This Ferrari 250 GTO could set an auction record

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you’ll know by now that Ferrari 250 GTOs will change hands for tremendous amounts of money. This 1962 example will most likely add itself to the list of most expensive cars ever.

Photography: Patrick Ernzen for RM Sotheby’s, Diederik Lieftink, Ferrari and Other Things

What makes the 250 GTO so special?

There are just a few cars you could name legendary, because of their innovations or successes, the latter mainly in motorsport. Take the F40 for example. When Enzo received feedback from customers about his cars getting a bit boring, he decided to create the perfect goodbye-car before passing away a year later. It now has the degree of the perfect poster car, and remains a dream car for many. The F40 also had successes in motorsport, click here to read more about the F40 race cars.

The Jaguar E-type was dubbed as ‘’the most beautiful car to ever hit the streets’’, by Enzo himself. The E-type was based on the D-type, which was an extremely successful Le Mans competitor.

The 250 GTO is as special, if not, even more special than the F40. Ferrari revealed the car in 1962 for homologation into the Group 3 Touring Car Championship and became very successful by winning the International Championship for GT Manufacturers (over 2.0-L engine size) three years in a row: 1962, 1963 and 1964.

Why this 250 GTO is so expensive

Compared to rumoured prices in private deals, this example is actually a bargain. In early June of this year, a 250 GTO (chassis 4153GT) was sold for $70.000.000. Then again, it’s a private deal, so you can never be 100% sure about those prices. This 250 GTO (chassis 3413GT) is the most valuable car ever offered at an auction and headlines the RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction on the 24th and 25th of August.

It left the factory in 1962 as the third 250 GTO Series I built, and was converted into a Series II in early 1964. This Series II conversion was done by Scaglietti, who would go on and change a total of four Series I cars into Series IIs.

Very successful example

The first appearance of the car was at the 1962 Targo Florio, where Phil Hill (1961 F1 champion) tested the car. The first victory of the car was with Italian racing driver Edoardo Lualdi-Gabardi behind the wheel. He finished first in the 1962 Italian GT Championship. This GTO won several Targio Florio’s, the 1964 Coppa F.I.S.A. and participated in multiple hill climbs.

Lualdi-Gabardi was the typical gentleman racer and one of Ferrari’s closest customers. He used his 250 GTO in ten races, won nine of them and finished second in the one (the Parma-Poggio di Bercerto Hill Climb) he didn’t win. As impressed as he was by this particular car, he sold it in 1963 to Gianni Bulgari and bought another 250 GTO (chassis 4091GT).

“This was the last car that you could park in your garage, drive to the track, win the race, and then drive home.”

— Shelby Myers from RM Sotheby’s

The car is far from being a garage queen and still wears its original engine, gearbox and rear axle. The current owner, said to be Greg Whitten, bought the car in 2000 for just $7.000.000. The well-known auction house now estimates the cars’ value between $45.000.000 – $60.000.000.

RM Sotheby’s epic Ferrari auction!

One of the activities of the 70th anniversary in Maranello this weekend is the RM Sotheby’s ‘’Leggenda e Passione’’ auction. Some of the most important cars in the history of Ferrari will be sold by the American auction house.

LaFerrari prototype
There’s an epic line up of around 40 legendary Ferrari’s to be sold. A couple of the cars have never been offered before, which makes it a unique occasion for some of the lots. Besides the one-off LaFerrari Aperta we wrote about a couple of days ago, the LaFerrari prototype is also being auctioned off. Estimated to bring up around the €1.2000.000 this LaFerrari was first shown at the private viewing to close clients. Every client who visited the atelier to spec their LaFerrari had the chance to view and sit in the car. This particular model was produced in late 2012, making it quite an early car since Ferrari revealed the LaFerrari at the GIMS in 2013.

Ultimate barn find
Another car that caught my eye is this 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Alloy with matching numbers. It’s the only road legal version with the alloy body, so I have no clue why the previous owner ‘’forgot’’ about this masterpiece sitting in his garage. Scaglietti built 5 lightweight 365 GTB/4 Daytona’s to compete in various championships, like the 24 hours of Daytona. In addition to the five competition cars, one road legal example was built. It changed hands in Italy a couple of times before being shipped to Japan where it stayed hidden for around 40 years. The staff of RM Sotheby’s estimated the value of the car at €1.400.000 – €1.700.000.

Tailor made 458 Italia
No, this is not a wrapped 458 Italia. The camouflage design is actually painted on the car. The 458 Italia left the factory in this exact colour scheme as the personal car of Lapo Elkann, the grandson of Fiat-boss Gianni Agnelli. The traditional Ferrari shields were replaced by peace signs and there’s a combination of brown, red, dark green carbon fiber and camouflage print in the interior. Even the V8-engine block has been finished in the same scheme as the exterior. The car sold for €1.000.000 at an auction at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016. The current owner might has some regrets by buying since it’s estimated to be worth between €250.000 and €350.000.

Short Wheel Base
The most valuable car of the auction is this 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione by Scaglietti. One of just 46 alloy-bodied examples built and it’s #39 of a total of 74 Competizione SWB’s. The car received an engine rebuilt in early 2010, done by DK Engineering. While the car has been restored, it still has all the original documents like the factory build sheets, service invoices, magazine articles and the history by marque expert Marcel Massini. SWB’s always tend to be the most expensive lot of the auction, and this one makes no difference: it’s estimated between €8.500.000 and €10.000.000.

Other interesting lots are the 333 SP, a 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti, a 488 GTE and a Bianco Fuiji 599 SA Aperta. Check out the full list over here.

Additional LaFerrari Aperta in the making!

Ferrari plans to build an additional LaFerrari Aperta to raise money for charity. The car will be sold at the auction in Maranello on the 9th of September.

Originally meant to build 209 examples, Ferrari now offers this car at an auction. The Aperta will feature a unique livery, just like the 500th LaFerrari did.

RM Sotheby’s are the ones taking care of the auction ‘’Leggenda E Passione’’, which will feature a lot more unique Ferraris build through the years. If you’re interested in this LaFerrari Aperta or other lots, like a black Enzo Ferrari or a 333 SP, make sure to check out the full auction list over here.

500th LaFerrari to be auctioned on December 3rd!

Ferrari chose the RM Sotheby’s auction as the place to sell the last LaFerrari Coupé ever. Only 499 were planned but Ferrari decided to give the Italians a helping hand.

Back in August, Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne announced that an extra LaFerrari would be built to benefit the victims of the earthquakes in Italy this summer. Imagine how millions of Euros can have a big impact on rebuilding the villages.

The 500th LaFerrari LaFerrari has got a Tailor Made interior, white pin stripes and an Italian flag on the nose.

CEO and Chairman of RM Sotheby’s, Rob Myers was very proud to get the opportunity of selling this unique car. ‘’It’s an honour for RM Sotheby’s to be entrusted with the sale of this important car and to help raise significant funds for a desperate cause. The auction will be an historic event and the generosity of Ferrari SpA will change lives in the areas most affected by the natural disaster!’’

The auction will take place on December 3rd (this Saturday). A one off three Nero DS Opaco (matte black) LaFerrari recently sold for $4.7 million. So expect anything above the price!

Will this 250 GTO be the most expensive to date?

This blue Ferrari 250 GTO from 1962 is currently the world’s highest-valued car. British Ferrari specialist Talacrest is asking £45 million!

Everyone knows most classic Ferraris will trade hands for a ridiculous amount of money. John Collins, owner of Talacrest always wanted to sell a 250 GTO. So when this one came around he had to get it. ‘’I’ve been looking for a 250 GTO for a while now and the opportunity came with this one!’’ said Collins. Most 250 GTOs are being sold at auctions. The last time you could buy a 250 GTO at a dealership, was around 20 years ago.

This particular 250 GTO is actually the second one ever build and the first one that got into racing. In total, the car participated in 27 races of which it got a podium place in 17 of them. Its debut was at the 12h of Sebring. In 1965 it raced its last race. This was the Nassau Tourist Trophy where he won his class.

Matching numbers are two magical words in the car-buying-industry, this car has got them. So that probably also explains the insane amount of money that’s being asked.

Despite it age it still has some insane performance figures. The 0-100 km/h (60 mp/h) time is 6.1 seconds. Top speed lays around 280 km/h (174 mp/h).