Three weeks
today Sotheby's
will finally be conducting an unprecedented sale dedicated
to Italy's finest sports cars. The auction of Ferrari and
Maserati models spanning seven decades will be unique for
many reasons, not least because it will be held on the
hallowed ground of the prancing horse headquarters at
Maranello, where everything from the 1958 412S to the
Formula One F2004 have been built and tested.
Sotheby's is the only
auction house ever to hold a sale supported by Ferrari. The
event will also be a first in that every vehicle will be
sold with the full authentication from Ferrari's factory
engineers. Months of painstaking research has gone into
ensuring that all the cars are genuine and correct in every
detail, thereby eliminating the pitfalls often associated
with buying the rarest and finest examples of the Ferrari
and Maserati marques.
Highlights of the
Sale
The sale will present a selection of the most desirable and
important Ferraris and Maseratis. Among them is the 1962
Ferrari 330 TRI, which was the last front engine Ferrari to
win the Le Mans 24 Hours, and which was in the Bardinon
collection for 30 years. The
beautiful 4-cylinder 1955 750 Monza, a model that
contributed to the victory in that championship, is
estimated at 1,200,000-1,300,000 euros, and the 1961 250 GT
"lusso", by common consent one of the most beautiful
road-going Ferraris, is estimated at 800,000-1,200,000
euros. The 400th Ferrari Enzo built, is also included in the
sale, being offered by Ferrari to benefit the Tsunami
appeal. It is estimated at 1,000,000-1,100,000 euros. The sale will be
highlighted by the Formula One F2004, chassis number 234, in
which Schumacher won the Australian, Malaysian, Bahrain,
Imola and Spanish races. When the Formula One F2004 appears
at auction in June, it will be the first time that Ferrari
has offered a Formula One car from the past season. Estimate
available on request.
Maserati entries
include a superb 5000 GT, considered the most important
Maserati road car. With a beautiful body by Touring and
fitted with a 450 S racing engine, it is estimated at
650,000-750,000 euros.
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The auction will also include a Maserati MC12
factory car, chassis number 071, which won the 2004 FIA GT
championship race at Oschersleben (above), giving the first
victory to Maserati at a major international
race in 37 years |
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The
Sotheby's sale will be highlighted by a Formula One
Ferrari F2004, chassis number 234, in which Michael
Schumacher won the Australian Grand Prix (above)
before going on to win in Malaysia, Bahrain,
San Marino and Spain |
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Also a fine example of the legendary
4CL racing car of the forties, which is estimated to fetch
400,000-550,000 euros. The sale will also
include the Maserati MC12 factory car, chassis number 071, a
two-seater long-tail coupé-spider with a long wheel base
(2800 mm). It has a typical racing set-up with a removable
hard top, powered by a naturally aspirated 12-cylinder 65º V
engine that displaces 5998 cc and punches out 465 kW at 7500
rpm. Highly advanced composites and alloys have enhanced its
structural rigidity and kept its overall weight to a
minimum. This particular model won the 2004 FIA GT
championship race at Oschersleben, the first victory for
Maserati at a major international race in 37 years. It is
estimated to fetch 1,200,000-1,400,000 euros.
Chief among the
highlights of the historic cars in the sale, is the 1958
Ferrari 412 S, #0744, which has an illustrious past in North
American racing, having been driven by giants such as Phil
Hill and Richie Ginther. It is a unique car with the most
powerful front engine offered by Ferrari at that time. This
is without doubt one of the greatest cars ever to be offered
for sale. It is estimated to fetch 7,000,000-10,000,000
euros.
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