New Record for Most Expensive Car Ever Auctioned Set by a Rare Ferrari

Each time we talk about cars, Farrari never failed to either makes us marvel or amuse us or drop our jaw everytime.

As cars developed its looks overtime, the say, vintage looks have its unique appeal. Where can we find marvelous car with vintage looks? We can see all that at the auction of course.

So, amidst of my curiosity, I’ve tried to find the most expensive car ever auctioned in history.

While the demand for classic cars has dipped a bit so far this year, the clamor among collectors for vehicles with a pedigree has not. And for a car like this Ferrari, built by Enzo Ferrari to take on the world on the track, record prices were born to be broken.

Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 as Auto Avio Costruzioni, the company built its first car in 1940. However, the company's inception as an auto manufacturer is usually recognized in 1947 when the first Ferrari-badged car was completed.

Ferrari is the world's most powerful brand according to Brand Finance. In May 2012 the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO became the most expensive car in history, selling in a private transaction for $38,115,000 to American communications magnate Craig McCaw.

Ahead of recently held auction in Paris, auctioneer Artcurial had estimated the 1957 Ferrari 335 S Scaglietti might fetch between $30 million and $35 million. That would have left it just shy of the previous record of $38.1 million, set two years ago by another race-bred Ferrari.

The Ferrari 335 S was a sport racing car produced by Italian manufacturer Ferrari in 1957-1958. Four cars were produced in total. An evolution of the 315 S, it had V12 engine with a greater 4023.32 cc displacement and a maximum power of 390 HP at 7400 rpm; the maximum speed was around 300 km/h.

This model was the protagonist of the accident in the 1957 Mille Miglia, which led to the cancellation of the race starting from the following year. The 335 S #531, led by Spanish driver Alfonso de Portago (who had replaced an ill Luigi Musso) was in third position, running on a long straight road sector between the Lombard hamlets of Cerlongo and Guidizzolo. When one of the tires exploded, de Portago's car slipped to the right and crashed against a large crowd, killing nine people, as well as de Portago himself and American co-driver Edmund Nelson. The car later won the Venezuelan Grand Prix, raced by Peter Collins and Phil Hill, and participated to the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans.

What made this car special was that specific mix of ingredients which tend to pull the big money out of hiding. Unlike most race cars of the ‘50s, this one has mostly original parts. Enzo Ferrari himself oversaw its construction, and the body by Scaglietti has proven timeless. It also had a successful racing career—running in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Mille Miglia, with several famous drivers including Stirling Moss—before being carefully preserved over several decades.

The bidding at Artcurial started at 20 million euros; by the time the auctioneers had wrung the fight to its conclusion, the price had settled at 32.1 million euros. Including Artcurial’s fees, the final sale hit 35.7 million euros, or $39.8 million, proving again it’s hard to bet against a Ferrari in any kind of race.

What a lovely car… Nothing less… It might be ridiculously expensive but for some, it’s just worth it.

Cheerio!