36 replies to this topic

[Doug Nye]

This evening at a modest function in London, Bonhams auctioneers announced the forthcoming sale of the late Fabrizio Violati's Ferrari 250GTO '3851 GT'.  It is to be offered at their Quail Lodge Sale near Carmel during the Monterey Historics event, on August 14-15. 

 

The car's first owner was Jo Schlesser who co-drove it with Henri Oreiller in the 1962 Tour de France Automobile. They finished a notable second, but within weeks Oreiller was dead, having crashed the car during the Coupes du Salon meeting at Montlhery. Through that winter, in parallel with continuing 250GTO batch production, the car was rebuilt by the factory and sold on to Italian gentleman driver Paolo Colombo. He hill-climbed the car very successfully through 1963 before selling it on to Ernesto Prinoth.  He continued to hill-climb the car and also took in a number of quite significant circuit races during 1964.  He then sold it to Fabrizio Violati early in 1965... in effect a one-owner tenure that has lasted for a GTO record 49 years.

 

The car is offered for sale at no reserve.  In other words if the traffic's bad and only one bidder emerges in time, you too could own a GTO for a dollar...

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 01 July 2014 - 08:00.

[Duc-Man]

And when enough crazy people show up, one could end up paying $40 million.

[JacnGille]

The car is offered for sale at no reserve.  In other words if the traffic's bad and only one bidder emerges in time, you too could own a GTO for a dollar...

 

DCN

If I can't attend can I put a fiver in the post for you to bid for me?????

[Doug Nye]

Fivers accepted at all times Sir.  But I can't guarantee it will secure the Lot...

 

DCN

[Michael Ferner]

One dollar? Too expensive...

[D-Type]

Fivers accepted at all times Sir.  But I can't guarantee it will secure the Lot...

 

DCN

I see no mention of returning them

 

Seriously though, why would a vendor offer it for sale with no reserve? 

[kayemod]

 

 

Seriously though, why would a vendor offer it for sale with no reserve? 

 

I wouldn't think that the vendor is running much of a risk in this case, do you?

[elansprint72]

I'm still with Pipes re the GTO profile. One of the first things I will do, when I get mine, will be to chop the screen pillars with an angle-grinder and lower the roof.

Didn't Violati say that he saved this car from the scrap man when he bought it? I'm usually wrong about these things.

 

I have a vague memory of my former neighbour Brian Classic leaving a GTO outside the local newsagent's shop with the door open and the engine ticking over. Could be wrong- might have been a SWB.

Edited by elansprint72, 01 July 2014 - 21:49.

[arttidesco]

 

The car is offered for sale at no reserve.  In other words if the traffic's bad and only one bidder emerges in time, you too could own a GTO for a dollar...

 

DCN

 

Does that mean the car does not come with a complete original Ferrari tool kit ?

[D28]

The magazine  FORZA  published in Ca USA, featured a cover story in Nov 2004 on Sig, Violati and his much driven GTO. A very interesting account of a gentleman and his tours in his favourite car, with his dog Clyde. One item mentioned was that this was the only GTO retaining its original Modena license,  MO80576.

[Belmondo]

Alleged in the '80s to be fitted with a 4-litre engine, I seem to recall.

[Doug Nye]

By whom? Alleged might be the right word - Violati was also a capable driver...and a former star on two wheels - as a works Vespa scooter rider.

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 02 July 2014 - 13:20.

[bill p]

By whom? Alleged might be the right word - Violati was also a capable driver...and a former star on two wheels - as a works Vespa scooter rider.

 

DCN

 

..... and also competed at Le Mans in the Scuderia Bellancauto Ferrari 512BBLM 

[Belmondo]

By whom? Alleged might be the right word - Violati was also a capable driver...and a former star on two wheels - as a works Vespa scooter rider.

 

DCN

 

Alleged is indeed the right word. The claim was made by John Lewis in 1985/6.

 

Personally, I loved watching Violati race and I certainly liked his style.

[Jack-the-Lad]

I wouldn't think that the vendor is running much of a risk in this case, do you?

If the high bid is not to the vendor's liking, there's always the chandelier.....

[hipperson]

'I have a vague memory of my former neighbour Brian Classic leaving a GTO outside the local newsagent's shop with the door open and the engine ticking over. Could be wrong- might have been a SWB'

 

If it was 1971 Dad and I went to look at a GTO Brian had...........£6200

Bought our Ford instead.......Dad said he wasn't going to spend that kind of loot on a 'wap' car. Oh ! well....................

[Paul Parker]

'I have a vague memory of my former neighbour Brian Classic leaving a GTO outside the local newsagent's shop with the door open and the engine ticking over. Could be wrong- might have been a SWB'

 

If it was 1971 Dad and I went to look at a GTO Brian had...........£6200

Bought our Ford instead.......Dad said he wasn't going to spend that kind of loot on a 'wap' car. Oh ! well....................

 

I recall sometime in the mid-1960s a GTO for sale in Autosport for £3,750, can't remember which one now.

[D28]

My recollection is that the record public auction price for a Ferrari was set last year at $27.5 m, for a 275GTS/4 NART Spyder. This may also be the current auction record for any road car. This was a rare and attractive Ferrari, but one with no competition history. A GTO with an extensive competition resume should be worth considerably more.

The Bonhams site announces 9 other cars from the Maranello Rosso collection for sale at the same auction. This leaves me questioning the state of the collection that Sig. Violati was involved with. It seems a shame that some of these fine cars may be leaving Italy, after he did so much to keep them at home. Anyone have information on the situation at Maranello Rosso?

[hipperson]

The NART did make that money but probably represented a false high as all the money went to charity

In my experience bidders are most kind & generous where charity auctions are concerned.

 

http://blog.caranddr...b4-nart-spyder/

[Supersox]

Perhaps we can ring it and all make a few bob at the knockout.

[kayemod]

Perhaps we can ring it and all make a few bob at the knockout.

 

I'd have been with you on that, but Saga have just given me an insurance quote, you'll have to count me out.

[427MkIV]

The NART was stored just a few miles from where I live and I am slightly acquainted with Eddie Smith Jr. but never knew about the car until I read about the upcoming auction on Yahoo. I'm sure he would have shown it to me, maybe even taken me for a ride if I had known about it.

[JoBo]

My recollection is that the record public auction price for a Ferrari was set last year at $27.5 m, for a 275GTS/4 NART Spyder. This may also be the current auction record for any road car. This was a rare and attractive Ferrari, but one with no competition history. A GTO with an extensive competition resume should be worth considerably more.

The Bonhams site announces 9 other cars from the Maranello Rosso collection for sale at the same auction. This leaves me questioning the state of the collection that Sig. Violati was involved with. It seems a shame that some of these fine cars may be leaving Italy, after he did so much to keep them at home. Anyone have information on the situation at Maranello Rosso?

 

The Violati collection is for sale since about 2 years. It was offered by the Family as a whole package. Starting price tag was 95m Euros incl.  the company. Last what I heard was 140m Euros some months ago.

Some collectors negotiated but nobody had so much insight in the company to see if there were some 2problems" buried somewhere. And this in particular with the very difficult Italian tax-situation.

 

Then the Ferrari collection was separated by the Family (thats what I heard) from the other package(s).

 

I was offered the Ferrari collection twice by brokers from Spain/Hong Kong and ….Greece (very strange as Greece has no significant collectors of high-value Ferraris. There are also no car-brokers of any importance!)! 

I always refused to jump into that deal and anything from this collection. 

 

JoBo 

[David Birchall]

I have it from someone I trust that there is a standing offer of $100 million for one particular GTO...

I was going to put my DB2 in the Bonham's sale but changed my mind - if I had known they had a GTO there it might have been different...

[kayemod]

I strongly suspect that we could be heading for a new record, bad news if you're Chris Evans, even he's not that wealthy.

[Peter Morley]

Alleged is indeed the right word. The claim was made by John Lewis in 1985/6.
 
Personally, I loved watching Violati race and I certainly liked his style.

I remember John talking about the engine size at the time.

But I think Fabrizio's reply was that it was to preserve the original engine in the same way as 250F owners etc use replacement engines/gearboxes.

 

He was certainly spectacular with the car and used it as it was meant to be used.

 

It will be interesting to see what it makes but pretty much irrelevant to most of us...

Could be worth investing in a couple of lottery tickets beforehand though!

[ensign14]

I strongly suspect that we could be heading for a new record, bad news if you're Chris Evans, even he's not that wealthy.

 

It's not white, is it?  If not he's probably not that interested.

[Wirra]

Check your own times but this is scheduled for 10:00am tomorrow AEST - Lot #3

 

 

Info: http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21917/

 

Live: http://www.bonhams.c...ons/21917/live/

Edited by Wirra, 15 August 2014 - 00:21.

[Jan Holmskov]

The Violati GTO has been sold for USD 38.115.000 incl. premium.

 

Jan

[Doug Nye]

For anyone who might be interested - the GTO was sold for between $30 and $40-million as estimated by Bonhams - hammer price was US $34,650,000 and with extras the price paid totalled  $38,115,000, which is £22,846,768 in proper coin of the realm.

 

The other nine cars in the Sale sold as follows:

 

1978 Ferrari 312T3 - £1,384,652

1968-69 Ferrari Dino 246T - my grubby mac car amongst this selection - £725,294

1969 Dino 206GT - £342,866

1969 Ferrari 365GTC - £514,299

1958 Ferrari 250GT Cabriolet (with hardtop) - £4,088,022

1953 Ferrari 250MM Berlinetta - £4,351,765

1981 Ferrari 365 Boxer Berlinetta Bellancauto/Le Mans - £593,422

1969 Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona Competition conversion - £560,454

1962 Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta Aerodinamica - £4,120,990

 

I still tend to think of how many kidney machines that could buy...but that's just me...   

 

DCN

[kayemod]

 

I still tend to think of how many kidney machines that could buy...but that's just me...   

 

DCN

 

While we're on the subject of kidney machines Doug, by how much did the MB museum's Mille Miglia recce 300SL fail to reach its reserve?

[Alan Cox]

Does this mean that the bottom is falling out of the historic racing car market, as 5111GT was reported to have raised $52 million last year?

 

Just a thought 

[Peter Morley]

Does this mean that the bottom is falling out of the historic racing car market, as 5111GT was reported to have raised $52 million last year?
 
Just a thought 

Maybe it just reflects how much people are influenced by estimates?
Or that people are happier to pay more privately, plenty of people say they won't buy a car that has been advertised let alone auctioned.
Or that condition/history pay a large part in the valuation of such cars.

It does explain why it took so long for Mrs Violati to sell the collection, the asking price was rather strong, I wonder if Mr Louwman could end up out of pocket on the deal - or has he ended up keeping the GTO?

Whatever, it could well be the case that the long expected downturn in classic car prices is on its way.

[ensign14]

Sanctions on Russia biting, perhaps...

[Doug Nye]

The Russians do appear to have a nice line in formerly khaki trucks now painted white standing in a field somewhere... Re 'Mille Miglia reconnaissance' 300SL, I wouldn't have a clue.  I do the words, others do the music.  Vulgar commerce is not my thing...  

 

DCN

[Tuboscocca]

The Russians do appear to have a nice line in formerly khaki trucks now painted white standing in a field somewhere... Re 'Mille Miglia reconnaissance' 300SL, I wouldn't have a clue.  I do the words, others do the music.  Vulgar commerce is not my thing...  

 

DCN

Doug

 

as I saw the first pictures of the perfectly parked white trucks (almost in  Bernie-style), I thought this must be the first pictures of the upcoming Sotchi-Grand Prix Paddock 

 

 

Michael

[Wirra]

Maybe it just reflects how much people are influenced by estimates?
Or that people are happier to pay more privately, plenty of people say they won't buy a car that has been advertised let alone auctioned.
Or that condition/history pay a large part in the valuation of such cars.
...

Or, that $52m was plain BS.

 

It struck me odd at the time as the previous sale some 6-12mths prior was reported around $32m

Edited by Wirra, 17 August 2014 - 03:27.