The $52 million paid for a Ferrari 250 GTO in 2013 now looks like a bargain considering another example of the ultimate classic Ferrari has just traded hands for a rumored $70 million, which if accurate makes the figure the highest known price ever paid for a car.
The buyer was none other than WeatherTech CEO David MacNeil, who already owns a number of notable classics and is an avid racer.
His son, Cooper Macneil, is also a racer and will pilot a Ferrari 488 GTE in the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Few details on the 250 GTO's sale have been released to the public, though the website Classic Cars reported on June 1 that some details, such as the $70 million price, have been confirmed by noted Ferrari expert Marcel Massini. The seller is thought to be German collector Christian Glaesel.
1963 Ferrari 250 GTO bearing chassis No. 4153 GT
The particular car is one of the more famous 250 GTOs. It's a 1963 example bearing chassis No. 4153 GT, which is the car that won the 1964 Tour de France Automobile thanks to Lucien Bianchi and co-driver Georges Berger who raced for Ecurie Nationale Belge in the GT category. The car was painted silver and dressed with a Modena yellow stripe across its hood back then, just as it is today.
4153 GT also raced in the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans, in which it placed fourth overall. Despite two solid years of racing, the car never ended up in a crash, a rarity for the era.
The front-engined, V-12-powered 250 GTO is considered the Mona Lisa of classic cars. While there are cars that a rarer or have better racing pedigrees, the 250 GTO, just like the Leonardo da Vinci painting, has a special mystique about it. With just 39 ever built, don't be surprised if $70 million doesn't end up being the ceiling.
Note, Ferrari is considering cashing in on the crazy prices being paid for 250 GTOs. In March, Ferrari Chairman Sergio Marchionne said something like a 250 GTO continuation car was planned.
