Rare 1955 Dodge La Femme Sells for $120,000

Owners of low-mileage classic cars should note that a record-setting auction result has reset expectations for vintage collectibles.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Buying/Selling

Pink-and-white 1950s sedan parked on a brick side street beside a weathered garage door in soft autumn light.
A rare 1955 Dodge La Femme with just 55,372 miles sold for $120,000 with no reserve at Richmond Auctions in late October, more than doubling the previous model record. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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A 1955 Dodge La Femme sold for $120,000 with no reserve at Richmond Auctions in late October, more than doubling the previous La Femme auction record. The car, with 55,372 miles on the odometer, is finished in pink-over-white paint with color-keyed upholstery.

Why it matters

The result shows that well-preserved, low-mileage classic cars can command strong prices, which matters to Richmond-area owners weighing whether to keep, insure, or sell a vintage vehicle. The previous record had stood for eleven years, so the jump signals a sharp shift in what collectors will pay for this model.

The car has 55,372 miles (89,113 km) on the odometer and sold with no reserve. Estimates put 1955 La Femme sales at fewer than 1,500 units and total two-year production at fewer than 2,500 cars.

The players

Richmond Auctions

Richmond Auctions is the auction house that conducted the sale of the 1955 Dodge La Femme in late October.

Dodge

Dodge is the Chrysler division that built the La Femme for the 1955 and 1956 model years, marketed to women drivers.

Chrysler

Chrysler is the automaker that developed the La Femme concept cars in 1954 before the production model was assigned to Dodge.

The details

The La Femme debuted for the 1955 model year as a full-size Royal Lancer variant marketed to women, with pink paint, pale pink vinyl upholstery, Gold Cordagrain trim, and Orchid Jacquard fabric, plus beauty-related extras such as a lipstick case and a purse. Dodge dropped some accessories and changed the exterior color combination in 1956, and the model was discontinued after that year due to poor sales. Because so few were built, surviving examples in original condition are rare, which is why condition and mileage drove the price.

Timeline

  1. October 2015: a beautifully preserved La Femme sold for $51,000, the prior record.

  2. 1954: Chrysler rolled out two concept cars for female drivers.

  3. 1955 model year: the La Femme debuted.

  4. 1956: Dodge changed the exterior color combination and the model was discontinued after this year.

  5. Late October 2026: the 1955 La Femme sold for $120,000 at Richmond Auctions.

The Home Front

This result fits a wider pattern in which vintage vehicles with documented history and low mileage fetch premiums at auction, a trend that matters for collectors who treat cars as stored assets. The La Femme's small production run, which Dodge ended after poor sales in 1956, is the reason rarity now drives value.

If you own a classic vehicle, check its mileage, originality, and documentation, since these drove the La Femme's price. Consult a licensed appraiser or your insurer before selling or changing coverage on a collector car.

The takeaway

Condition and documented history can outweigh age when collectors price rare vehicles. Keep service records and originality documentation on file for any classic car you own.

Further reading

For more on how collectible vehicles are bought and sold, see the Buying/Selling section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Autoevolution.

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