RM Sotheby’s Shines at ModaMiami

This past weekend, the inaugural ModaMiami event took place on the fairways of the magnificent Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida.

Over 275 cars were on display on the show field — and in addition, an exceptional collection of 150 vehicles crossed the block at RM Sotheby’s two-day auction.

After a long association with another wintertime Florida concours, the team at RM Sotheby’s opted to stage a different sort of automobile event, with hopes of drawing an audience from the vibrant car scene in South Florida and beyond — and targeting the slightly younger car collector and enthusiast.

Presentations were impressively elegant, as the field was highlighted with no fewer than eight past “Best In Show” Pebble Beach Concours winners, along with impressive displays of Carrol Shelby-inspired vehicles. Also featured was the 1955 Mercedes-Benz W196R driven to the Formula One World Championship by legendary Argentine racer Juan Manuel Fangio.

Adding to the excitement on Sunday was the debut of” The 100,” a collection of rare and exotic modern supercars, all assembled together on the show field. Enthusiastic young attendees were thrilled to witness many of the modern exotic cars they had only seen online or in video games. McLaren took the opportunity to showcase its entire vehicle lineup, including the U.S. debut of its radical Solus GT track-only single-seat supercar.

Everything from Ferrari GTOs and Brass-Era Locomobiles to Art Deco Delahayes and 1950s American cruisers could be found simply by wandering under the Florida sunshine, and with the historic Biltmore in the background.

Friday’s activities began with a guided car tour featuring select autos that would grace the lawn later in the weekend. Car shows often follow an established grouping of entries based upon countries of origin or specific time frames. ModaMiami avoided convention by calling each group a “collection” and relied on peer judging rather than the traditional professional marque specialists in blue blazers and straw hats.

Equally important to the organizers was a sense of camaraderie among participants and attendees which created a sense of community on the show field. With so many past show champions in attendance, Rob Myers, CEO of RM Sotheby’s, opted to forego an overall “Best of Show” award in an effort “to emphasize a collective celebration of the rich tapestry of automotive artistry.”

The two-day RM Sotheby’s auction did not disappoint, either. Bidders could view the cars in the preview area on the golf course on Thursday and Friday, but bidding was set up to view cars via a video wall in the luxurious ballroom of the Biltmore. With the likes of a Vignale-bodied 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa crossing the block alongside a Gypsy Moth biplane, a Bugatti Chiron, and numerous Youngtimer offerings from Porsche, BMW and Lexus, there was no shortage of tempting variety of vehicles. Make sure to read our upcoming coverage of the ModaMiami RM Sotheby’s auction in Linkage #018.

As a first-year event, the vast majority of participants and attendees were happy with the organization, layout, and overall vibe of the show. Cars were grouped with ample room around each other to permit viewers to enjoy the display without needing to elbow other enthusiasts out of the way to take photos. Special evening celebrations and fine dining presented in Miami style combined with world class vehicles channeled the automotive excitement of South Florida in this unique event. — Chuck Gilchrest