RE: Check out the most valuable Ferrari ever auctioned

[B10]

Lovely beautiful car. However I find it strange that its rear cart springs and live axle seldom get commented upon. Yet other lesser cars get criticised for their more sophisticated suspension; Corvette (independent transverse leafs), DB4-6 etc..

[Straight6s]

Almost as nice as my Triumph GT6

[Terminator X]

It does look to be fair.

TX.

[Unreal]

WPA said:

Beautiful car but I struggle with the value, not saying it is not worth it but it has become an instrument of wealth.

Can never really be used or enjoyed.

Shame really

What do people honestly expect the super rich to own?

It's just a question of levels, they buy the best of everything because they can and because it's perfectly natural. Same as houses. There'll be a billionaire somewhere living in a bedsit and driving a Trabant but I doubt there are two.

I think it's great that there is no limit to what people can acquire and own. We're all on a ladder in terms of material possessions and I love dreaming of being at the top and owning something like that. That it would require a massive lottery win doesn't change that one bit.

[UTH]

Jimbo. said:

I just don’t get it. Sorry. Yes, it’s a wonderful looking thing, and I’m sure it drives great, sounds great etc, and does all the good things a ‘60s Ferrari should. I even have one of of those Bburago metal model cars as a kid, second favourite in my collection only to the F40

However. A car like this originally had value because of its significance: its back story, its competition history, its engineering etc. It’s the product of Bizzarini and the best Italian metal bashers of the time doing their thing, and the car doing what it was always intended to do. Now, this car has significance almost entirely because of its value. Numbers. It’s become a stock, a share, a number moved around on a piece of paper somewhere: something it was never meant to be. It’ll gather dust in a hall somewhere and turn wheels only when pushed around at Pebble Beach. And that, meh…just leaves me cold.

I'm with you, I don't get it either. Maybe I'm not old enough. But it just doesn't make sense to me how people get SO excited about this, saying they could look at it for hours etc, and if they had £50m they'd buy it.
But then, I don't really get art either, I would look at the Mona Lisa for about 10 seconds before getting bored and going to the nearest pub.

[re33]

Unreal said:

WPA said:

Beautiful car but I struggle with the value, not saying it is not worth it but it has become an instrument of wealth.

Can never really be used or enjoyed.

Shame really

What do people honestly expect the super rich to own?

It's just a question of levels, they buy the best of everything because they can and because it's perfectly natural. Same as houses. There'll be a billionaire somewhere living in a bedsit and driving a Trabant but I doubt there are two.

I think it's great that there is no limit to what people can acquire and own. We're all on a ladder in terms of material possessions and I love dreaming of being at the top and owning something like that. That it would require a massive lottery win doesn't change that one bit.

I think you missed the point. It's not the same as a normal person buying a £6k 350z because they would actually drive it. Whoever has bought this is still going to be too interested in its value (you could say poor) to ever drive it.

[Turbobanana]

Straight6s said:

Almost as nice as my Triumph GT6

Much nicer than mine:



Yes, it's a commodity (the GTO, not my 6), but it's also a living, moving work of art. Would I spend £50m on one? Probably not, even if I had it. I'd probably buy a good replica that looked, sounded and drove right but I wouldn't be so afraid to bend. Then spend the rest on other objects of desire.

Doesn't stop me admiring it, mind.

[Andy 308GTB]

I have always thought the 330LMB was better looking (and rarer, 5 built).
Same front end but a much sleeker rear.

[Baldchap]

Looks a bit E-Typey to my eye, which as a younger PHer is not a good thing!

Looks ok on some angles, but not for me. Too old. Classics just don't do it for me.

[AstonDamascus]

Noting that many original 250 GTO (and 330 GTO?) owners now only drive 'Tool Room' copies of their cars (even when racing at Goodwood), one wonders if this car will ever see the light of day.
Shame.
Enzo would have been very disappointed.
But at US $50m a pop, would one really be surprised?

[LotusOmega375D]

Robertb said:

With values like this I’m grateful to the owners who race them at Goodwood etc and give folk the chance to see them in proper action.

I doubt many (if any) of the 250 GTOs you see racing at Goodwood nowadays are the real deal. They’re tool room replicas, often with modern features and no authentic patina whatsoever.

[donutskidmark]

Bigtrev said:

One of the most gorgeous cars ever built only an e type is better

Agreed - a series 1 FHC E Type is a prettier car.

[Jon_S_Rally]

re33 said:

I think you missed the point. It's not the same as a normal person buying a £6k 350z because they would actually drive it. Whoever has bought this is still going to be too interested in its value (you could say poor) to ever drive it.

Does that actually matter though? It's their money and their car, so they can do as they wish with it. If someone wants to buy it and drive it, there's nothing stopping them if they can afford it. And it's not like it doesn't happen with cheaper cars. How many people bought a GR Yaris or Focus RS and tucked it away, thinking they'd make some money?

Everyone likes different things, and not everyone buys cars to drive them. Some get enjoyment from ownership, from cleaning, from looking at, from rebuilding. The car world is a broad church and there's nothing wrong with that.

[JJJ.]

My head can't compute, fabulous car and all.
Now, if I had 'only' five million to spend I'd have no bother computing.

[re33]

Jon_S_Rally said:

re33 said:

I think you missed the point. It's not the same as a normal person buying a £6k 350z because they would actually drive it. Whoever has bought this is still going to be too interested in its value (you could say poor) to ever drive it.

Does that actually matter though? It's their money and their car, so they can do as they wish with it. If someone wants to buy it and drive it, there's nothing stopping them if they can afford it. And it's not like it doesn't happen with cheaper cars. How many people bought a GR Yaris or Focus RS and tucked it away, thinking they'd make some money?

Everyone likes different things, and not everyone buys cars to drive them. Some get enjoyment from ownership, from cleaning, from looking at, from rebuilding. The car world is a broad church and there's nothing wrong with that.

As you say they could do whatever they want. Investing in cars isn't for me and whether it's locking away a GR Yaris or Ferrari it just seems sad that the owners don't get to enjoy the sensations of driving them. Hopefully this car is at least seen at some events as it does look great.

[LotusOmega375D]

AstonDamascus said:

Noting that many original 250 GTO (and 330 GTO?) owners now only drive 'Tool Room' copies of their cars (even when racing at Goodwood), one wonders if this car will ever see the light of day.
Shame.
Enzo would have been very disappointed.
But at US $50m a pop, would one really be surprised?

But therein lies the tragedy. These cars will never be cheap again. If you bump one on the race track, it will always be worth repairing it, so why not enjoy them? Personally I’d much rather see an original condition car racing with the proud owner at the wheel, than a modern developed replica, with a paid hot-shoe ex-BTCC driver. But I guess I’m in the minority.

As for this car, it’s kind of a shame that it reverted to the 3 litre engine so early in its life. I think they only made two 4 litre cars and this one raced both of its major events with the 4 litre fitted. From memory they had a higher bonnet bulge, slightly wider wheel arches and a larger front grille for cooling.

NB: this is not one of the 33 250 GTOs (3 litre) mentioned in the article.

Edited by LotusOmega375D on Tuesday 14th November 10:31

[jason61c]

Even with all the money in the world i'd have a toyota 2000gt instead.

for say $1m, saving all the change and having a prettier car also.

https://mag.toyota.co.uk/toyota-2000gt-for-sale/

[Darnoc95]

Lucky enough to get up close to Nick Masons earlier in the year when he opens up his gardens for charity.
All i can say is out of all the wonderful machinery on display the GTO by far was the highlight. They are so stunning in the metal. Actually had to pinch myself!

[kambites]

I've never quite got the hysteria around the 250 GTO. I mean it's lovely and it's rare and it had significant competition success, but to my mind it's neither quite lovely enough nor quite rare enough nor quite successful enough to justify being the second most valuable car ever...

[CKY]

Andy 308GTB said:

I have always thought the 330LMB was better looking (and rarer, 5 built).
Same front end but a much sleeker rear.

Ditto, used to be the highlight of the Goodwood Revival for me, seeing Peter Hardman powersliding that 330LMB (poss 499FX?) around Goodwood in the RAC Tourist Trophy was a superb spectacle.