If you are an automobile lover, you probably know that some of the famous vintage cars designed by brands like Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Aston-Martin and so on, have changed hands over the years only to be bought by the new owner at a greater price than the last.
The concept of “second-hand” or “worn-out” does not exist in the world of car auctions where four-wheelers from the 1950’s can sell for millions. In fact, Sotheby's: Fine Art Auctions & Private Sales — a multinational auction firm — has made quite a name for itself by attracting record-breaking bids when it comes to pricing of the vehicles.
The auction house made quite a buzz last week, when it announced that the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis no. 3413 — presently owned by renowned car collector Greg Whitten, former chief software architect at Microsoft and present chairman of Numerix — will be up for grabs at an auction at the annual Concours d’Elegance motoring week event in Pebble Beach, Monterey, California, on Aug. 24 and 25.
The race car’s pre-auction price is estimated to be $45 million — a sale amount that can easily shoot up once the auction starts, making it a worthy contender for the most expensive car ever auctioned. The most expensive car till date to be auctioned was 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 4153, which race car driver Christian Gläsel sold in a private sale to David MacNeil, founder of the car floor mats maker WeatherTech, for at least $70 million in June.
“We are thrilled at the rare opportunity to offer a legendary Ferrari 250 GTO at auction,” said Shelby Myers, car specialist at auction consigner RM Sotheby's, Forbes reported. “This is just the third time that a GTO has been offered for public sale in the new millennium. The fact that the GTO exists as it did in period along with Dr. Whitten’s long-term enthusiastic ownership only adds to the car’s impeccable pedigree.”
So what about some of the other cars which made record-breaking sales at auctions in the past? Here are 24 of them, plus a look at the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, which could potentially break the existing record for the most expensive car ever sold.
1954 Ferrari 375-Plus Spider Competizione - Sold at $18,298,607 in June 2014.Getty Images/ MEHDI FEDOUACHA 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO road racing car is shown in this image released by RM Sotheby’s in Blenheim, Ontario, Canada, June 20, 2018. Reuters/ RM Sotheby's1962-63 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta - Sold at $38,115,000 in August 2014.REUTERS/Michael Fiala1957 Ferrari 335S Spider - Sold at $35,712,945 in February 2016.Getty Images/ JACQUES DEMARTHON1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider - Sold at $8,800,000 in January 2014.Reuters/ Stringer1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider - Sold at $9,075,000 in August 2013.Getty Images/ YASSER AL-ZAYYAT1966 Ferrari 275GTB Competizione - Sold at $9,405,000 in January 2015. REUTERS/Michael Fiala1931 Duesenberg Model J - Sold at $10,340,000 in August 2011.Getty Images/ TIMOTHY A. CLARY1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 Silver Arrow - Sold at $29,600,000 in July 2013.REUTERS/ Luke MacGregor1956 Ferrari 290 MM - Sold at $28,050,000 in December 2015.Getty Images/ Andrew Burton1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 S NART Spider - Sold at $27,700,000 in August 2013.Getty Images/ Jack Taylor1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider - Sold at $19,800,000 in August 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster - Sold at $11,770,000 in August 2012. Getty Images/ VALERY HACHE1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione - Sold at $18,150,000 in August 2016.REUTERS/Brendan McDermid1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta - Sold at $16,500,000 in August, 2015.Getty Images/ Jack Taylor1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider - Sold at $15,180,000 in August 2014. REUTERS/Marco Bucco1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato - Sold at $14,300,000 in December 2015. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann1964 Ferrari 250 LM - Sold at $14,300,000 in November 2013.REUTERS/Mike Segar1998 McLaren F1 'LM-Specification' - Sold at $13,750,000 in August, 2015.REUTERS/Brendan McDermid1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta - Sold at $13,200,000 in August, 2015. Getty Images/ Jack Taylor1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight - Sold at $13,200,000 in August 2015.REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB - Sold at $11,439,774 on October 2014. REUTERS/ Arnd Wiegmann1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa - Sold at $12,187,280 on May 2009. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza - Sold at $11,990,000 in August 2016. REUTERS/Michael Fiala