It could happen. But I hope it doesn't. And I think chances are good that it is rather less likely to happen than more likely. A noveau riche billionaire will not be attracted to the GTO. He will rather want a solid gold Veyron. I think it is more collectors who have a large collection and are really interested in history and vintage cars and are missing this one missing link that are likely to buy this car. There are enough serious collectors out there with enough money to buy it to complete their collection. I honestly hope it goes to a home like that. I don't want your outcome to happen.
Considering the GTO legend, when Damon Hill drove one at the Goodwood Revival around 2000 he came back into the drivers' changing room and gasped "I can't believe how you guys and my father raced those things - it's got no power, no grip and NO BRAKES!". Phil Hill heard this and was outraged not by the criticism, which he knew to be true by modern standards (which are not really applicable), but what really lit him up was "...he called them 'Those Things', darn it, 'Those Things'! Can you believe that?" Well, Australian driver Frank Gardner was also present, and he told Phil "Aah c'mon Philip - you can't expect a young blade to be attracted to a fifty year-old woman". We all laughed - including Phil - and Damon too... DCN
GTO owners are very wealthy and many would have the spare capital to buy a second model. As this will be the first public sale for 25 years, it can set a public price for the car. There are lots of rumours of the $52m and $48m prices, but this sale will have, on the face of it, a transparent price. The result could set the benchmark price. If, come the auction, it looks like there will be an underwhelming result (significantly less than the rumoured prices above), would it be prudent as a current owner to buy a second at an inflated price to set a benchmark which protects the GTO they already own? They may also own an LM or a TR. With a GTO having a new high price, this could raise the value of these models too. Just an idea!
Please! GTO owners are not obsessed with maximizing their value of the car. Quite frankly I don't think they care. They own to the car for enjoyment of the car and of the exclusive club they belong to. They buy to own a piece of history and not to add a few million to their bank account (the British DJ who likes white cars may be an exception). I want the new buyer to be like Violati the old owner. Buy it, keep it, race it, enjoy it.
Some GTO owners paid a pittance (compared to today's prices) for their car. Time has made them millionaires. Why would they want to dilute their windfall by buying another at retail?
Art Dealers and gallerists are prone to this behavior, very rarely collectors. So maybe a car dealer with some blue chip cars in his stock could conceivably do something like this. But I don't think so...
Nice story. Was it the occasion when an inboard camera has been installed in the car behind Damon and he kept on blocking the view to the rev counter with his hand at straights so that Nick Mason can't see how far over the agreed limit he pushed the old girl? Auction is scheduled exactly for my birthday so I might mention it to my GF, friends and relatives... But somehow I believe that I'l get stuck with old combination of books, modelcars and wine bottles again...
That's a bit uncharitable, if only a bit. Damon wasn't blocking the view of the rev counter. He was zeroing its telltale... DCN
Bonhams is still displaying this July 1 press release indicating ten cars will be offered from the Maranello Rosso collection. Does anyone have any further information about this and/or chassis numbers of the other 9 cars? TIA, Dave Bonhams : Ten Important Motor Cars from the Maranello Rosso Collection for Sale at Bonhams
Bonhams has already announced the ten cars available Thursday 14th August 2014 at Quail: 00338 (Dino 206 GT). 12655 (365 GTC). 3851 GT (250 GTO). 033 (312 T3 F1). 0759 GT (250 GT Cab S1). 0312 MM (250 MM PF Berlinetta). 0008 (246 Dino Tasman). 35529 (512 BB LM). 12765 (365 GTB/4 Comp Daytona Conversion). 3615 GT (250 GT SWB Speciale Aerodinamica PF). Marcel Massini
We know this car will make a record price. We know the history of of the many recorded shunts,..We wonder how much of this GTO is ,in effect,original. But,the marketing/publicity of the sale will be wonderful news for the auction house,even if they decide not to accept the final bid. They hold all the cards.
In 2012 Coys did a valuation of the Violati collection. The Ferrari 250 GTO #3851GT was valued at 24,000,000 British Pounds. Image Unavailable, Please Login
In a way it would make sense for 10 current owners to form a secret syndicate, put $10 million each into the fund and take it all the way to the top at the aution. They would instantly recover their investment via the increased value of their own example as a result once the new benchmark has been established and own 1/10th of this car for free.
Will the auction tonight be streaming live? I would love to watch it but didn't see anything about live streaming on the Bonham's web site.