All-gold Ferrari so rare only 28 were ever made goes on sale for staggering £3.5m – complete with wooden steering wheel
12/22/2024 09:33 AM
AN ALL-GOLD 1958 Ferrari so rare only 28 were ever made has gone on sale for £3.5million.
Motorheads will salivate over the 250 GT LWB Berlinetta, with its 3.0-litre V-12 engine, triple Weber carburettors and stunning Scaglietti lightweight aluminium coachwork.
The car is finished in Oro Chiaro gold and boasts Rosso Bordeaux leather upholstery, as well as a wooden steering wheel with the famous Prancing Horse logo.
The car was first debuted in 1956 with driver Olivier Gendebien and navigator Jacques Washer who won their class at the Giro di Sicilia.
Followed by Marquis Alfonso de Portago's overall victory in the 3,600-mile Tour de France endurance rally later that year.
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Enzo Ferrari was so impressed with the car's performance that the new model after this race the 250 GT LWB Berlinetta became referred to as "Tour de France" or simply TdF.
Having never experienced any collisions and damage during its competition career this Ferrari is among the finest and most illustrious examples of this rare and coveted model.
The model on offer had been raced successfully, without incident, by two championship-calibre drivers.
One was the two-time Italian National Road Racing Champion Casimiro "Miro" Toselli of Turin who drove this model in competition from 1957 through 1960.
From January through October 1959, the next owner of the car Mauricio Marcotulli entered 0933 GT in at least six top-tier sports car road races as an entrant of the Automobile Club of Venezuela.
This highly coveted car is all set to be auctioned by RM Sotheby in Arizona in 2025.
"The Chassis 0933 GT is one of the very few race cars to have escaped entirely unharmed from its storied, laurel-crowned competition career," reads the listing.
"Without a single significant shunt or battle scar to mar its beautiful alloy coachwork, 0933 GT's remarkable preservation is the result of decades spent in esteemed Ferrari collections, which shielded it from additional years of intense racing across Europe.
"It is a wonderfully preserved example with original Bordeaux leather upholstery available to be reinstalled.
"It is one of only 28 attractive single-louver, covered-headlight examples, built for two-time Italian National Road Racing Champion Casimiro Toselli.
"It has a successful hillclimb history in 1958, including victory at the Aosta-Pila Hillclimb with Toselli.
"The car is a coveted part of several of the most distinguished Ferrari collections, including Pierre Bardinon's Mas du Clos, Comte Frederic Chandon de Briailles, Michel Seydoux, and nearly 20 years with the consignor.
"It is a highly eligible rally and concours example, having taken part in the California Mille, Colorado Grand, and Tour Auto."
Hollywood mega-star's 1958 Ferrari is PULLED from auction as mystery swirls over it's true history
A HOLLYWOOD mega-star’s vintage 1958 Ferrari was pulled from an auction after doubts were raised over its true history.
A row erupted last month between the auction house and members of an online owners’ forum over whether the motor is the genuine article.
Luxury auctioneer Christie’s was gearing up for its “Exceptional Sale” in Paris on November 20.
Most of the lots were 19th-century antiques and high-end clothing, but there was originally a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe on the list.
Only produced for six years between 1954 and 1960 as a less racing-orientated version of the Berlinetta 250 MM.
Styled by legendary coachbuilders Pininfarina and featuring a three-litre V12, it is widely regarded as one of the most desirable classic models on the market.
And this particular example’s value to collectors was boosted even further by the fact that it was, according to the listing, previously owned by A-list actress Angelina Jolie.
It was expected to fetch upwards of £681,000 when the sale went through.
But the ad was taken down after concerns were raised in the Ferrari Chat online forum.
Suspicions had been raised when users noticed the listing was light on detail about the car’s link to the superstar.
Some suggested that Jolie never actually owned the car, but that it simply appeared alongside her in an advert for perfume company Guerlain in 2017.
According to a report from Bloomberg, the car was originally sold by RM Sotheby’s in 2015, before being advertised by Copley Motorcars in Boston, USA.
That outlet is the last registered keep of the sportster according to Barchetta, an online registry of Ferrari vehicles.
However, it remains uncertain whether the car was gifted to Jolie after the Guerlain ad, which featured a car that looked very similar to the one offered for sale.
The actress has previously sold items given to her as gifts by her former husband Brad Pitt through the same auction house.
Christie’s removed the listing but insisted that the car did belong to the Tomb Raider star.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “At the request of Ms. Jolie's team, Christie's will not offer this lot at auction in November, to better position the lot for future sale.”
