The most ardent Ferrari collectors will go to any lengths to acquire a vintage model. The absurd sums that affluent aficionados have paid to add vintage Ferraris to their collections serve as evidence for this. In 2018, a record price was paid at auction for a classic car, and the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is no exception.
At a Sotheby’s auction in California, one fortunate investor won the renowned Ferrari with a price of $48.4 million. It was anticipated that the red 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO would sell for between $45 million and $60 million at auction.
The winning price of $48.4 million is substantial, but it falls short of expectations given what was anticipated of the Ferrari. Even more amazingly, a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO was also sold in 2018 for $80 million, albeit privately. The hand-built nature of every Ferrari 250 GTO that left the factory only serves to enhance the attraction of this legendary GT.
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What was the final Ferrari 250 GTO sold for?
In 2018, more than $70 million was spent on a single vehicle. It was a Ferrari 250 GTO from 1963. In that same year, $48.4 million was paid at auction as the highest price ever.
How much did the original Ferrari 250 GTO cost?
So, from where did this amazing car originate? According to legend, Enzo Ferrari was searching for a rival to the Jaguar E-Type. That, according to Digital Trends, is the reason the 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO exudes style and charm. However, this car is primarily intended for racing.
Gran Turismo Omologato, or “Race Homologation Special,” is what “GTO” stands for. Since then, the GTO designation has been linked to speed, performance, and serious racing skills. The original 250 GTO won the 1963 Tour de France after a strong start.
The 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO was always a somewhat costly vehicle, looking back. The original price of the production model was around $18,000, or $153,000 in today’s money. Enzo himself had to assess and approve buyers as part of the procedure.
There is substantial debate over how many of these vintage Prancing Horses were made; estimates range from 36 to 39, according to Road & Track. Ferrari, however, affirms that it ultimately produced and sold 39 vehicles.
As they changed hands over time, different Ferrari 250 GTO models had varying prices. A 250 GTO actually cost $5,400 when it was sold privately in 1962, before all the fanfare. A restored GTO owned by Ralph Lauren sold for $4.2 million 20 years later. The price of the Ferrari 250 GTO has only risen in more recent years; a 1962 example was sold privately in 2012 for $35 million. Another 250 GTO also set an auction record in August 2014 when it sold for $38.1 million, according to Forbes.
Undoubtedly, a vehicle’s value might soar to new heights due to limited manufacture. But why is the price of the 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO so outrageous? And how does this storied collector automobile stack up against other pricey vehicles out there? Apparently, there is a lot more to learn about the Ferrari 250 GTO.
What is the value of a 250 GTO?
Due to the fact that the four most expensive Ferraris ever sold were all 1963 Ferrari 250 GTOs ($52 million and $70 million), even the smallest variations might result in significant price changes. Two 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO cars cost about $20 million apart, largely because of the condition of the first.
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is quite pricey, why?
Given how few were produced by the Italian company, the Ferrari 250 GTO is so pricey. During a brief production cycle from 1962 to 1964, only 36 were produced.
These sports vehicles were created for on-track competition in the FIA’s Group 3 class. The Ferrari 250 GTO had an exceptional track record during its prime because to such design. It became an icon after winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Tour de France Automobile, and several Grands Prix.
The 250 GTO was a force to be reckoned with as soon as it reached the circuit. The performance of the vintage Ferrari exceeded all expectations, and it quickly rose to collectible status.
It’s virtually impossible to get a genuine 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO because so few of them were ever made. Anyone who owns one wants to keep it, and anyone who wants to purchase one needs to have a lot of extra money.
A Ferrari 250 GTO is owned by whom?
Two 250 GTOs are currently held by three people: Wal-Mart’s Rob Walton, hedge fund owners Tony and Lulu Wang (who are unrelated to owner Brandon Wang in the United Kingdom), and British industrialist Sir Anthony Bamford, who had briefly owned the chassis that just sold.
How many Ferrari 250 GTOs are there today?
A 1963 silver Ferrari GTO was sold privately for $70 million in June 2018, which is said to be the most money ever spent on a vehicle.
A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO in red went for $48.4 million at auction in August of that year.
And in October 2017, British historic vehicle dealer and former race driver Gregor Fisken purchased the blue 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO owned by Washington, D.C.-based attorney Bernard Carl for $44 million.
The car’s gearbox is currently the subject of a $500,000 legal dispute between Carl and Fisken.
According to The Telegraph, Fisken claims he purchased the Ferrari with the knowledge that it lacked the original gearbox, a component of the transmission, but with the agreement that Carl would eventually provide it to him.
Fisken sued Carl for contract breach and demanded that Carl deliver the original gearbox right now. Carl then filed a lawsuit against Fisken, alleging that Fisken failed to locate the part because neither he nor Carl would pay a $25,000 fee to the American auto dealer that Carl claims is in possession of it. In addition, Carl is requesting from Fisken $500,000 to pay the expense of his search for the original gearbox.
Both men no longer actually own the car, but the matter is still pending. According to The Telegraph, Fisken sold the Ferrari to a “rich unnamed collector” in 2017 for an unknown sum.
The racing heritage of Ferrari GTOs contributes to their popularity. The GTO at the focus of the legal dispute competed in a number of notable races in the 1960s, including two in particular.
Famous endurance racers Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien drove this Ferrari in the “12 Hours of Sebring” in 1962, finishing second.
The most renowned endurance race, the “24 Hours of Le Mans,” was won by Hill and Gendebien in the Ferrari that same year.
Its components were frequently taken out and changed as a race car to increase the likelihood of success on the track. Forbes claims that this is the reason the vehicle’s original gearbox was taken out and not replaced.
Ferrari claims that the 3-liter V12 engine used in the 250 GTO produces 300 horsepower at 7,400 rpm. It is left- or right-hand drive and features a cable-operated handbrake on the rear wheels.
What makes the Ferrari 250 GTO unique?
The Ferrari 250 GTO was able to reach an extraordinary top speed of 170 miles per hour because to its fantastic V12 engine and aerodynamic body design. One of the most storied engine combinations in a car is this one because it has larger valves and dry-sump lubrication.
Additionally, the engine had a twin overhead camshaft, six twin-choke Weber carburetors, and wet cast-iron cylinder liners. A five-speed all-synchronized transmission was also added to the Ferrari. When you put it all together, you get a 2,953cc masterpiece that had 300 horsepower.
The Ferrari 250 GTO won the GT World Championships in 1962, 1963, and 1964 using this engine and architecture. It also won the Targa Florio, Sebring 12-hour, Le Mans, and Spa 1000km.
The Ferrari won more than 300 races across the world when it was on the track, taking first place in its class. These accomplishments rank among the best wins for a road car, or any car for that matter. Legendary statistics back this up.
Only three 4.0L with 3967cc engine GTOs were produced in 1964. At 7500 rpm, the engine was producing 390 horsepower.
This was in fact Ferrari’s last excellent front-engine GT car to be produced.
The Ferrari GTO—is it unique?
There were only 39 GTOs made between 1962 and 1964, and they are regarded as not just one of the most beautiful Ferraris of all time but also one of the most gorgeous sports cars ever. A vintage Ferrari GTO recently sold privately for over $70 million, and it has scarcity on its side.
What was the purchase price of Chris Evans’ Ferrari 250 GTO?
Ferrari 250 GTO Chris is believed to have stated that he intended to get enough money to purchase a 250 GTO after developing a passion for Ferraris. And he actually accomplished that in 2010. He spent a whopping $17.7 million on what must be the most coveted trophy of all automobiles, a red 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO.
How many more 250 GTOs are there?
Although it’s popularly believed that all 36 of the 250 GTOs are still in existence today, it was just the third 250 GTO to ever roll off the Maranello assembly line.
Who purchased the $70 million Ferrari?
You can get an idea of how much it actually costs to join this extravagant club by looking at some of the prior sales of GTOs during the past ten years. Chris Evans, a boisterous and animated British DJ and TV host, paid $17.7 million for a 250 GTO at RM Auctions in 2010.
One was purchased for $31.7 million by an unnamed buyer from a UK real estate agent in 2012. Craig McCaw, an American Telecoms typhoon, also bought one privately that year for $25 million to add to his collection of more than 400 vehicles. The following year, a GTO changed hands for a cool $52 million in another private transaction.
Then, in 2014, one of these incredibly sought-after vehicles was sold at auction by Bonhams for a second time, this time for $52 million. Three years later, former race car driver and antique car dealer Gregor Fisken paid $44 million to become a member of the exclusive GTO club.
If some of the aforementioned figures have you struggling for breath now, the events that occurred in 2018 will shock you even more. Because in same year a guy by the name of David MacNeil from Chicago, USA, the creator of the automobile accessory company WeatherTech, paid an eye-popping $70 million for a silver 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis number #4293GT). the most money ever spent on an automobile.
Let’s quickly review some of the items you could buy with $70 million. You could purchase a 3,000-acre island in the South Pacific (close to Fiji) if you want some peace and quiet to unwind on and top off your tan. You could also purchase Richard Branson’s Caribbean Mansion on the gorgeous Necker Island if you’re interested in real estate. If you want to make some extra money, you can rent it out for $42,000 per night.
Or, if you’re a fan of football and would like to build your own stadium, you could design the seating yourself to ensure that you get the greatest seat in the house at every game. The immaculate 60ct Pink Star diamond, which comes from a South African mine, is also an option if you enjoy wearing jewelry. It would make a great addition to your home. You can also opt to direct and produce your own Hollywood hit if you enjoy watching movies. You could give yourself the lead role and the headlines, and you could even pick your co-star. What a wonderful idea that is!
In all honesty, it appears that the value of historic cars has increased significantly in the last few decades. First, there were significant increases in the 1980s, which were followed by significant decreases in the 1990s. A 250 GTO sold for only $2.7 million in 1994, and prices didn’t start to rise again until the late 1990s. They are still increasing today, and they are rising so quickly.
When will it end, is the obvious question. Or is it more conceivable that one of these expensive, rare Italian automobiles will soon be sold (Grimace) for $100 million?
What is it about this ancient, no-frills Italian race car that appeals to people so much?