For sale: the world's most expensive car?
10.02.2010 - Rhian Angharad Jones
(22)
An ultra-rare 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO has been put up for private treaty sale by American auction house RM Auctions.
The Ferrari 250 GTO is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cars ever built by Ferrari. It is also, quite possibly, the most valuable car in the world.
A couple of years ago, a 250 GTO reportedly changed hands for almost $28.5 million - that's just under £19 million. What we do know is that a 1962 250 GTO was sold at Sotheby's Monaco in 1990 for £5,499,471.
The classic Fezza - chassis number 4675 GT and factory finished in Rosso Cina - is one of only 39 250 GTOs originally produced, and one of four with Series II GTO bodywork.
When new, the GTO - which stands for "Gran Turismo Omologato", Italian for "Grand Touring Homologated" - cost just £6,000 with each buyer personally approved by Enzo Ferrari.
The GTO was a seriously successful race car, securing the World Championships in 1962, 1963, and 1964 for the Modenese car builder. This particular model was raced by Guido Fossati, Jean Guichet, Oddone Sigala, Vincenzo Nember and Luigi Taramazzo and proved itself a capable race car, rarely finishing outside the top three in its class and achieving numerous race wins.
The current owner, Yoshiho Matsud, acquired the classic Ferrari in 1996 and he has since maintained it in his world-renowned Japanese collection. Most recently it participated in a number of private GTO owner events, such as the 35th and 45th GTO Anniversary Tours in France and California.
Pictures courtesy of Simon Clay and RM Auctions
