Steve McQueen’s Ferrari, Billy Joel’s motorcycles and more: inside Retromobile New York

This fall, Gooding Christie’s makes its New York debut as the official auction house of Retromobile New York, the first North American edition of the celebrated European automotive event, taking place from 20–21 November at the Javits Center in New York City. Discover highlights from the more than 160 lots on offer, spanning nearly a century of automotive history — from landmark sports cars by Ferrari, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz and 70 motorcycles from the collection of Billy Joel.

1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider

An open-top interpretation of Ferrari’s celebrated 275 GTB/4, the NART Spider ranks among the rarest Ferraris of the 1960s, with just 10 built. This 1967 car was the sixth produced and was delivered new to actor and avid racer Steve McQueen. The first of only two examples originally finished in Blu Sera, or ‘Evening Blue,’ it was later personalised by McQueen with a darker metallic-blue finish and a series of custom interior and exterior details. After four decades in the same collection, the Ferrari remains remarkably intact, with its original Scaglietti body, matching-numbers engine and transaxle, and McQueen-era details — an unusually tangible link to one of the era’s most recognisable stars. 

1998 RUF Project Dragon

Nearly three decades separate the origins and completion of Project Dragon, a one-off commission built by RUF. Its story began with the final unused bodyshell from the marque’s celebrated CTR2 era, retained by RUF since the 1990s. Working closely with a longtime collector, RUF enlisted Tony Hatter, designer of the 993-generation Porsche 911, to transform it into a contemporary interpretation of the CTR2 Sport. Delivered in 2024, Project Dragon combines bespoke carbon-fibre bodywork and a 621-horsepower air-cooled engine with a colour created especially for the car: Dragon Fire Orange.

1956 Jaguar D-Type

Developed as the successor to Jaguar’s Le Mans-winning C-Type, the D-Type went on to secure three consecutive victories at Le Mans from 1955 to 1957. This 1956 example was first owned by race and rally driver John Manussis, who competed with it in East Africa before it embarked on an international journey through the Caribbean, Canada and beyond. Unusually pure for a competition car of its age, it retains its original monocoque, front subframe and data tag and is accompanied by its matching-numbers engine. Restored by Jaguar specialist Terry Larson, it has since competed at Goodwood, Le Mans Classic, Monaco Historics and the Mille Miglia.

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing 

Instantly recognizable for its distinctive roof-hinged doors, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing became one of the defining sports cars of the 1950s. Rarer still was its competition-minded Alloy variant, which replaced the standard steel body with lightweight aluminium to reduce weight and improve performance. This 1955 car was the third of only 29 built and was raced in period by Lance Reventlow, a Woolworth heir and creator of the celebrated Scarab race cars. More than seven decades later, it retains significant original features, among them its Rudge wheels, concave-star grille, and fitted luggage set.

1932 Bugatti Type 55 Cabriolet 

Developed from Bugatti’s Grand Prix Type 51, the Type 55 translated racing engineering into one of the most coveted sports cars of the early 1930s. Only 38 chassis were produced between 1932 and 1935. Among them, this 1932 example is distinguished by its bespoke two-seat Cabriolet coachwork by Gangloff. Retaining its original body and matching-numbers mechanical components, the car was brought to the US in the 1950s by racer and team owner Bob Estes, whose California dealership, Precision Motor Cars, which he co-owned with Otto Zipper, became an important fixture in the state’s burgeoning sports-car culture. It received Salon Privé’s Most Elegant Award in 2024.

1953 Siata 208 CS Berlinetta

Among the small Italian manufacturers that flourished after the Second World War, Siata made its name transforming Fiat mechanicals into sophisticated sports cars of its own. With the 208 CS, Siata paired Fiat’s unusual two-litre V-8 with a lightweight chassis and hand-built coachwork. This 1953 Berlinetta is one of just nine bodied by the Turin firm Carrozzeria Successori Balbo, of which only six are known to survive. Following an extensive concours-quality restoration, it returned to Pebble Beach in 2025, winning its class and the Strother MacMinn Most Elegant Sports Car Trophy, before earning further honours at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace in 2026.

The Billy Joel Motorcycle Collection

Billy Joel’s fascination with motorcycles stretches back to his teenage years on Long Island, where he learned to ride on a neighbour’s BSA before acquiring a Triumph Tiger of his own. His collection encompasses more than 70 bikes by marques including Ducati, Harley-Davidson, BMW, Moto Guzzi and Triumph. Among them is a custom-painted 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville, gifted by Madison Square Garden to commemorate Joel’s 150th sold-out performance at the venue, with a matching helmet recording each show. Other highlights include a 1983 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica and restored 1975 Ducati 750 Sport — tracing an enthusiasm that has run parallel to Joel’s musical career for more than half a century.