1962 Ferrari 250 GTO tops $48 million at RM Sotheby’s sale

RM Sotheby's – In Monterey, California RM Sotheby’s made auction history when a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis no. 3413 GT, long considered to be the ‘holy grail’ of the collector car world sold for $48.4 million, becoming the most valuable car ever sold at auction. Three collectors bidding via telephone competed for the car, sometimes moving in million dollar increments before it hammered after nearly ten minutes for $44 million, or $48,405,000 with fees.

The numbers-matching GTO was offered with its original engine, gearbox, rear axle and factory Series II body after two decades in the collection of noted businessman, Ferrari enthusiast, and vintage race driver Gregory Whitten, Dr. Whitten commented:

“My journey with the 250 GTO has come to an end, but I am excited to see how this fantastic car is enjoyed by the new owner. They will have seen the seemingly unbelievable list of superlatives that are used to describe it – legendary, historic, holy grail – but I can assure them that once they get behind the wheel, they will understand that every one of them is true.”

The remarkable 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis no. 3413 GT, is the third of a mere 36 examples built, and arguably one of the purest and best of the breed. The GTO began its life as a Series I automobile and was used as a test car by Phil Hill for the 1962 Targa Florio road race, before proceeding to win 1st in class at the event for the next two years. This led the car to claim the 1962 Italian National GT Championship, with victories in 9 out of 10 races.

The sale also saw exceptional results for sports cars and sports-racers, including the 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder that soared over the high estimate to sell for $4.9m, and a 1956 Maserarti A6G/2000 Zagato which fetched $4.5m. Modern super cars showed continued strength with a U.S.-spec Ferrari F40 selling for $1.7m, and the Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR setting a new record for the model at $4.5m.

Additional stand-out moments were found throughout the two-day sale, including when the one-off 1963 Aston Martin DP215 Grand Touring Competition Prototype roared onto RM Sotheby’s stage and achieved a final $21,455,000 (est. $18m/22m) following a high-energy bidding contest, becoming one of the most valuable British motor cars sold at auction. The pinnacle achievement for Aston Martin’s racing program and the last competition car built during the David Brown era, DP215 contested Le Mans in 1963 with Phil Hill and Lucien Bianchi behind the wheel, where it became the first automobile to break the 300 kph barrier at the event. RM Sotheby’s also took the opportunity to announce that the company will be partnering with Aston Martin in 2019, presenting an additional Thursday night auction during next year’s Monterey weekend, dedicated specifically to Aston Martin. As the official auction partner of Aston Martin, RM Sotheby’s will celebrate the marque’s 1959 win at Le Mans with an offering of the finest road-going and track-ready cars from its illustrious history.

From great American Classics through historic racers and the rarest of modern supercars, landmark prices were achieved across the 150 cars presented at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale. The 1966 Ford GT40 Mk II, chassis no. P/1016, part of the iconic trio of GT40s that swept first, second, and third overall at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, reached $9,795,000 on Friday evening. The 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder, a hugely important car in Porsche’s American racing history, soared to high estimate on Saturday to sell for $4,900,000, and a unique 1956 Maserati A6G/2000 Zagato racer fetched $4,515,000, a new record for the model at auction. Modern super cars showed continued strength with a U.S.-spec 1990Ferrari F40 selling for an above-estimate $1,710,000, and the one-of-25 1998Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR smashing the previous record for the model at $4,515,000. RM Sotheby’s was also proud to partner with Mercedes-AMG in Monterey to offer a never-raced 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT3 ‘Laureus’. The chrome finished GT3 exceeded expectations, selling for a final $885,000, with proceedsto benefit the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.

The RM Sotheby’s Group continues its calendar this week with Auburn Fall, a Labor Day weekend tradition featuring more than 750 collector cars at the Auburn Auction Park (30 August – 2 September), as well as the company’s 12th annual London sale, set for 5 September at Battersea Evolution and featuring the 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT driven by legendary actor Peter Sellers in the 1963 film, “The Wrong Arm of the Law”. RM Sotheby’s also looked ahead to its Porsche 70th Anniversary Auction while in Monterey, where Porsche unveiled a fantastic new car, the Classic Series Project Gold, to be offered at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta on 27 October. The car is the singular, one-of-one and final 993 Turbo that will ever be built. An air-cooled Turbo, 20 years after series production ended. Learn more about upcoming events at rmsothebys.com.

About RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s is the world's largest auction house for investment-quality automobiles. With more than 35 years’ experience in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from private sales and auctions (including both RM Sotheby’s and RM Auctions events) to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of car specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for six of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction. In February 2015, RM formed a strategic partnership with Sotheby’s, uniting the two companies for the full calendar of future automobile auctions. For further information, visit rmsothebys.com.

*Results are listed in USD and include buyer’s premium.

*The previous record for the most valuable car sold at auction was $38,115,000 for a 1962-63 Ferrari 250 GTO.

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