250 GTO 3729 GT Mecum Auction in January, 2026.

About 6-8 weeks ago, there was talk of a deal pending on this car.

The more I think about it, the more likely I think it is that either DM has bought the car outright, or otherwise come to some sort of guaranteed arrangement (ala, fine art auctions). It seemed obvious that JS was pretty frustrated with the lack of results from prior attempts to market and sell the car, so he simply may have had enough and wanted a concrete resolution.

IMO, one of those two scenarios is the only likely explanation for Mecum having the car for sale. I can't imagine Mecum would have been JS' first choice and doubt he would be excited to wait another 6 months for the sale to occur.

 

Would R M Sotheby's, Bonhams and Gooding Christie's have turned 3729 GT down?

 

It becomes a question of what is an acceptable reserve? Perhaps cars of this ilk trade at values far below what people think?

 

That's kind of my point - if it's a matter of setting an acceptable reserve, I don't think Mecum's in the conversation, and I doubt any of the other houses turn down a GTO consignment, regardless of its relative position in the hierarchy.

Therefore, my theory is either DM wrote a check for it, or (less likely) signed some sort of guarantee deal.

 

I'm guessing that Dana bought it.

 

This car has never been really seriously crashed. The Silverstone shot above was Parkes totally driving the wheels off it against Graham Hill in the Coombs lightweight E-type and losing it. Soon repaired and then 2nd at the TT behind Graham Hill (driving to team orders) in the red/blue sister GTO. Many other GTOs have had far worse smashes and bad restorations in 70s and 80s, often rolled on wheels in UK. It does not have its original engine. That was totally destroyed in a fire. It has a stellar history of flat-out short circuit racing in the UK. White (or pale grey) was John Coombs colour and it is not pearlescent. The “Ferrari wanted him to have it in red” is likely a fantasy. Its present condition is probably like it was raced 1963 as a works-supported GTO driven by a Ferrari works driver and tested by a World Champion.

I would rate this car in the top quarter GTOs and far better than one that had only done a few hillclimbs or rallies. Or one entry in FIA. RHD is better for racing.

To hear someone holler “GTO in the house! Bianco Speciale!” in Florida next year, then see it ‘escorted’ across the block by large men wearing black shirts and trousers will bring a tear to my eye.

 

Good question. My opinion is yes based on the idea that it is a tough sell at this point. I have to think that after Simon went to the trouble of making a film about it and featuring it on his Retromobile stand, the issue has to be seller’s expectation not aligning with the present market. If there’s a basis to that opinion, the big houses might be inclined to say no.

 

RM or Gooding, using the material we collated, with proper auctioneers and in a sophisticated setting, would sell it.

 

I personally love it in white. Absolutely stunning!!! And being RHD does not seem to have affected the sale of the much crashed/rolled 3647 and perished 3589 quite recently. 3647 is far from original despite not having been restored in 60 odd years and please do not tell me that body is by Scaglietti. I would not say 3589 is not a story car either having rotted in an open field for 14 odd years. It wouldn't just be the original body that would be a patchwork with modern metal with the whole car being adversely affected by the open elements.

RHD is rarer with there being only 8 RHD 250 GTOs.

 

RHD 3505 also sold in recent years. RHD 3869 may have sold in recent years too?

 

Clearly, there is, or are, a select 2 or 3 people that will know about this.

 

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/250-gto-3729-gt-mecum-auction-in-january-2026.709253/


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Even the most Divine femme fatales and the greatest cars cannot resist the turning of the wheel of life, of time, as their attractiveness inevitably, inexorably wanes and potential buyers are inexorably replaced by a different generation with different targets.

It seems GTO's have had their sunset and despite some brave British attempts to glorify meaningless small English races back then I fail to see just what would make this one stand out.

I certainly can't see backwater US hick auction co Mecum genuinely sell it, yeehaw! No....

So yes it's owner with whom I had a few nice chats through the years should entrust it to a serious world class auction co at a current realistic reserve and cut his losses.

 

The owner may have to lower his expectations and be more realistic about the massive gains he will still make but he certainly won't be suffering any losses on this GTO that he has owned since 1999.

 

Unlike the most divine femme fatales the greatest cars looks do not fade over time and only seem to get better comparatively with cars of the newer generations and therefore still remain targets.

 

Oh but they do fade Steve, do you think 50ish stock market Wiz kids/adults who like Stuttgart piggy 911/959/918 etc have GTO's on their greedculator radar? I don't think so...

 

How old are Jon Hui and Francois Perrodo?

 

If the owner is NOT Dana Mecum, he should be realistic about the cars value and let David Gooding & Charlie Ross sell it for FMV

 

So what actually is the Fair Market Value? Have many people's perception of the real trading price of a 250 GTO been falsely hyped by some of the ridiculous prices claimed to have been paid over and above those achieved at public auction?

 

https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/accounting/fair-market-value/

 

I remember when #3851GT and then #3413GT were offered at auction and every man and his dog theorized $50 million, then $60 million and all the way up to $100 million. Because why not. One only need spend five minutes on Instagram to see people discovering well known collections, viewing a $30 million California, a $50 million McLaren F1 and a $100 million GTO. Because again its only the hype that matters on Instagram. I have little doubt the very best of the GTOs and Testa Rossa (#4293GT, #5571GT etc) are capable of selling for perhaps $70+ million (only privately it seems) but equally five of them are probably only around the $35-40 million mark and we are more likely to see one of these once more at auction.

Mecum will (and should) leverage the free media and the car selling is simply not that important

 

In today's market , the best GTO would be a hard sell at $50M. Times have changed significantly..

 

Just curious, why those two as the “best of the GTOs?”

 

Is 3729 with its missing original engine worth more than 3851 which I believe is the only GTO in which someone died?
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15361821/a-steal-at-38-million-ferrari-250gto-sets-auction-record-misses-lofty-expectations/

 

3851 is not the only GTO in which someone has died apparently? The young son of then 3589 owner Joe Kortan is stated to have died in it, and also stated to be the reason it was left out in the open field to rot for 14 odd years.