A few days ago, we told you about the return to Maranello of the Ferrari 250 LM that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965, before the auction held in recent hours by RM Sotheby’s specialists in Paris. Today we’re once again covering this magnificent racing car, due to the sensation caused by the record price at which it was sold: €34.8 million ($37.5 million). This is well beyond the pre-sale estimates, which went up to €25 million ($26.9 million), but a fierce bidding war between contenders was predictable, given the exclusivity of the lot offered to potential buyers.
Ferrari 250 LM sold at record price: $37.5 million
Here we are in the presence of the most prestigious Ferrari 250 LM ever, having won the queen of endurance races, in an era where the specific weight of these challenges was at the top of the sporting universe. Now this example, besides having a reference place in racing automotive history, gains a presence in the Olympus of Ferraris sold at the highest prices over the years.
The Maranello masterpiece was offered through RM Sotheby’s by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, in whose collection it shone like a star. Now it will go on to enhance some other dream collection, although there are no indications about who made the purchase, probably for privacy reasons. With this car, the automotive company sealed the achievement of six consecutive victories in the Sarthe challenge.
The Ferrari 250 LM in question was the only supercar of the brand, among those entered by privateers, to have won the legendary French race. It was also the only creation of the brand, dating back to the Enzo Ferrari era (1947-1988), to have participated in six 24-hour races, equally divided between Le Mans and Daytona. Without a doubt, we are dealing with the most important of the 32 examples of the species, the sixth to have taken shape.
Speaking of a four-wheeled myth is not at all exaggerated, but it’s a statement perfectly in line with the contents of the vehicle. That’s why during its recent return to Maranello, the Ferrari 250 LM featured in our article was welcomed like a queen, to be honored by the 499Ps that won the last two editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, picking up the thread interrupted in 1965, precisely with the car auctioned in Paris.
Seeing all three together, in front of Enzo Ferrari‘s house, at the edge of the Fiorano track, wrote a scene that produces unique emotions in enthusiasts. Making it even more special was the fact that the car had been missing from the domestic frame for 54 years, since it was sold by Luigi Chinetti to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, a few months after completing the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1970.
As we mentioned, this was the only privately-entered Ferrari to have won at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It did so in the colors of the North American Racing Team (NART) of the aforementioned Chinetti, giving vibrant emotions to Enzo Ferrari and millions of fans of the Italian myth. Now, this precious specimen, original and highly preserved, will bring joy to a wealthy collector, both in static and dynamic form.
We recall that the Ferrari 250 LM made its debut at the 1963 Paris Motor Show. The model’s power comes from a 3.3-liter V12 engine, positioned in the mid-rear, which delivers 320 horsepower maximum power at 7500 rpm, on a dry weight of 820 kilograms. The performance is obviously incredible and the reliability is also up to par, as evidenced by the success collected at the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Masten Gregory and Jochen Rindt.
Stylistically, the model in question has set standards, with aesthetic solutions adopted by other Ferraris born in subsequent eras. Despite being designed to compete with GTs, the Ferrari 250 LM was forced to compete with Sports cars, due to the International Sporting Commission’s denial of homologation in the lower category. A significant handicap, which nevertheless the Prancing Horse creation managed to overcome with its head held high. Today this car is an authentic myth, capable of achieving record prices at international auctions. In Paris, this was confirmed.