Ferrari made some of the finest racing machinery in the 1960s, the likes of which now are selling for big bucks. RM Sotheby’s alone has handled a fair few of these multi-million-dollar classic Prancing Horses, but this latest consignment is rarer than most.
It’s a 1962 Ferrari 268 SP, one of just six examples made. Only five remain in existence, two of which were fitted from new with a 2.6-liter V8, and only this one with its unique shark-nose bodywork by Fantuzzi. And now it’s going up for auction.
Chassis number 0798 competed at Le Mans and Sebring, but itself never racked up many notable race wins. What makes it important is the role it served in testing mid-engined setups for Ferrari, which had beforehand only placed its engines up front. In that regard, every mid-engined Ferrari that followed – from the Dino and Berlinetta Boxer to the 488 GTB and LaFerrari – owes its existence (or at least its orientation) to the 268 SP.
Following its development and racing career, this rare example resided in Pierre Bardinon’s Mas du Clos collection for 27 years before its current owner acquired it. Over the course of nearly two decades, it made the rounds of some of the most prestigious concours and Ferrari events, but is now looking for a new owner.
You can bet it’ll earn a pretty penny or two when it crosses the auction block next month in Monterey during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. For our part, we’ll just have to admire from afar in the photos taken by Tim Scott for RM Sotheby’s.
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