If there is one name that resonates with car enthusiasts around the world it is Ferrari. The 85-year-old brand has stood strong against the tides and built itself into a global brand boasting an unmatched pedigree. With an extensive racing career and victories in almost every class, Ferrari is one of the world's most renowned and celebrated car brands.
How Much is The Most Expensive Ferrari
Modern Ferraris aren’t necessarily affordable, with some of its recent models like the LaFerrari fetching two to three times their original price and are some of the most expensive cars on sale. But some classic Ferraris have been known to break records the very few times they do go on sale. We’re talking about the most expensive Ferraris ever sold.
1963 Ferrari 250 GTO – $70 million
The Ferrari 250 GTO is the holy grail for every Ferrari collector in the world. With only 36 of these cars ever made, they are already ultra rare. But what makes the GTO lineup so coveted is that they have an illustrious racing history and were a very hard car to get. Back in the 60’s anyone who wanted to buy a 250 GTO had to get personal approval from Enzo Ferrari himself. Out of the 10 most expensive Ferraris ever sold the top 5 positions are all variants of the Ferrari 250 GTO and it’s very rare to see them ever in public.
This particular GTO broke all records set by any Ferrari in the past selling for $70 Million to Ferrari collector and founder of WeatherTech, David McNeil in 2018. This 1963 GTO was raced by its previous owner winning the 1964 Tour de France and coming 4 th in the 24 hours of Le Mans. Despite having a fantastic racing career this car luckily never crashed and has since been maintained in a pristine condition.
The 250 GTO has legally been declared as a work of art. With its captivating body lines, V12 engine, and racing pedigree, this car has set a new benchmark for Ferrari collectors and shows just how far they would go to acquire the ultimate Ferrari.
1963 Ferrari GTO - $52 million
Consistently breaking records whenever they come up for sale, this 1963 Ferrari GTO is the second most expensive Ferrari ever sold. Sold to an unnamed buyer through a private sale in 2013, this Ferrari GTO has raced in multiple heritage races since its past ownership in 1974. Something quite shocking is this car was initially sold for just $18,500 in the U.S. when it was new.
1962 Ferrari 330 LMB – $51.7 million
Though not a real 250 GTO the 330 LM was a Series I GTO that looked very similar to the other 250 GTOs but had a longer wheelbase, a different chassis, and an engine. Only four 330 LMs were built and came with a 4.0 litre V12 engine from the factory in comparison to the regular 3.0 litre Colombo V12 of the 250 GTOs.
This specific car is the only one that was raced by Ferrari’s factory team, winning its class at the 1962 Nurburgring 1000 km and participating in the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans. All other GTOs were either raced by individuals or other race teams. The 330 LM then moved to the US after being sold by the Ferrari team for a mere $6,000 and was restored by its previous owners in 1985. The car was publicly offered for the first time in 2023, 38 years later with RM Sotheby’s and achieved a landmark sale fetching $51.7 million making it one of the most expensive Ferraris ever sold.
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1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – $48.4 million
It is very rare for a Ferrari 250 GTO to ever come in the market. With only 36 ever built (and 3 prototypes), many were crashed in races leaving only a handful left. Owners that have one never want to sell them, but occasionally you do see one up for sale and collectors get ready to spend millions of dollars to get one. This Ferrari 250 GTO was offered by RM Sotheby’s in 2018 and had set a record price when the hammer hit $48.4 million.
This 250 GTO was one of only four to receive the Series II GTO/64 bodywork in-period from Scaglietti and one of seven in this spec ever. The car won more than 15 class and overall victories in multiple races, including first-in-class at both the 1963 and 1964 Targa Florio events. It also received Ferrari Classiche certification in 2018 and was declared as one of the very best examples of the GTO still in existence.
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – $38.1 million
It may look like a recurring theme, but 250 GTOs have always been the most expensive Ferraris ever sold whenever one comes up for sale. This model was the previous record holder for the most expensive car ever sold at an auction where the hammer dropped at $38.1 million. This GTO has matching numbers and was once raced in the 1962 Tour de France where it finished second.
The car has had a difficult life with it being crashed once during the Coupes du Salon race after which it was restored by the Ferrari factory. The car’s multiple owners also raced it when it again met with a crash by ex-F1 driver Ernesto Prinoth and was then again restored in his own workshop. It was then acquired by historic racer and Ferrari collector Fabrizio Violati who was asked by Enzo Ferrari himself to form the Ferrari Club Italia. This car was used as a part of the official Collezione Maranello Rosso display, a title approved by Enzo Ferrari himself.
1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti – $35.8 million
Arguably one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever made, the 1957 335 Sport Spider by Scaglietti is not only one of the most beautiful Ferraris in the world but also one with an incomparable racing pedigree. Built as a car to go racing, the car did not disappoint, winning the 1958 Cuban Grand Prix and finishing second in the 1957 Mille Miglia. The car was also raced at the Venezuela Grand Prix and the Swedish Grand Prix in 1957 where it finished in second place.
Adding to its pedigree is that this car was driven by racing legends like Sir Stirling Moss, Wolfgang von Trips and also Mike Hawthorn, winner of the very first Formula 1 Driver’s championship. The car has been recorded extensively throughout its history being featured in many books dedicated to tracing Ferrari’s racing heritage.
1967 Ferrari 412 P Berlinetta - $30.2 million
Winner of the 1967 World Sportscar Championship, this fantastic Ferrari 412 P Berlinetta is one of the most stunning racecars ever to wear the prancing horse badge. Built as a customer version of their famous P3 racecar for Ferrari’s privateer race teams, this matching-numbers car came with a 420 hp 4.0 litre V12 with six Weber carburettors instead of the fuel injection system.
The car featured an advanced for-its-time suspension with coil springs, anti-roll bars, unequal-length wishbones and even 4 corner disc brakes. After its racing concluded it was in the hands of private owners and went through a meticulous 9 yearlong restoration, bringing it to an immaculate condition. The car was also made road-legal and is registered making it a one-of-a-kind experience for its owner.
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1956 Ferrari 290 MM Scaglietti Spider - $28 million
Only 4 Ferrari 290 MM were built to compete in the 1956 Mille Miglia (hence the ‘MM’ acronym) and win the World Sportscar Championship. This car was raced by Formula 1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio who started from last place and drove solo with no navigator, still managing to finish in fourth position. Another 290 MM piloted by Eugenio Castellotti won the race showcasing the prowess of the car. Phil Hill and Maurice Trintignant also won the Swedish Grand Prix of that year with the same car, winning Ferrari the overall victory in the 1956 World Sportscar Championship.
Though a race car this car is the only one that did not meet with a crash and received Ferrari Classiche certification when it went on auction in 2015. Fetching $28 million, the car was the most expensive car sold in 2015 and was the third most expensive car in the world at that time.
1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 NART Spider – $27.5 million
This 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 NART Spider was sold at RM Sotheby’s back in 2013 blowing away people's expectations when it sold for $27.5 million. Only 10 of these magnificent cars were built by Ferrari and this specific one was featured in Steve McQueen's movie, The Thomas Crown Affair .
Luigi Chinetti, North America’s Ferrari dealer asked Scaglietti and Enzo Ferrari to build a spider model of the 275 GTB/4. The cars were informally called NART Spiders, referring to his North American Racing Team. Luigi initially intended to order 25 spiders but as sales were low only 10 were built, making this one of the rarest Ferrari 275 models.
1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale – $26.4 million
The 275 GTB/C Speciale was the first racing version of the 275, built to succeed the 250 GTO as Ferrari’s entry to the 1965 GT class racing season. Only four were built and each of them had different bodywork as they were all hand built from aluminium and Ferrari designers were experimenting with different aerodynamic profiles of the car. The FIA initially refused to homologate the car for the GT class but settled on a compromise when Enzo Ferrari threatened to abandon racing in the category.
Due to these homologation delays, only one car out of the four was able to race in the 1965 season. This Ferrari wasn’t the one that raced but its rarity and condition got it sold at $26.4 million in 2014 at an RM Sotheby’s auction making it the tenth most expensive Ferrari ever sold.
Looking at these figures one may think that it is ridiculous to spend so much money on a car. But if you think about it, these cars are not just cars, they’re mechanical pieces of art. These cars represent some of the best examples of Enzo Ferrari’s vision of building the best cars in the world. With their high rarity and pedigree, classic Ferraris also serve as an investment.
Their prices seem to go only in one direction and Ferrari collectors from around the world are waiting to jump on the occasion when one comes up for sale. Owning any Ferrari like these also gives access to Ferraris invite-only rallies and events, where you get to meet an interesting circle of people who share the same passion and love for the brand.
