The recently auctioned 1962 Ferrari 330 LM/250 GTO has a total value of $51,705,000 USD (equivalent to approximately 1,215 billion VND). Initially, the final figure at the auction was $47 million USD, but it increased to over $51 million USD when all the fees related to the transaction were taken into account.
However, this price is still much lower than the auction organizer’s expectation. Previously, they estimated the value of the car to be around $60 million USD, as it is a very special Ferrari 250 GTO compared to other cars on the market.
This model was produced in limited quantities of 36 worldwide, during the period 1962-1964. It also achieved certain achievements in the racing career for the Italian horse brand.
Specifically, in 1962, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, the organizers introduced a new racing category that required cars to be equipped with a larger 4.0-liter engine. Therefore, the Ferrari 250 GTO in this article was upgraded to a new 4.0-liter engine instead of the usual 3.0-liter type and became the only GTO equipped with a 4.0-liter engine, used by Scuderia Ferrari in races.
In terms of exterior, it is similar to other 250 GTOs but is considered a combination of 250 GTO and 330 LM because the larger V12 engine requires a separate structure. The car competed in the Le Mans race in 1962 but sank in the sand after the brakes locked up and fell to 53rd place. Driver Lorenzo Bandini brought the car back into the race, but overheating due to overloaded cooling system forced the team to stop at lap 56.
After completing its racing task, Ferrari sold the car to a private buyer, who quickly sent it back to the Ferrari factory – where it was converted back to the regular 250 GTO specifications. At this point, the car was equipped with a 3.0-liter V12 engine and continues to use it to this day along with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The car raced a few times after the engine swap, before being sold and exported to the United States in 1967.
Former President of the Ferrari Club of America – Fred Leydorf – bought this 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO in 1974 and owned it until 1985, then sold it to another individual. This person authorized RM Sotheby’s to auction the car last weekend.
Anh Đức (Forum.autodaily.vn)
