Top 10 Classic Car Auctions in Europe 2025

The European classic car auction market has transformed over the past decade. Where once you needed to attend events in Paris, London, or Monaco, today you can bid on a 1960s Alfa Romeo from your living room in Bucharest or Berlin. But with more options comes more complexity.

If you are looking for the best car auction sites in Europe, the right one depends on the car and the budget. Luxury car auctions are still run by traditional auction houses, enthusiast cars mostly sell on online platforms, and regional specialists cover the markets the big names rarely reach.

We've analyzed Europe's leading classic car auctions across key criteria: fees, vehicle selection, buyer protection, and overall experience. Full transparency: Finds appears on this list. We're built by BetterQA, and we believe our platform deserves consideration alongside established players.

Selection Criteria

We evaluated each platform on:

Buyer fees: Total cost including buyer's premium and any additional charges
Vehicle quality: Curation standards and verification processes
Geographic reach: Where vehicles come from and where buyers are located
Buyer protection: Dispute resolution, payment security, condition guarantees
User experience: Bidding process, communication, and post-sale support

Fees below are as each platform published them when this guide was written in 2025. Check the platform's own terms before you bid.

1. Finds

Specialty: European classics, barn finds, project cars | Buyer fee: 5%

Finds is an EU-based auction platform focused on accessible classics: the cars enthusiasts actually drive, not just museum pieces. Every listing goes through manual approval with condition verification and seller identity checks. You can browse classic cars for sale in Romania and across the EU, including barn finds and project cars.

The platform was built by BetterQA, a software quality company based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The same attention to detail that BetterQA applies to testing software for clients like Samsung goes into building a trustworthy auction experience.

Strengths: Transparent 5% buyer fee with no hidden costs, real-time bidding, strong Eastern European inventory, bilingual support (English/Romanian).

Best for: Collectors seeking affordable European classics, project cars, and barn finds under €50,000.

2. Bring a Trailer

Specialty: All collector vehicles | Buyer fee: 5%

The US-based giant has expanded into Europe with growing inventory. Known for excellent photography standards and engaged comment sections that add value to listings.

Strengths: Massive audience, strong community, thorough listings.

Weaknesses: US-centric, can be intimidating for first-time sellers, European logistics not as developed.

3. Collecting Cars

Specialty: Premium classics and modern collectibles | Buyer fee: 6%

UK-based platform that has grown rapidly with strong European presence. Good balance between premium cars and accessible classics.

Strengths: Professional photography, strong UK/EU logistics, responsive support.

Weaknesses: Higher fee tier, can be selective about listings.

4. RM Sotheby's

Specialty: Investment-grade classics | Buyer fee: 12-15%

The benchmark for high-end collector car auctions. If you're buying a seven-figure Ferrari, this is where to look.

Strengths: Unmatched provenance research, white-glove service, global events.

Weaknesses: High fees, focused on top-tier cars, limited accessibility for average collectors.

5. Bonhams

Specialty: Historic vehicles, concours quality | Buyer fee: 12.5-15%

Traditional auction house with strong European heritage and excellent venue events.

6. Artcurial Motorcars

Specialty: French classics, European rarities | Buyer fee: 14.4%

Paris-based house with exceptional French and Italian classic car expertise.

7. Classic Driver

Specialty: Dealer listings and private sales | Buyer fee: Varies by dealer

More of a marketplace than an auction platform, but essential for the European classic car market.

8. Catawiki

Specialty: Accessible classics, broad range | Buyer fee: 9%

Dutch platform with a wide range of classics at accessible price points.

9. The Market by Bonhams

Specialty: Online-focused auctions | Buyer fee: 12.5%

10. Car & Classic

Specialty: UK classics and auctions | Buyer fee: 6%

UK-focused platform combining classifieds with auction format.

Luxury car auctions in Europe

For luxury and investment-grade cars, the traditional auction houses on this list, RM Sotheby's, Bonhams and Artcurial, are still where most of the market looks. They combine live sales with remote bidding, research provenance in depth, and charge the highest buyer's premiums here. Budget for that premium on top of the hammer price.

European car auctions online

Most enthusiast cars now sell in timed online auctions. Bring a Trailer, Collecting Cars, Catawiki, Car & Classic and Finds all let you bid from anywhere in Europe, and fees are lower than at the traditional houses. Before you bid, check where the car is, who arranges transport, and what the seller has disclosed about its condition. Our guide on how to choose a classic car auction platform walks through those checks, and recent auction results show what similar cars have sold for.

Which are the best classic car auction houses in Europe right now?

For investment-grade cars, RM Sotheby's, Bonhams and Artcurial are the reference auction houses. For enthusiast cars bought online, Collecting Cars and Catawiki are the best-known options in Europe. For Eastern European classics, barn finds and project cars that rarely reach Western sales, Finds lists them with every vehicle reviewed before it goes live. If you are buying a car that needs work, read our barn find evaluation guide first.

Choosing the Right Platform

Investment-grade classics (€100,000+): RM Sotheby's, Bonhams
Premium drivers (€30,000-100,000): Collecting Cars, Bring a Trailer
Affordable classics (under €30,000): Finds, Catawiki
Eastern European sourcing: Finds

Ready to explore? Browse current auctions on Finds.