One of two built, the Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO carries an estimate of $60 million
RM Sotheby’s
The Ferrari 250 GTO has long been regarded as one of the world’s most desirable and expensive cars. In fact, it holds the record for two of the three most expensive cars ever sold at auction. The third most expensive car sold is the Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, which sold for $143 million.
Now, another unique example of the Ferrari 250 GTO is about to be auctioned off. This particular model is a 330 LM, which was initially designed to resemble a series one 250 GTO. However, it was originally built as a 330 LM and is one of only two to carry this bodywork. The chassis number of this 330 LM is 3765GT, and it was manufactured by Ferrari in 1962.
The 330 LM features a 4.0-liter engine, larger than the 3.0-liter engine found in the GTO. It also has a longer floor pan and a larger hood bulge. This car was created to meet FIA racing regulations, and while the first two examples of the 330 LM share their bodywork with the GTO, later models had bodywork similar to the 250 Lusso.
Ferrari itself describes the first two 330 LMs as “very similar” to the 250 GTO, and they were sometimes even referred to as the “4-litre GTOs”.
This unique 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO by Scaglietti will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in New York on November 13. It is the only 1962 GTO to have been raced by Ferrari’s own Scuderia Ferrari team, as the other examples were sold to race teams. RM Sotheby’s estimates its value at $60 million.
One raced by Scuderia Ferrari, the car will be auctioned in New York on November 13
RM Sotheby’s
Chassis 3765 GT achieved great success at the 1962 Nurburgring 1,000km, finishing first in class and second overall. It also participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans that same year, driven by Mike Parkes and Lorenzo Bandini. Although it qualified in seventh place, it unfortunately didn’t finish the race. The 330 LM’s V12 engine produced 385 horsepower, around 90 more than the GTO’s 3.0-liter engine. The car weighed 950 kg (2,095 lbs) without fluids and had a claimed top speed of 280 km/h (174 mph).
After being sold by Ferrari in 1964, the 330 LM was fitted with a smaller, 3.0-liter engine to compete as a 250 GTO. In this configuration, it placed second in the 1965 Sicilian Hillclimb Championship. It was later owned by the chairman of the Ferrari Club of America and is now being offered for auction by its owner of the past 38 years. During its ownership, the car achieved notable success, including coming second in the GTO class at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and winning Best of Show at the 2012 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
A stripped-out racer that’s also street legal, the 330 LM finished first in class at the 1962 … [+]
RM Sotheby’s
According to Sotheby’s, the estimated auction price for this car is $60 million, a significant increase from its previous sale price of $500,000 in 1985. The car was originally sold by Ferrari itself for $6,000 in 1964.
While it remains to be seen whether this auction will set any new records, surpassing the $80 million paid for the 1962 250 GTO in 2018 or the $143 million sale of the Mercedes Uhlenhaut Coupe will be quite the feat.
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