Automotive
In a highly anticipated auction scheduled for November 2023, RM Sotheby’s is ready to unveil a rare gem: a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. This exquisite piece of automotive history, meticulously documented with an enthralling past, is poised to make waves because it is anticipated to say the title of the most costly Ferrari model ever auctioned.
Dubbed as “the holy grail of the sports automotive pantheon,” this particular 250 GTO bears the chassis number 3765 and boasts a mesmerizing Rosso Cina finish. What makes this specimen especially remarkable is that it’s one in all only three Works examples, powered by the distinctive 4.0-liter V12 engine developed by Ferrari to comply with emerging racing regulations. This engine, bearing the designation 42 SA, featured a dry-sump lubrication system, specialized carburetors, and revised camshafts. Chassis number 3765 launched into its competitive journey on the 1962 Nürburgring 1,000 Kilometers race, where it claimed first place in its class and a formidable second place overall.
Ferrari’s ambitions then led to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the identical yr. To arrange for this demanding race, the automotive underwent significant modifications, including the installation of a brand new engine with six carburetors, producing around 390 horsepower. Structural changes to the front end were made to accommodate the brand new engine, addressing the “minor damage” incurred in the course of the vehicle’s maiden race. Nonetheless, in the course of the race itself, an incident led to the 250 GTO getting stuck in a sand bank, requiring a laborious 30-minute effort to extract it and make mandatory repairs. Despite its challenges, the automotive soldiered on, eventually succumbing to overheating and retiring after 56 laps.
In 1962, chassis number 3765 found a brand new home with a non-public buyer in Italy, marking the beginning of a journey that included receiving a 3rd engine, a 3.0-liter V12, in November of that yr—a remarkable piece of history that also resides throughout the automotive today. Through the years, the automotive participated in various smaller events and altered hands amongst multiple owners in each Italy and the USA. Ultimately, in August 1974, it landed under the ownership of Fred Leydorf, the manager of AMC’s engine design team and the chairman of the Ferrari Club of America. Finally, in April 1985, the automotive was acquired by its current owner, a passionate collector based in Ohio.
The upcoming sale of chassis number 3765 is made much more intriguing by the inclusion of several factory documents that meticulously detail the automotive’s early history, which encompasses the engine swaps it underwent. This historic event is ready to unfold on November 13, 2023, in Latest York City at 5:30 p.m. local time, corresponding to 2:30 p.m. in California and 11:30 p.m. in Paris. While RM Sotheby’s has shunned publishing a pre-auction estimate, it’s expected that this 250 GTO may thoroughly develop into the most dear one ever sold, aiming to surpass the previous record set by a 1963 model that fetched an astounding $70 million in June 2018. Nevertheless, it must exceed this figure by greater than twice to say the title of the world’s costliest automotive, as evidenced by the jaw-dropping $143 million achieved by a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut Coupé” at an RM Sotheby’s auction in May 2022. The auction of this iconic Ferrari 250 GTO guarantees to be a momentous occasion for automotive enthusiasts and collectors alike, with the potential to set a brand new benchmark on this planet of classic cars.
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