No.New York, November 13, 2023. That day and in that place R. M. Sotheby’s will accept bids for a piece that could be placed in the podium of the most expensive cars in the worldat least among those offered in a auction public.
It is, how could it be otherwise, a Ferrari 250 GTO, one of the most coveted classic cars in the world. But not just any one, but this one Gran Turismo Omologata is special among the barely 36 that were manufactured
It is a candidate to become the most expensive GTO ever auctioned.
Estimated price: 60 million dollars
Because we are -according to the description of the vehicle- before the only one who ran as an official of the Scuderia Ferrari, the only ‘factory’ GTO. His track record in competition includes a second place finish in the 1,000 km of Nrburgring in 1962 and participation in 24 Hours of Le Mans of that same year. In fact, he retains the original paint and decoration, with which he competed in that race (which he did not finish), with lorenzo bandini and Mike Parkes at the wheel. Years after its competition journey, it was sold for road use.
Peter Haynes, director of public relations for R. M. Sotheby’s in the UK and Europe, he defined this piece as “one of the most valuable and rare cars in the world.” Therefore, it is not unreasonable to think that their final valuation can reach the price they hope to achieve in Sotheby’s: nothing less than 60 million dollars (55 million euros)
The most expensive Ferrari 250 GTO?
It remains, even so, very far from the 135 million who were paid for a Mercedes 300 SLR -also at Sotheby’s- just over a year ago. But it could surpass the 1962 Ferrari GTO for the one that has been paid the most up to now, which is in 45 millions (in a bid in the same house in 2018).
Only 36 units were built, hence it is always the most valued.
Another GTO, in this case a unit of 1963was acquired by the CEO of Weather Tech by 70 million dollars in 2018, but it is not clear if it was at auction or in a conventional transaction.
From 6,000 dollars to 60 million
The GTO to be auctioned belongs to the American Jim Jaeger, CEO of Microwave, but not its first owner. The Wall Street Journal has followed the path of this unit and assures that its initial value was $6,000 (in 1964) and that Jaeger acquired it for 500,000 in 1985. If it reached the 60 million estimated by Sotheby’s, we would be facing a round business for the executive of Ohio.
