Bonhams at Goodwood: The Right Cars in the Right Place

Bonham's auction organized during the Goodwood Revival always features exceptional lots. This commentary will focus on the numbers and a comparison with the 2023 results. Perhaps due to the incessant rain or the packed racing schedule, this year’s auction had two speeds: in the first 58 lots (up to lot 160), over 70% were sold, followed by a sharp slowdown with only 6 of the next 31 lots sold, a total of less than 20%. Fortunately, the two halves balanced out, and by the end of the day, 47 cars were sold, representing 52.80% of the 89 cars offered. Compared to 2023, all parameters were down, but nothing too serious. For example, the sale percentage last year was 64.29%. In terms of value, the figures might seem misleading: sales dropped from £8,390,882 to £5,818,297 this year, but the estimates this year were only £12,209,000, much less than the £16,656,000 from last year, with an almost identical result: from 50% to 48%. The difference in average prices was also limited: £133,189 in 2023 compared to £121,215 this year.