Rare Ferrari burnt out 60 years ago for sale at £1.2m
The £1.2 million Ferrari wreck: Rare sports car that burned out while racing 60 years ago is up for auction
It is little more than a bent and corroded shell.
But it happens to be the shell of a rare Ferrari, so that means this wreck is expected to sell for over £1.2 million.
An engine is also thrown in – although it comes from a different car. The wreck is described with a touch of understatement as an ‘intriguing restoration project’ for a car enthusiast.
The 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider caught fire nearly 60 years ago after crashing while racing. There are no wheels or interior and little trace of the red paint.
It could accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and had a top speed of 230 km/h. The car was used in track racing in Europe, including the Grand Prix of Imola, Italy, the year it was made.
It is little more than a bent and corroded shell. But it happens to be the shell of a rare Ferrari, so that means this wreck is expected to sell for over £1.2 million
The 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider caught fire nearly 60 years ago after crashing while racing. There are no wheels or interior and little trace of the red paint
An engine is also thrown in – although it comes from a different car. The wreck is described with a touch of understatement as an ‘intriguing restoration project’ for a car enthusiast
In 1958 it was exported to the United States, where it competed in races and changed hands several times.
In 1963, according to the listing of RM Sotheby’s, a classic car seller part-owned by Sotheby’s, the owner “replaced the original engine with an American V-8, a common practice at the time.”
The entry adds: “At some point in the following two years, the Mondial crashed and sustained fire damage.”
The listing says the shell has changed hands several times, “preserved in its race-damaged state.”
It is one of 20 Ferraris for sale in RM Sotheby’s Lost and Found collection. Rob Myers, CEO of RM Sotheby’s, said: ‘Although a select group of Ferrari collectors knew about the existence of these extraordinary cars, the rest of the world remained ignorant.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for enthusiasts to acquire these iconic Ferraris.”
The 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider is estimated to be up to £1.27 million ($1.6 million) when the auction takes place in August in Monterey, California.
