The 20 Most Expensive Ferraris Ever Sold
If you’re not a Ferrari fan, you probably haven’t seen one of these incredible cars. Ferrari’s are the cheetahs of the street, fast, sleek and gorgeous. Enzo Ferrari was likely inspired by his early time as test-driver and later as a racer for C.M.N. (Costruzioni Meccaniche Nazionali) in the early 1900s. He moved from there to Alpha Romeo, and by 1947 he had branched off and created the well-known company with its famous horse shield emblem.
20. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider – $16.83 Million
As most of this list, the Ferrari GT SWB California Spider is incredibly rare. Part of a collection of 56 incomparable Ferraris. You don’t know it, but if you were a kid in the 80s, you’ve probably seen this car. This is the model featured in Ferris Buller’s Day Off. For many of us, this was the first time we loved a car. The movie only used this model for the close-up shots, the other scenes were filmed using other car models because of the cost.
19. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider – $17.16 Million
It’s no real surprise that two of the beloved 56 1961 GT SWB California Spiders made the list. Jerry Seinfeld is a well-known car lover. This model was from the Jerry Seinfeld Collection, and it sold at the 2016 Amelia Island Auction. Fifth place at Le Mans, this Ferrari was already anticipating a high price. Though the projected sale price was only $17 million, this car exceeded expectations due to its illustrious history. It’s also famous for its body. Only eight of these cars were given the aluminum body which helped it win its class in 1983 at Pebble Beach.
18. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM – $17.6 Million
Number 23 of 32, this LM is a winner. In fact, it has numerous first place wins and was once part of the Mastuda collection. This 250 LM is considered the best example of a ’64 LM in existence. It was campaigned by Ron Fry, David Skailes, and Jack Maurice.
17. 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione – $18.15 Million
Gorgeous and red like a sports car should be, this LWB California Spider Competizione sold at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It’s the best of its model and sports the most powerful engine they fit in California Spiders, the Tipo 168. Coming in 5th at Sebring 12 Hours and making a fine showing at Bahamas Speed Week, this car has had several famous drivers including Alan Connell and George Reed.
16. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM – $18.26 Million
The 250 LM has been called the “Quintessential Ferrari,” by Road and Track. It’s not hard to see how one of these went for over eighteen million. When you can look at a car and see where it’s fame, power and speed come from at a glance then you have something genuinely singular. This edition was so beautiful they made a Petrolicious film, about it. In fact, they made three films about it and several about other Ferrari models.
15. 1954 Ferrari 375-Plus Spider Competizione – $18.3 Million
So loved it was the subject of a drawn-out legal action, this particular Ferrari looks like something out of an animated dream sequence. The Fearsome Four Nine is named for its 4.9-liter engine and was built just for racing. Factory entered in Mille Miglia, Umberto Maglioli came in second in the 1954 race using this beast of a beauty. Everything about this car screams speed.
14. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione – $18.5 Million
A Spider with a truly unique history, this car is known as the “Barn Find.” It was uncovered along with a whole set of previously unknown cars that were collected and then lost to time in France. This car, originally from the Baillon collection, was hidden in a garage under a stack of magazines.
13. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider – $19.2 Million
Oddly, this appears to be the same Barn Find Spider at a different sale. As we were not able to confirm which was the correct price, or if indeed there are two Spiders from this incredible and unusual story, we have included it here. What we can confirm is that the two stories claim the same owner Robert Baillon purchased the car or cars in question. It was his goal to either create a museum or display his cars inside of one depending on whose story you read. After Robert and his son passed away the car(s) were found by grandchildren who hadn’t previously known of their existence. Along with nearly a hundred other unique cars, 52 of which were sold whole.
12. Ferrari 375-Plus Spider Competizione – $19.5 Million
This beautiful red Ferrari was built especially for the Mille Miglia. It initially sold for $19 million but eventually garnered a half a million more, proving once again that Ferrari’s tactic of only releasing a few of each car and a limited run each year works to keep values on the rise. Every year that passes seems to increase your Ferrari’s value as long as you don’t damage it, or if you must, only damage it in a race, it wins.
11. *1966 Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale Tre Posti 8971 – $22.5 Million *Asking Price
If you love Tre Posti’s, you could purchase this one. It was listed and often misrepresented as sold at either $22.5 million or $23.5 million, but the truth is that it never sold at that price. We include it here for novelty because it’s “worth” that much to the owner, just not to anyone else at this time.
10. 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB-C Speciale – $26.4 Million
This sleek Ferrari seems like the sort of thing Kitt from Knight Rider probably dreamed about. The classic black gorgeously offsets the yellow of the Ferrari shield. This 1964, 275 GTB- Speciale was one of the many famed Southebys Ferrari auctions. They’ve hosted several of the most expensive Ferrari auctions in history.
9. Ferrari 275 GTB-C Speciale – $27.4 Million
The yellow Preston Henn collection 275 GTB-C Speciale garnered a million more than the nearest sibling from the previous listing. Though they both hit the top ten for most expensive Ferraris ever sold, this one had a different and more famous history as a part of the Henn Collection. Though #24 failed to finish its first race (1965 Targa Florio), it went on to win best in class and third overall in the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans.
8. 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 N.A.R.T. Spider – $27.5 Million
“Drive it, love it, enjoy it, and more importantly share it with others so they can see it.” That was the advice of the former mayor of Lexington’s son when he sold this car to it’s new and undisclosed, owner. The car belonged to his father the mayor and was driven and ridden in by the family for forty-five years. The N.A.R.T is the Ferrari that was featured in The Thomas Crown Affair, a film from 1968.
7. 1956 Ferrari 290 MM Scaglietti Spider – *$28 Million or $22 Million
Though the selling price may be in debate the beauty and value of this automobile isn’t even a question. The 290 MM was the fourth of only four made and three surviving 1956 290 MM Scaglietti Spiders. They were designed purely to contest the Mille Miglia, thus the MM in the name and the 1956 World Sports Car Championship. Unfortunately, this car, wearing number 551, finished second in the 1956 Mille Miglia, but it went on to have an excellent racing career and regularly place in races.
6. 1956 Ferrari 290 MM – $29.1 Million
Another of the three surviving 1956 Ferrari 290 MM Scaglietti Spiders garnered a slightly higher rate, if 41.1 million can ever be called slight, due to its famous driver Juan Manuel Fangio. This red and blue stunner sports the #600 and is known as much for its racing pedigree and rarity as its driver. Forbes put this magnificent machine on their Christmas list in 2015, or at least suggested it “for the man who has almost everything.”
5. 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti – $35.7 Million
When Time magazine does a story about you, you’ve made it. The same can be said about a car, and this one made it into history. As one of the only four of its kind, and a Ferrari as well, it sold for a sizeable sum. The Spiders are second only to the GTO models in desirability and second to none in beauty.
4. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – $39.6 Million
Beautiful, blue and singular, this GTO held the 2014 record for most expensive car ever sold. The color marks this particular car apart from others in its small group. Sellers in France and New York respectively are asking $55.8 and $57 million for their own 62 250 GTOs. We were unable to confirm whether those had been sold already. Thus they have not been included on the list.
3. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – $48.4 Million
Once the most expensive car in the world, the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO joins the 1963 and 64 models that make up less than seventy GTOs on earth. Just like their big brothers from the next year the 62s were breathtakingly beautiful, and unbeatable in the tracks. Despite their higher sales price, we believe this is still the record for the highest auction price ever paid since the others were purchased privately.
2. 1963 Ferrari GTO – $52 Million
Just like the top slot, a model of the 1963 GTO takes the second place on the list. Though nearly $20 million less in price, the value is excellent on this model. Sadly, it’s not in quite the exquisite shape of its top-ranked brother, but they are twins in terms of beauty. This one, sold in 2013, so it may gain a little upward value adjustment, but as one of at least three from this line to top the charts of most expensive Ferraris ever sold, it helps prove that the 1963 GTOs are peerless, even among Ferraris.
1. 1963 Ferrari GTO – $70 Million
Not only is this Ferrari GTO the most expensive Ferrari ever sold, but it’s also the most expensive car ever sold. Ferrari GTOs are rare because they are top of the line race cars and only 36 were ever made. As such, they crash. However, the $70 million GTO is more than a racecar, it’s a champion, and it has never been in an accident.
David MacNeil, the founder of WeatherTech, bought this beautiful machine. He’s a collector of Ferraris, and his company makes car floor mats. Marcel Massini, says this incredible silver Ferrari won the 1964 Tour de France. That wasn’t the only race it placed in, it also came in fourth at Le Manns
Final Thoughts
You may not ever have a collection of Ferraris named after you like Seinfeld and Matsuda, but you can own a Ferrari. The least expensive models sell for around $203,000 which is a substantial investment, but not entirely out of reach. You have to be seriously committed to a Ferrari, from the moment you sign the check it’s like driving a work of art.
Though things may have changed, Ferrari traditionally only makes about 7000 cars per year, so every model is already nearly-rare. The company does that on purpose to maintain the exclusivity and value of their vehicles.
