The Classic Car Market Records Stellar Results

In the photo, it looks like a miniature Hot Wheels car. But no — this Porsche 911 GT3 RS 2024 with its super pop custom design exists in full adult size. RM Sotheby’s, the automotive arm of the British auction house, put the vehicle under the hammer in the middle of the summer. Interested parties had until July 31 to bid on this “Dua Lipa Rennstall GT3 RS,” a one-of-a-kind collector’s piece personalized by the English pop star, fitted with a 4-liter turbocharged engine producing 525 horsepower.

Of course, car-as-art isn’t new: Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, and Frank Stella have all decorated cars as part of BMW’s Art Car program, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. But a sports car customized by a superstar singer? That’s a first. “I think it illustrates two things,” observes Maximilien Gagnebin, classic car expert at Bonhams, a pioneering auction house in this field. “First, the growing appetite for personalization, which is becoming a real market for a clientele seeking exclusivity — people who want to drive cars that reflect their personality. Second, the association between an iconic brand and a popular star attracts a younger audience, or buyers who might not otherwise have considered collecting cars. A Porsche is as much a dream for a teenager as for a 60-year-old man. But a Porsche designed by Dua Lipa could also appeal to music fans who never imagined making such a purchase.” The “Dua Lipa Rennstall GT3 RS” ultimately sold for €365,000, with all proceeds donated to the Suny Hill Foundation, the singer’s charity supporting arts and culture in Kosovo, her country of origin. That was just shy of its €400,000 estimate.