British Radio Host Buys $17.7 Million Ferrari 250 GTO

RM Auctions announced it has found a buyer for a very rare and expensive Ferrari, the 250 GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato). Only 36 of these were built between 1962 and 1963 in order to receive the FIA homologation for GT racing.

The road-going 250 GTO was a rear-wheel drive, front engined car, with a 3.0-liter V12 unit completely made of aluminium, a very rare thing at the time. The engine developed 300 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and was mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. Maximum speed reached 174 mph (280 km/h). Suspension consisted of double wishbones up front and a solid live axle in back.

This particular 250 GTO was one of only three cars with Series II bodywork, and it has been successfully raced throughout the time by many famous Italian drivers. The car with chassis number 4675 GT was not put up for auction, but sold directly for GBP12 million ($17.7 million). The new owner is Chris Evans, a British radio and TV personality famously known for his love of classic Ferraris. In 2008, he bought a black 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder for $10.9 million, a car previously owned by actor James Coburn.

Evans also owned a 1959 250 GT LWB California Spyder and a 1962 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, both of which he sold at an RM Auction earlier this month, presumably to raise the necessary sum to buy the 250 GTO.

The British media star has been searching for this particular type of Ferrari for a long time and was very close to buying one 15 years ago. Evans yesterday posted a photo on his Twitter account alongside the caption "the new one has arrived", thus confirming his latest acquisition.