The Collectors Circle helps automotive enthusiasts to find the car of their dream. We share the same passion as our clients – rarities! When talking about dreams and rarities, the first car that should pop up in a car collector’s mind is the Ferrari 250 GTO. Many dream of it but only a few can have it…
Ferrari built the 250 GTO from 1962 to 1964 to be certified into the FIA’s Group 3 Grand Touring Car category – to be precise only 36 cars were made, which is the reason we said “only a few can have it”. The car was designed by Mauro Forghieri and Giotto Bizzarrini in Maranello the hometown of Ferrari and is ever since the most iconic creature of the Italian car manufacturer. The engine was the race-proven 3.0 L (2,953 cc) V12 with a power output of 300 PS. The masterpiece which won several races and has a top speed of 174 mph.
Ferrari 250 GTO
When the cars were sold in the early 60s, each buyer had to be personally approved by Enzo Ferrari himself – at the time, the car would have only cost USD 18,000. Over the course of the last half century, the Ferrari 250 GTO has emerged as the most desirable and potent blend of style, exclusivity, performance, heritage and status. The USD 70 million recently paid by David MacNeil (founder of WeatherTech) for a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO (Chassis no. 4153GT) has set a new record for the publicly reported selling price of an automobile.
What makes the Ferrari 250 GTO the Holy Grail of car collecting? It is officially a piece of art! FOR REAL! A commercial court in Italy decided in favor of Ferrari in a lawsuit filed against a company that was planning to build replicas of the most iconic Ferrari of all times. The matchless car lines and its unquestionable aesthetic have made the 250 GTO unique. The design is now officially protected from being copied and reproduced without permission.
GTO owners have more than one single car in their garage, most likely having a private collection of hundred(s) of cars, many of them worth a few million dollars. According to a survey made a few years ago, the average Bugatti Chiron owner owns 84 cars, three jets, and a yacht. But sorry to my dear Bugatti-loving readers – owning a 250 GTO is definitely more exclusive. You can buy approximately 12 Bugatti Chirons (one Chrion costs around USD 5.5 million) for the price of one single Ferrari 250 GTO. You can only imagine the other possessions of a GTO owner…
The Collectors Circle loves this masterpiece and thinks the Ferrari has been assessed quite rightly as a piece of art.
Summary
Brand:
Ferrari
Model:
250 GTO
Price:
Last known (private) selling price USD 70 million but we think it will keep rising and within the next decade the car will be worth well above USD 100 million.
When to drive:
This piece of art is an entry ticket to one of the world’s most exclusive clubs: The Ferrari 250 GTO Owners Club – this is probably also the only event you should drive such masterpiece.
What we love about the car:
We love the fact that it’s the first time an Italian court has recognized an automobile as a piece of art to protect the 250 GTO from replicas and imitations.
Images: Patrick Ernzen ©2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
