Ares Design To Revive The Ferrari 250 GTO With A Custom Creation

Ares Design, the Modena-based coachbuilder headed by ex-Lotus CEO Dany Bahar, is planning to create a modern incarnation of the iconic Ferrari 250 GTO.

The news came from Robb Report, which got hold of official renderings of the car that was designed for an unnamed private client.

If the project gets the green light, Ares Design plans to produce a limited run of less than 10 examples. The price will be just under 1 million euros ($1.16 million in current exchange rates), and that will include the Ferrari F12 or 812 Superfast donor car.

That means that the reborn 250 GTO will be powered by a naturally aspirated V12 with either 730hp (740PS) or 789hp (800PS), depending on the donor car selected.

Ares Design’s move might prove to be controversial among Ferrari fans and collectors, as the 250 GTO is the most iconic Prancing Horse ever.

Moreover, it is currently holding the title for the most expensive car in the world. WeatherTech CEO David MacNeil has reportedly paid $70 million for one of the 36 original 250 GTOs, while another example became the most expensive car sold in an auction when the hammer came down at $48.4 million.

“We want to make a small series of these cars,” said Ares CEO Dany Bahar. “We could have the first one on the road in less than 12 months. In my view, the 250 GTO is the most iconic car ever produced, and the Holy Grail of motoring. Maybe people will think that some cars don’t need to be redone. We’ll listen.”

Bahar said that these sketches are still a “work in progress”, but adds that the proportions won’t change and that their client is currently refining the details with the company’s designers.

“It’s a modern reinterpretation, not a copy,” Bahar says. “It’s a showcase for what our designers can do. If you’re going to take on a car like the 250 GTO, you need to have good hands and big balls, because every line will be criticized. But I think the proportions of this car are perfect.”