A uncommon 1962 Ferrari 330 LM initially owned and raced by Ferrari’s manufacturing facility staff is arising on the market and should set a report for the best value paid for a Ferrari at public sale.
The automobile will go beneath the hammer on Nov. 13 at an RM Sotheby’s sale in New York Metropolis, and at the moment carries an estimate of $60 million.
Although steep, the estimate is according to costs paid for different uncommon classics. A 1963 250 GTO bought in 2018 for a rumored value of $70 million, albeit privately. And a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, certainly one of solely two Uhlenhaut Coupe examples, bought final yr for over $140 million.
The 330 LM is in the identical league as these automobiles. The Ferrari race automobile was an extra improvement of the 250 GTO, and was constructed to adjust to altering FIA rules. Solely 4 have been constructed, as Ferrari was getting ready to maneuver to a mid-engine platform, and solely two have been constructed with bodywork resembling the 250 GTO. The automobile arising on the market, bearing chassis no. 3765, is a type of two.
1962 Ferrari 330 LM bearing chassis no. 3765 – Photograph credit score: RM Sotheby’s
Clues that give away its id is the signature bulge within the hood to accommodate the bigger 4.0-liter V-12 engine used within the 330 LM, as a substitute of the three.0-liter engine within the 250 GTO. The 330 LM’s floorpan can also be longer because of the engine.
In keeping with Ferrari, the V-12 is nice for 385 hp, or sufficient to hold the automobile to a prime pace of 174 mph.
The engine sits in a tubular metal chassis that options impartial entrance suspension and a stay axle on the rear. The bodywork is by Scaglietti. Later examples of the 330 LM featured bodywork by Pininfarina and extra intently resembled the 250 Lusso, albeit with a face nonetheless matching the design of the 250 GTO.
1962 Ferrari 330 LM bearing chassis no. 3765 – Photograph credit score: RM Sotheby’s
The 330 LMs noticed loads of competitors use, particularly on the 24 Hours of Le Mans from which they take the LM suffix to their identify. Chassis no. 3765 wears the identical livery it did for the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans, the place it certified in seventh place however failed to complete. Its best success was in a 1,000-kilometer race on the Nürburgring in 1962, the place it completed second general and first in school.
After Ferrari was carried out racing the automobile, it was bought in 1964 to Ferdinando Latteri who put in a 3.0-liter V-12 in order that it could possibly be fielded as a GTO in Italian GT racing. It then traded arms a number of instances earlier than ending up with its present proprietor, Ohio resident Jim Jaeger, in 1985. He managed to seek out its unique engine and had a full restoration carried out.
In keeping with the itemizing, the automobile is properly documented and comes with copies of the unique manufacturing facility construct sheets, interval racing protection, and house owners’ correspondence.