Built from 1953 to 1964, the 250 series of road and race cars consists of the most revered models ever made by the biggest name in the industry - Ferrari. The 250 GTO is a prime example of that acclaimed breed of Italian exotica, but Ferrari's Magnum Opus also spurred a mid-engined road-going GT model baptized 250 Le Mans.
Inspired by the jaw-dropping gorgeous 250 P prototype racer that won the 12 Hours of Sebring, 1,000 km Nurburgring and 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1963, the Ferrari 250 LM was and still is a very special piece of automotive history. Only 32 units were produced by the mid-1960s, making the LM a slightly rarer beast than the iconic 250 Gran Turismo Omologato.
Under the low-drag body shell designed by Pininfarina and coachbuilt by Scaglietti, a 60 degree V12 displacing 3,285 cc was mounted in the middle, right behind the driver. Featuring a single overhead camshaft design, two valves per cylinder, dry sump lubrication, as well as a trio of Weber carburetors feeding the engine, the Ferrari 250 LM was rated 320 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and boasted 390 horsepower per metric tonne, an outstanding figure for a road-going sports car from the 1960s.
Officially known as the Berlinetta 250/Le Mans, the LM embodies all the experience acquired by Ferrari with the 250 P, as well as the features that made the racecar an endurance motorsports legend. A Ferrari 250 LM previously driven by Jochen Rindt to victory at the 1965 Austrian Grand Prix against the Maranello Concessionaires 365 P2 was sold back in 2008 by RM Auctions for a tearjerking €4,510,000 ($6,141,740). But guess what - a similar 1964 car will go under the hammer this August in Monterey, at an RM Auctions event.
Chassis #6045 is an Italian operatic masterpiece of sound and color which is fitted with a number matching V12 engine. This example was delivered in August 1964 by Modern Classic Motors of Reno, Nevada to William Harrah and it's the 19th of 32 LMs ever built. Ferrari 250 LM #6045 has been restored to its former glory by Ferrari Classiche in November 2013 and it currently resides in Chorleywood, United Kingdom.
At the present moment there's no estimate or reserve price attributed to the vehicle, but if you want it, you'd better bring a suitcase full of green bills to stand a chance at making this fine Ferrari 250 LM your pride and joy motor.
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
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