Ferrari 290 MM, behind its steering wheel was the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio, was sold at an auction in New York for $28 million. It is one of the most valuable and rarest models in automotive history – one of only four examples ever built. This 1956 Ferrari 290 MM – chassis number 0626 – was designed for Fangio to drive in the Mille Miglia. It would be the last time he would compete in the event, before being scrapped the following year. Victory in the thousand-mile race once again eluded the legendary Argentinian with a fourth-place finish, achieved single-handedly. But that wasn’t the end of the story for 0626.
1956 Ferrari 290 MM
It would go on to be raced by Phil Hill at the Nürburgring, by Alfonso de Portago at the Rouen Grand Prix, by Wolfgang von Trips at the start of his career with Ferrari, and won the Buenos Aires 1000 KM in 1957. Victories like those helped Ferrari clinch the manufacturer’s title in both 1956 and ’57, campaigns in which the 290 MM played an integral part.
The body of this car is made by Scaglietti, while it is powered by 3.5-liter V12 engine. At the time it made, this engine produced 320 hp at 7,200 r/min. It was enough that the car in the direction develops a maximum 280 km/h.
New owner of the car is anonymous (and obviously very wealthy) European collector, and before that Fangio’s racing Ferrari was part the collection of Pierre Bardinona for 34 years.
1956 Ferrari 290 MM
