse carriages, Vincenzo Lancia was essentially inventing modern automotive engineering. This particular example is eligible for the Mille Miglia, which means you can celebrate its innovation by driving it very, very fast through Italy.

4. 1959 BMW 507 Roadster Series II

Estimate: €1,750,000 - €2,000,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

When BMW was recovering after the war, they thought competing with Mercedes' 300SL was a good idea. It wasn't - financially at least - but it did result in what many consider the most beautiful BMW ever made.

The fact that both Elvis Presley and John Surtees owned 507s tells you everything you need to know about its appeal to both stars and racing drivers.

The 507 is what happens when you ask a German engineer to build an Italian sports car. One of just 252 ever made, BMW lost money on every single one - which explains why they didn't make more.

This particular example was originally delivered to Havana, Cuba, which makes you wonder about the stories it could tell from the pre-revolution days.

3. 1934 Citroën 7B Traction Avant Cabriolet

Estimate: €80,000 - €120,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

You're looking at automotive revolution in metal form. The Traction Avant was the first mass-produced front-wheel-drive car with a monocoque chassis. It made everything else on the road look like they were designed by cavemen. This particular example is one of the earliest 7Bs ever built, completed in August 1934.

After a 12-year restoration that probably cost more than building an entire new car would have, it's now ready to show the world how France reinvented the automobile. The fact that its basic layout - front-wheel drive, monocoque construction, independent suspension - is still used by most modern cars makes it less of a classic and more of a prophecy.

2. 1929 Bugatti Type 37

Estimate: €980,000 - €1,300,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

If most pre-war cars are like antique furniture - beautiful but best handled carefully - the Type 37 is more like a fencing sword: elegant, precise, and meant to be used enthusiastically.

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The Last Ferrari that ever won Le Mans is for sale. (For 25M EUR+)

A historic Ferrari in Rosso Corsa red, representing the last model to win Le Mans

A close-up of the Le Mans-winning Ferrari, showcasing its iconic design and legacy

Before Ford beat them so badly with a 1-2-3 finish that Ferrari left Le Mans in a huff. They only JUST went back in 2023, after 58 years. So, this car is pretty special.

One of about 220 built, this example has been participating in events since new, including the opening of the Bugatti Circuit in 1966.

The car's history reads like a who's who of French motorsport, having passed through the hands of multiple racing drivers and collectors. It even participated in the 1958 Le Mans Classic, presumably terrifying much newer machinery with its ancient but effective performance.

The fact that it still has its original engine and chassis makes it rarer than finding humility at a Ferrari owners' club meeting.

1. 1957 Aston Martin DB Mark III

Estimate: €380,000 - €500,000

Link to Auction Lot Page

Sometimes the most fascinating car isn't the most valuable or even the most revolutionary - it's the one with the best story. This DB Mark III is one of just 84 drophead coupés ever made, but that's not what makes it special. What makes it special is that it represents the exact moment when Aston Martin transformed from a small British sports car maker into a global luxury brand.

This was the last of the 'old' Aston Martins before the DB4 changed everything. Originally delivered to a French champagne producer (because of course it was), it combines the raw character of early Astons with the refinement that would define their later cars. It's like finding the missing link between a thoroughbred racehorse and a Rolls-Royce - complete with matching numbers engine and enough style to make James Bond consider trading in his DB5.

If this collection of cars proves anything, it's that automotive fascination isn't just about massive price tags or outrageous performance figures. Sometimes it's about the stories they tell - like a humble Citroën that revolutionized car design, or a Porsche that decided to help feed the world instead of racing around it.

From Formula 1 cars to agricultural equipment, from Cuban-delivery BMWs to champagne producers' Astons, each of these machines represents a unique chapter in automotive history. Some changed how cars were built, others changed how they were raced, and at least one changed how farmers worked their fields.

As RM Sotheby's continues to bring together these extraordinary collections (and having witnessed their Dubai auction firsthand, we can tell you they know what they're doing), it's worth remembering that every car here isn't just a means of transport - it's a time capsule, a piece of engineering history, and in some cases, a revolution on wheels.

Though if you're planning to bid, we'd recommend bringing both a healthy bank balance and a good story of your own. After all, cars like these deserve owners who appreciate not just what they are, but how they helped shape the automotive world we know today.

And on that note, I'm off to see if I can convince my bank manager that a Porsche tractor is a sensible investment.