Last weekend, the Goodwood Festival of Speed held their annual classic car auction in Sussex, England. The event, which is big draw for playboy millionaires, brought in over $38 million this year. Astonishing, isn’t it?
Some of the shows biggest money grabbers were:
- A 1902 De Dietrich that sold for $1.7 million
- A 1975 Lamborghini Countach LP400 “Periscopio” Coupe for $1.6 million
- A 1955 Austin-Healey 100S for $1.1 million
But wait! Even with those steep prices, $38 million sounds like kind of a lot of money to bring in, doesn’t it?
Well, almost half of that $38 million was brought in with just one sale. That’s right; at the event, a 1954 Ferrari 375-Plus sold for an otherworldly $18.2 million.
Featuring a matching 0384 chassis-engine number, the 375-Plus was equipped with a 4.9-liter V12 330 horsepower engine, which was tucked under an aluminum barchetta bodywork made by Pininfarina.
“The 375-Plus has always been one of my favorite Ferraris because I’ve always thought, for 1954, it was one about as sophisticated as a Ferrari sports car can get,” said television presenter and race car driver Alain de Cadenet. “It’s got that big engine in the front there. It’s a stroked version of the Formula 1 engine that was so successful in 1950 and 1951… I think a Ferrari like this in your collection can single you out as a connoisseur. ”
The value of this particular $18 million car, though, really comes from its the history.
One of only 5 models ever made, this particular Ferrari was raced by some of the most legendary drivers in racing history, including Jose Froilan Gonzalez and road-racer Umberto Maglioli. The car was also featured in some of the most historic races of all-time, winning the 1954 race at Silverstone and appearing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and classic Mille Miglia road race in Italy.
In the end, all of these attributes were enough for the ’54 Ferrari 375-Plus to nab a legendary price tag.
4Wheel Online Blog - Automotive News 