An exceptional Ferrari racing car is up for grabs at a Paris auction and could go for a record price of up to €32m (£24.6m, $35.8m). The instantly recognisable red 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti was on display at the Paris Retromobile fair before it goes on sale at an Artcurial auction on Friday (5 February). This Ferrari is one of the most famous racing cars in the history of the sport, organisers of the auction have said.
This model, one of only four ever to be manufactured at the Ferrari factory, allowed the Italian manufacturer to win the Constructors World Championship title in 1957 and saw the most famous drivers of the time race at its wheel.
This car has been driven by all the best pilots in history: [Wolfgang] von Trips, who arrived second at the Mille Miglia in 1957; Mike Hawthorn for the 24 hours of Le Mans; Maurice Trintignant; and Stirling Moss who ... won the Grand Prix of Cuba in 1957. So it is... [a] masterpiece of the history of ... international races, Artcurial auctioneer Matthieu Lamoure said. Its a big price but this is a price of an exceptional car. This model has been built by Ferrari, it is a work car so its a very official car, only four built, and this one is the only one with such a great history and such a great provenance, he added.
This unique Ferrari belonged to one of the biggest Ferrari collectors in the world, who owned 50 models produced by the Italian car maker, and who even had a private track built in central France to enjoy them. Another Ferrari – a 1963 250 GT Berlinetta, which is hoped to fetch up to €12m – was also on display, and is considered by many to be the most beautiful Gran Turismo car. Also available is a silver 1986 Testarossa that belonged to Italian car manufacturer Fiats patriarch, Gianni Agnelli, with an estimated auction price of €680,000-900,000.
The auction, which takes place on 5 February from 2.00pm, features a total of 172 vehicles plus a luxury yacht.
