Even though many people haggle with the dealer to take the price down by a few hundred bucks on a back-to-basics Toyota Corolla, there are individuals in this world who don’t mind paying millions of dollars on an all-new vehicle. The 40 examples of the Bugatti Divo, which sold in an instant at €5 million per piece, stand as the perfect case in point. But then again, there are also people willing to spend tens of millions on a classic car.
Chassis no. 3413 of the Ferrari 250 GTO family is the new record holder in this regard, sold by RM Sotheby’s at the Monterey Auction for an outstanding $48.4 million. That’s just above the low point of the pre-auction estimate ($45,000,000), as well as $10.3 million more compared to chassis no. 3851. The 250 GTO in question found its current owner in 2014, selling for a whopping $38,115,000.
A 1962 model, 3413 is an ex-Phil Hill racing car which was driven onto the stage by five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell. The auction started at $35 million, then someone called $40 million, after which the lot incremented by $250,000 time and again until the princely sum of $48,405,000 was reached.
The winning bidder is thought to be a U.S.-based collector, which happens to own many more 250 Series models. “You know what? Didn’t chassis no. 4153 sold for an estimated $80,000,000 earlier this year?” That is correct, dear reader, but the deal was made behind closed doors, which is why 4153 can’t be put in the same category as 3413.
The third of 36 examples ever produced, this fellow is one of four 250 GTO models upgraded by Scaglietti with Series II GTO/64 bodywork. Of the racing accolades it has amassed over the year, it’s worthy to mention the on-track success at the 1962 Italian GT Championship, 1963 Targa Florio, and 1964 Targa Florio. All in all, over 15 class and overall wins between '62 and '65.
More than five decades since it rolled off the assembly line, 3413 retains the original engine, transmission, and rear axle. The previous owner of the world’s most expensive car sold at auction is Greg Whitten, former chief software architect at Microsoft.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News