Top 10 Ferraris: the legendary racers that rule the auction world

By the end of this feature our keyboards could’ve probably typed the terms ‘250’ and ‘GTO’ by themselves. And there’s good reason for that. The thing you’ll spot within this list is the prominence of competition cars, particularly the king of all historic racing machinery, the 250 GTO. There are two things about racing cars that makes them so desirable; the fact there are so few of them, and that they represent specific snapshots in time. Compared to production cars – which even of this era were generally churned out in their hundreds – there were only ever a handful of racing versions, many of which never survived their careers either intact or at all. Plus, there’s only ever one example that triumphed in that certain race or was handled by that certain driver on that day. They are icons of their time in the way road cars simply cannot be. That desire and drive for the unique is always going to be a hit across the auction block.

10. 2025 Daytona SP3 ‘Tailor Made’ 

Price $26,000,000 (£19.27m) 

What it lacks in history, this car more than makes up for in individuality. In a mass-produced modern world, Ferrari’s limited runs of Icona concept supercars make for a refreshing twist. This one-of-a-kind Daytona SP3 – following on from the Monza SP1 and SP2 – was built to cap the original run of 599 units, with this being the 600th and final to roll off the line. Featuring an unadulterated 829bhp V12 and unique two-tone carbon-yellow livery with garish ‘FERRARI’ branding across the body, it also came with steering wheel and dashboard parts made from the same carbon that went into the SF-25 Formula 1 car. Auctioned direct from Maranello, with all proceeds going to the Ferrari Foundation for global education. RM Sotheby’s Monterey, 2025.

9. 1964 275 GTB/C Special

Price $26,400,00 (£21.93m) 

How do you follow a headline act like the 250 GTO? Well, as it turns out, you don’t really, considering the 275 GTB/C Speciale never really got the chance to follow fully in the wheeltracks of its illustrious predecessor. Developed for the 1965 season, the 275 GTB Competizione Speciale aimed to improve on the 250 with independent rear suspension, fully synchromesh gearbox and 3.3-litre Colombo V12. Only four were made, with three of them wearing ‘Speciale’ lightweight alloy bodywork. Problem was the FIA wasn’t keen on homologating what was a lightweight special into its GT category, so the model’s racing was heavily restricted by a rules dispute. This chassis, 06701, didn’t see much action until later in its life when owner Brandon Wang entered it for historic races before putting it through a full restoration. Out of the public spotlight for much of its life, it made for a rare and highly desirable lot. RM Auctions Monterey, 2014.

8. 1967 275 GTB/4 NART Spyder

Price $27,500,000 (£23.22m) 

Wait, a regular road car… in this list?! Certainly, and one with both infallible prominence and a story. In an effort to help Ferrari crack America, US importer Luigi Chinetti had convinced Enzo that chopping the roof off a 275GTB Berlinetta could be a great way of taking in the coastal sunshine. American businessman Eddie Smith Snr agreed, and placed an order for the 1968 drop-top. Only 10 NART Spyders were built, and Steve McQueen got the first one, but then attempted to buy this car from Smith after his had been rear-ended in a road accident. Smith refused, and held on to the machine until his death in 2007. Six years later his son Smith Jr decided the car was being ‘imprisoned’ and offered it for sale, donating the funds to charity. RM Sotheby’s Monterey, 2013.

7. 1956 290MM Spyder

Price $28,050,000 (£23.27m)

This was the car that brought world championship glory back to Ferrari. While Maranello had things its own way in the World Sportscar Championship in the early 1950s, Mercedes-Benz’s arrival with the 300SLR changed the game in 1955. Ferrari needed a rethink, and for 1956 the 290MM was its answer. Powered by a new 3.5-litre 60-degree Jano V12 and counting Wolfgang von Trips, Eugenio Castellotti, Phil Hill, Maurice Trintignant and Juan Manuel Fangio on the driving strength Ferrari walked it, comfortably out-scoring Maserati and winning both the Millie Miglia and Swedish Grand Prix. Only four 290MMs were constructed, two from scratch and two converted from 860 Monzas, and this, chassis 0626, was the first. With its astonishing roster of top-line drivers and its careful preservation it represents a significant moment in Maranello history. RM Sotheby’s New York, 2015.

6. 1967 412P Berlinetta

Price $30,255,000 (£23.7m)

Only once in a blue moon (or should that be red moon?) does a 412P come up for sale, and this was the first at auction for a quarter of a century. Hardly surprising given that only four were ever made, and only two of them can claim to be ‘true’ originals. Ferrari supplied this model only to its four trusted partner teams for 1967, however two of the chassis began life as the older P3 specification from 1967, so actually only two were built from the ground-up as 412Ps, and this is one. Chassis 0854 was delivered to Maranello Concessionaires and campaigned initially by Richard Attwood and Lucien Bianchi, claiming a podium finish in the 1967 Spa 1000km, despite losing almost a lap with a stall at the start. It appeared at Le Mans too, but retired with an oil pump failure. After stints in the hands of David Piper, Jo Siffert and Piers Courage, it was then damaged by fire in 1969, but was wearing lightweight GRP bodywork at the time. Reunited with its original alloy bodywork across a nine-year restoration in the 2000s, it appeared at high-profile historic events and been showcased at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2019. Bonhams Monterey, 2023.

5. 1957 335 Sport Scaglietti

Year 2002 / Price $35,821,289 (£24.6m))

With a roster of drivers counting von Trips, Hawthorn, Musso, Moss and Gregory, it’s of little wonder why this ultra-rare 335 became the most expensive car to be sold in Europe at the time of its commission to Artcurial Motorcars’ Rétromobile sale back in 2016. One of just four made, chassis 0674 was originally built as a 315S in 1957, with Wolfgang von Trips taking it to second in the Mille Miglia. Converted to 335 Sport it then ran at Le Mans with Mike Hawtorn and Luigi Musso but retired. The car would regardless help Ferrari to the World Sportscar Championship Makes’ title. Bought by Luigi Chinetti and driven to 1958 Cuban GP victory by Stirling Moss and Masten Gregory it eventually made its way into the hands of collector Pierre Bardinon in 1970. After restoration it was prime to fetch a healthy sum. Artcurial Motorcars Paris, 2016.

4. 1964 250 LM by Scaglietti

Price $36,344,960 (£26.70m)

For a long time, this stood as one of Ferrari’s most historic, and intriguing, racing cars. Historic why? Because for six decades it held the distinction of being the marque’s final outright Le Mans 24 Hours winner, until Ferrari’s Hypercar breakthrough in 2023. Intriguing, why? That comes down to who did, and didn’t, drive it. Chassis 5893 is the very car that Luigi Chinetti’s NART team raced to victory at Le Mans in 1965, with Masten Gregory and Jochen Rindt. Or so we all thought as controversy arose some years later when reserve driver Ed Hugus claimed he had actually driven a stint during the night to relieve Gregory as Rindt slept. No official recording matches up to Hugus’ claim, revealed in detail by a letter to a fan made public after his death. Regardless, this car was also the only Ferrari of the Enzo era to compete in six different 24-hour races, with three starts at both Le Mans and Daytona. After its final race at Daytona in 1970 the car was donated to the Indianapolis Motor Museum before this sale made it the most expensive Le Mans-winning car ever. RM Sotheby’s Paris, 2025.

3. 1962 250 GTO S1

Price $38,115,000 (£31.7m)

One of the most-raced 250 GTOs in existence, and from the private estate of one of the marque’s most prominent collectors. Chassis 3851 was 17th off the production line and was originally ordered by Jo Schlesser. Later sold to Italian racer Paolo Colombo and used to win 12 of the 14 national hillclimb rounds in 1963, and then to Ernesto Prinoth, the car eventually settled into the hands of Fabrizio Violati, the founder of Ferrari Club Italia and owner of one of the world’s greatest private Ferrari collections. Raced regularly by Violati until his death in 2010, the car remained within his estate until this sale. Bonhams Monterey, 2014.

2. 1962 250 GTO by Scaglietti

Price $48,405,000 (£37.2m)

The third 250 GTO ever to be built, and a former world record holder. Chassis 3413 set the auction world alight with a then-record breaking sale back in 2018, largely driven by a frenzied bidding war and its near-unrivalled racing provenance. This car was no shrinking violet when it came to competition, taking class wins in the Targa Florio in 1963 and 1964 plus national titles in Italy before becoming a regular attraction in historic racing and concours. This was also the first car fitted with the Series 1 Scaglietti bodywork, featuring sail-panel vents, smaller brake ducts and reworked radiator intake. Ferrari Classiche and independent Ferrari expert Marcel Massini labelled it one of the finest examples in existence. Bidding opened at an eye-watering $35m and a three-way phone bidding war pushed that northwards across just 10 minutes. RM Sotheby’s Monterey, 2018.

1. 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO by Scaglietti

Price $51,705,000 (£42.1m)

When we talk about unique, the word doesn’t ring much truer than with this particular 250 GTO, a unicorn car in all respects. Chassis 3765LM was the sole ‘factory’ 250 GTO, entered and operated by Scuderia Ferrari during a time when Maranello was quite happy to simply sell cars and let its customers fly the flag. It was the only model to be upgraded to run the 4-litre Colombo V12, dispensing with the car’s regular 3-litre unit. Second overall and a class winner at the 1962 Nürburgring 1000km with Willy Mairesse and Mike Parkes (beaten only by the factory’s Dino 246 SP that day) it was also raced at Le Mans that year by Parkes and Lorenzo Bandini, but retired with radiator trouble after seven hours and still wears its number 7 badging proudly. Having benefitted from a full restoration by Shelton Ferrari in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the car became a concours star, winning best of show at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Sotheby’s New York, 2023.