Autoblog

1964 Ferrari 250 GTO sells for nearly $32M

Noah Joseph — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Earnings/Financials, Ferrari

Widely regarded as one of the most sought-after cars ever made, it's not every day that a Ferrari 250 GTO changes hands. But that day, according to reports out of the UK, has come.

Word has it that a private treaty sale - the only way vintage machinery of this caliber ever moves - of one such 1964 model has yielded a purchase price of £20.2 million - $31.8M in equivalent U.S. currency- just shy of the $30-40 million said to have been paid in 2010 for a 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. In other words, this is the second most valuable car ever sold, and the most expensive ever sold in Britain. Or, at least, whose sale has ever gone on record, as many of these exchanges remain secretive.

Even in this case, although the purchase price was reportedly confirmed by the broker, the identities of the buyer and seller - and of the exact example in question - have not. The speculation is, however, that we're talking about s/n 5095, which British businessman Jon Hunt is said to have bought from former Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee in 2008 for £15.7 million (about $20.8M), and that it is now bound for Spain.

Whoever the buyer is, he or she is in good company. Of the 39 examples of the 250 GTO built, one belongs to Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, one to British radio personality and consumate Ferrari collector Chris Evans, and one to fashion icon Ralph Lauren (who also just happens to own a Bugatti Atlantic).

1964 Ferrari 250 GTO sells for nearly $32M originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodwood Revival rounds out the classics with sports cars and prototypes [UPDATE]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Celebrities, Specialty, Racing

Cobras, Tigers and... Ferrari's? Oh my! If you happened to miss our post on the '60s touring cars that took to the track at the 2011 Goodwood Revival, you may not realize just how amazing vintage racing can be. And it gets even more interesting as the value and historic significance of the cars increases.

For proof, we suggest you check out the two videos after the break to see vintage prototypes like the Ford GT40, various Lolas and a smattering of McLarens take to the track. Then, to top it all off, we have the '60s sports car class, which includes such iconic masterpieces as the Shelby Cobra (in both hardtop and Daytona Coupe guises), Ferrari models that include the famous GTO and the so-called Breadvan (a short-wheelbase 250 GT), plus a slew of machinery from Maserati and Aston Martin.

Did we mention these priceless classics are racing well-to-wheel in the pouring rain? Enough already, click past the break to watch the slip-sliding action for yourself.

UPDATE: Sadly, the embedded videos are not playing, but we still hope you click on over to Axis of Oversteer to take in the historic racing action.

Continue reading Goodwood Revival rounds out the classics with sports cars and prototypes [UPDATE]

Goodwood Revival rounds out the classics with sports cars and prototypes [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 1985 288 GTO lays claim to World's Fastest Ferrari with 275.4 mph run

Zach Bowman — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Coupe, Videos, Ferrari, Racing

World's Fastest Ferrari - Click above to watch video after the jump

We've seen a lot of special action from the Bonneville Salt Flats this year, but this just about takes the cake. The guys from P4 by Norwood, a Ferrari tuning shop, are laying claim to the title of the World's Fastest Ferrari with a record run of 275.4 mph averaged over two sprints. Using a stock-bodied 1985 288 GTO, owner Steve Trafton managed to snag not only the title of world's fastest Ferrari, but the world's fastest sports car (AA/BFMS) at the same time. The Prancing Horse beat out the previous record holder by just over 3 mph.

Interestingly enough, Thrafton skipped using a high-dollar Italian mill for this car's beating heart. Instead, there's a 540 cubic-inch big block General Motors V8 wedged down into that slinky body. Two Borg Warner 80-mm turbos help shove a full 17 pounds of boost into the eight-pot. Thrafton isn't saying exactly how much power the car is laying down, but it has to be enough to move a planet on command if need be. Hit the jump to watch the Ferrari do what it does best on the Utah salt.

[Sources: Seattle Post Intelligencer, YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 1985 288 GTO lays claim to World's Fastest Ferrari with 275.4 mph run

Video: 1985 288 GTO lays claim to World's Fastest Ferrari with 275.4 mph run originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angry Car Designer dreams up a Ferrari 612 GTO

Noah Joseph — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari, Design/Style

Ferrari 612 GTO by Sasha Selipanov - Click above for image gallery

Just about every time Ferrari comes up with a new variant of one of its supercars - be it the Scuderia, Spider, Challenge, XX or what-have-you - someone takes it upon themselves to imagine what another Prancing Horse from the stable would look like with the same treatment. Some come out looking better than others, but push comes to shove, there is no 458XX, no 599 Challenge and no California Scuderia. Once in a while, though, someone comes up with something truly intriguing.

In this case, that someone is Sasha Selipanov of Berlin, Germany, also known as the Angry Car Designer. Sasha's idea? The Ferrari 612 GTO. Only the thing is, these renderings don't depict what the Scaglietti would look like given the same treatment as the 599 GTO. No, this is something altogether more intriguing. More like a mix between the Aston Martin One-77 and the Ferrari 458 Italia, with a few elements from the original 250 GTO thrown in there for good measure. (Ferrari, Pininfarina? Are you paying attention for the 599's upcoming replacement?)

It's a design study, so there's little more left to discuss other than viewing the renderings for yourself, so check 'em out in the large gallery below. And if you like this, check out the source site, where Sasha's got some other intriguing designs on file. Most of them Ferraris, natch.

Gallery: Ferrari 612 GTO by Sasha Selipanov

[Source: AngryCarDesigner.com via autoblog.nl]

Angry Car Designer dreams up a Ferrari 612 GTO originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: First official shot of Ferrari 599 GTO

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ferrari

Click above to view the video after the jump

The crew at Fast Lane Daily have apparently scored the first official shot of the Ferrari 599 GTO ahead of its launch later this year, and while we're still suitably skeptical about the pic, we've been assured by the show's producers that this is the real deal.

So what's Ferrari have in store? If previous reports are to be believed, the GTO will be a road-focused version of the 599XX, packing a 700+ horsepower Enzo-derived 6.0-liter V12 capable of revving to 9,000 rpm. Shifts will be delivered in a mind-boggling 60 milliseconds, resulting in a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds as it climbs to a claimed 217 mph top speed. Only 500 units will be produced - and likely made available to select Ferrari owners - each carrying a price tag somewhere north of $400,000. Make the jump for Derek D's insufferable commentary and photoshopped shenanigans, and expect the 599 GTO to be revealed in full in the coming months.

Gallery: New York 2009: Ferrari 599XX

[Source: FastLaneDaily]

Continue reading Video: First official shot of Ferrari 599 GTO

Video: First official shot of Ferrari 599 GTO originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultra-rare 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO up for sale by RM Auctions... will it set a record?

Drew Phillips — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Auctions, Ferrari

1963 Ferrari 250 GTO #4675GT - Click above for high-res image gallery

Very rarely does a Ferrari 250 GTO come up for sale, and if it does, you'll probably never hear about it. Most sales are done behind closed doors, and the amount of said transactions are almost never disclosed to the public. That's just part of the mystique behind the world's most valuable car, and it's partially why the cars are so coveted. Just 36 examples were built between 1962 and 1963, each still in existence and easily carrying an eight-figure price tag. A few years ago, a 250 GTO supposedly changed hands for nearly $30 million, but no one can completely confirm the rumor.

We will, however, have more details about the next sale of a 250 GTO. RM Auctions have announced that they will be doing a "private treaty sale" of 1963 250 GTO chassis #4675GT. The car has been in possession of its current Japanese owner, Yoshiho Matsuda, since 1996 (a low point for the value of the car compared to the high prices of the late 1980s), and it has an extensive racing history.

We saw the car at the Pebble Beach Concour d'Elegance back in 2004, and while its Series II bodywork isn't quite as stunning as earlier models, it's still an extraordinarily beautiful car. If you've got millions of dollars just sitting around, now is the time to break out the checkbook and buy your very own rolling piece of V12-powered Italian artwork. Hit the jump for the official press release from RM or click the high-res gallery below for a beautiful studio shot plus several of our photographs from our 2004 encounter with the car.

Gallery: 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO chassis #4675GT

Non-Studio Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: RM Auctions]

Continue reading Ultra-rare 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO up for sale by RM Auctions... will it set a record?

Ultra-rare 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO up for sale by RM Auctions... will it set a record? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Ferrari 599 GTO? EVO says 700-hp bruiser is on the way

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:27:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Ferrari, Rumormill

Ferrari 599XX - click above for hi-res image gallery

Few words have greater impact when mashed together than "Ferrari" and "GTO." While there are rivals at times, the most expensive car in the word for the last three decades has been the original, Daytona Coupe battling, Le Mans winning Ferrari 250 GTO. Designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and raced into history by Phil Hill, few cars wear the moniker "legendary" quite as well. After all, only 39 were ever made.

But, like Leah, there is another. The mighty Ferrari 288 GTO. Developed -- like Porsche's 959 and 961 -- for Group B action, few if any cars set our hearts so totally on fire. Know nothings might scoff at the 2.85-liter displacement, but those of us in the know will point to the two turbochargers, two intercoolers and 400 stampeding horses. We might even tell them that if they turned the boost pressure up from 11.6 psi to something a bit higher, 600 hp is well within reach. However, the 288 GTO isn't, as just 272 examples (though some say 273) were made. Compare that to the 1,315 Ferrari F40s that were built. A car we should point out, that's basically a 288 GTO with a body kit.

Now there might be three. EVO is reporting that Ferrari is about to let loose a new GTO upon the world in the form of a 700 horsepower monster called the 599 GTO. Obviously, it's an evolution of the street 599, and in fact EVO's claiming it's the racetrack only 599XX for the street. During a recent interview, Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa told the Brit mag that when the 458 Italia debuted, the 599 was internally reassigned to the "Sports Car" division, instead of where it used to reside, as a "GT."

More interestingly, should it come to fruition, the 599 GTO will have specs to make Enzo owners smack their own foreheads. 700 hp will come from the raising the 6.0-liter V12's redline to a stunning 9,000 rpm. A faster transmission should shave gear change times down from 100 milliseconds to an essentially F1 quick 60 milliseconds. And it will be light. Everything should add up to a 3.2 second dash to 60 mph and an Enzo-matching top speed of 217 mph. Though if the 599 GTO went a little bit faster than that, we wouldn't be all that surprised. Tip of the Ferrari branded $50 Kimi Räikkönen baseball cap (no, really) to Kevin!

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Ferrari 599xx

[Source: EVO]

Rumormill: Ferrari 599 GTO? EVO says 700-hp bruiser is on the way originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Ferrari preparing hardcore 599 GTO?

Noah Joseph — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari, Rumormill

Ferrari 599XX - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ferrari often uses its World Finals event to unveil exclusive new versions of its most enticing road cars. The FXX Evoluzione was unveiled there a couple of years ago, and the 16M Scuderia Spider made its debut at the event last year. But aside from a mishap involving Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and Luca di Montezemolo in a California convertible, this year's event at Valencia came and went with nothing new to offer. However, the latest churns from the rumormill indicate Maranello could be working on an exciting new project.

Supposedly leaked pre-order sheets reportedly refer to a "599 GTO Limited Edition", named in deference to the iconic 250 GTO (to say nothing of the ground-pounding 288 GTO). Based on the 599 GTB Fiorano, the GTO could be Maranello's answer to arch-rival Lamborghini's Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce.

Incorporating design cues and technologies from the 599XX program, the 599 GTO could benefit from a weight-reduction program to cut some 100-150 pound off the curb weight thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber, while squeezing out as much as 700 horsepower from the Enzo-derived 6.0-liter V12. Pricing would be expected to jump by as much as a quarter to nearly $400,000, and if the reports prove accurate, the 599 GTO could be ready for debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March with the first of just 500 examples slated for delivery by this time next year.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Ferrari 599xx

[Source: Autogespot]

Rumormill: Ferrari preparing hardcore 599 GTO? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Little Nürburgring: Ferraris in their Natural Habitat at Mont Tremblant

Noah Joseph — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Ferrari, Canada

2009 Ferrari Challenge at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant - Click above for high-res image gallery

We've always found the idea of going on safari or a diving expedition rather intriguing. But while we can appreciate those willing to spend their precious vacation time and hard-earned cash to see nature's most beautiful creatures in their natural habitats, most of us here at Autoblog aren't exactly the nature-adventure types. We're car guys. The Ferrari Challenge... now that's more like it.

Like a lion in the Sahara or a bear in the forest, Ferraris belong on the race track. But the unfortunate reality is most end up sitting in tiled garages adjoining big mansions in prestigious locations. We get to see more than most, but more often than not they're perched on an auto show stand under floodlights and flash bulbs. So when Ferrari invited us to join them at the legendary Circuit Mont Tremblant for a round of wheel-to-wheel racing, we could hardly resist. Follow the jump for more.

Gallery: 2009 Ferrari F430 Challenge at Mont Tremblant

Gallery: 2009 Ferrari Historic Challenge at Mont Tremblant

Continue reading The Little Nürburgring: Ferraris in their Natural Habitat at Mont Tremblant

The Little Nürburgring: Ferraris in their Natural Habitat at Mont Tremblant originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari GTO cufflinks made of real Ferrari GTO

Alex Nunez — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Ferrari

Much like the Sex Panther cologne in Anchorman, which was "made with bits of real panther," Alfred Dunhill's enthusiast-oriented Provenance cufflinks are shaped like miniature Ferrari 250 GTOs, and are made of actual Ferrari 250 GTO aluminum body panels. Worry not, friends, as we're quite certain that Dunhill isn't wantonly slaughtering GTOs for the sole purpose of keeping French cuffs stylishly managed. A few panels were probably enough to make a full production run of the limited-edition baubles, which are as close to actual Ferrari GTO ownership as some buyers are going to get. With a price tag of $1800, even that subset of customers will assuredly be among the very well-heeled.

[Source: Dunhill via Acquire Mag]

Ferrari GTO cufflinks made of real Ferrari GTO originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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