Three $3m-Plus Ferraris Headline ‘Driving Into Summer’ Auction

‘Driving into summer’ seems like an optimistic catchphrase in this era, and certainly something to look forward to. If you’re a Ferrari fan, RM Sotheby’s Online Only: Driving Into Summer auction will certainly have you wishing for the open road. And perhaps winning the lottery, too.

The auction, set for May 21-29, will feature more than 150 beautiful classic cars, of almost every stripe and vintage, from the 1930s up to the 1990s. It’s also a collection that includes no less than 13 Ferraris, notably a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe, a 1964 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series I by Pininfarina and a 1975 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 ‘Safari’.

The real draw will be three blue-chip Maranello offerings for top-end collectors; rare, desirable and legendary, and each could top $3 million.

The 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO is one of just 272 built, and includes options such as air conditioning and power windows. Powered by a twin-turbocharged, 2.85-litre V8 mounted longitudinally mid-ship, it made 395hp and 366lb ft (496Nm) of torque. It was purchased new by well-known Ferrari collector Hartmut Ibing. Today, its estimate is between $2,200,000 and $2,400,000.

The 1995 Ferrari F50 is, in the words of former Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezemolo, “the first and last Formula 1 car with two seats.” Heady words, but truer than one might think. The F50 has a carbon fibre monocoque covered with a carbon fibre body, and its naturally aspirated, 4.7-litre V12 with 512hp was closely related to the engine found in the Ferrari 641 F1 car that Alain Prost took to victory five times in 1990. This one, just the second F50 built, was originally sold in Germany but then had $100,000 of work done to bring it to spec for U.S. import. With just 3,371 miles (around 5,425km) on the odometer, this F50 is estimated between $2,500,000 and  $2,750,000.

Finally, there’s the 2003 Ferrari Enzo. One of just 400 ever built, the Enzo was named after the company’s founder and was even more outrageous than the F50. Its 6.0-litre V12 was the largest the company built since the days of Can-Am, and put out 651hp and 485lb ft (657Nm) of torque, giving it a top speed of 218mph (“over 350kph”). Again, it had a carbon fibre monocoque with carbon and kevlar body, but also featured F1-derived paddle shifters and active aerodynamics to keep it on the road.

This one had just two owners, both based in California, and an incredibly low 1,250 miles from new. Estimated between $2,600,000 and $2,900,000, expect this rare example to go for far more.

*Images courtesy of RM Sotheby’s