The Le Mans-winning 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione changed hands for $9,405,000 (about €8.12 million) at the recent Bonhams auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, setting a new world auction record for the model.
As expected, chassis number 09079 attracted a lot of attention for bidders due to its rarity and its racing pedigree. The 11th of 12 cars built, it won the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours in the colors of Scuderia Filipinetti.
275 GTB Competizione cars featured a lighter chassis than the road-going 275, larger double fuel tanks and a new 3.3-liter V12 engine factory-modified to deliver more than 300 hp.
During the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours, the 275 GTB Competizione dominated the GT class from the very earliest stages and won it in the hands of the Swiss duo Dieter Spörry and Gianwirco Steinemann. Two years later, the car took two other big victories at the Spa-Francorchamps 1,000 km and the Imola 500 km.
After its racing career ended, the 275 GTB Competizione was sold several times and was restored in the late 1980s. The nut and bolt restoration was carried out in line with the original construction specifications and was certified as authentic by the Ferrari Classiche division in Maranello.
Besides the 275 GTB Competizione, five other Ferraris went under the hammer at Bonhams’ January 15 auction, racking up more than $2 million. A 1969 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta went for $748,000, with other significant Ferraris being a Dino 246 GT ($385,000), a 1982 512 BBi ($375,000), a 1984 512 BBi ($324,500) and a 1990 Testarossa ($250,800).
PHOTOS
