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This computer-generated Ferrari 250 GTO carved from marble rocks

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The Ferrari 250 GTO ranks as perhaps the most valuable production car ever made. In just the past two years, units of the ultimate '60s sports car have sold for $32 million, $35 million and maybe as high as $52 million. With just 39 of them ever assembled, these Ferrari owners are among a rarefied class of an already top-tier class of car collectors. So once you collect the ultimate car, then what do you do? How about buy a scale model of it hewn from a single block of Arabescato marble by stone specialist Lapicida?

Interestingly, no sculptor developed a leathery callouses on his or her hands over the hundreds of man hours surely necessary to create this work of art, nor were dozens of hand tools worn to the nub in the pursuit of this homage to Italian performance. To create the 1:3.6 replica of a 1962/1963 GTO, Lapicida simply laser-scanned an actual GTO and fine-tuned the resulting data in 3D modeling software. Then, the file was sent to a computer-controlled, five-axis mill to shape the marble, which was selected because the veining gave the illusion of speed. Finally, it was hand-finished to make sure the details were as crisp as possible. The completed model measures 47.2-inches long, 18.1-inches wide and 13.4-inches tall and retails for a tidy £30,000 – over $49,000 USD.

Impressive though it may be, it seems hard to imagine spending that sort of money on a car that you can't sit in or drive down the road. Then again, if you can afford to own a real 250 GTO, it's barely pocket change. Lapicida also takes commissions, so if you want a marble model of your car, they're happy to do it. Then again, if you just need your foyer retiled or your personal chef's is demanding an upgraded kitchen, they'll do that, too. Scroll down to get the full details on the model.
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WOULD ENZO APPROVE OF OUR ARABESCATO MARBLE FERRARI GTO?
Ferraris evoke strong emotions in even the most rational of people, but whilst Lapicida's latest marble creation has really got people's blood racing, would Enzo Ferrari approve?

Produced entirely in-house by Lapicida's design and build teams, it is a perfect 1:3.6 replica of arguably the most drop-dead gorgeous sports car the world has ever seen - the 1962/63 Ferrari GTO. So how exactly was it made and every minute detail immortalised in Arabescato marble?

At their UK headquarters, Lapicida undertake exclusive commissions to create bespoke objects carved from natural stone for private and commercial clients from all over the world. For this particular piece, the team used state-of-the-art laser technology to scan every millimetre of an actual full-size GTO and then utilised advanced 3DMAX software to fine-tune an exact 3D model of the car using this data.

Next, important decisions needed to be made. Customers have a choice from a wide variety of natural stones including a multitude of different marbles, limestones or even semi-precious stones such as rock crystal from which their object can be carved.

Size is everything and often a juxtaposition between the original item's size and its stone facsimile can create serious impact. Lapicida's Breton NC1600 computer numeric controlled shaping mill is a goliath. One of only three in the world, it is capable of sculpting the 3D object at virtually any size from a single bloc of stone up to 25 tonnes in weight. This collosal 5-axis shaping mill used its diamond-tipped drill heads spinning at 7,000 rpm to carve the GTO with total precision from the finest Arabescato marble.

Finally, Lapicida's expert team of highly experienced stone craftsmen painstakingly hand-finished every square centimetre. The result is breathtakingly beautiful.

Its specifications are impressive. It measures a statuesque 1.2 metres long, is 46 cm wide and sits 34 cm above the tarmac. Carved from a single block of Italian Arabescato marble, its distinctive veining gives the illusion of speed and accentuates the GTO's every sumptuous curve and exquisite detail.

The Ferrari GTO is an undisputed design classic. Its muscular swooping lines, powerful haunches and inimitable 60's Italian styling make it the most exclusive and desirable sports car on earth – in fact, the most expensive too with a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO recently selling for an astonishing $52million. Just 39 GTOs were ever made, however, only one Arabescato Marble Ferrari GTO created by Lapicida exists in the world and you can own it outright for £30,000.

This is just one particularly fine example of a myriad of stunning bespoke objects created by Lapicida. If you are interested in owning this unique piece of motoring history or have a commission in mind and wish to discuss the possibilities, please contact Lapicida here.
So would Enzo give the nod of approval to this Arabescato Marble GTO? We like to think so.

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