Original 1964 250LM Berlinetta will be leading at RM Auctions‘ and Sotheby’s new Art of the Automobile sale in New York on 21 November, the first major collector car auction to be held in Manhattan in over a decade. One of the most original and highly prized of all Ferraris, this 250 LM example is expected to fetch in excess of $12 million.
Described by RM as a ‘terrific example of the marque’s first production-based mid/rear-engine model’, this car, chassis 6107 is the 24th of just 32 examples produced. It features mid-mounted, 3.3-liter V-12 engine and a revered Pininfarina body design with coachwork by Scaglietti. In November 1964, the car was delivered new to future Monterey Historics founder Steven Earle, who used it about town over the next several years, keeping down the miles during his ownership. Then, Earle sold it to Guillermo Ortega and Fausto Merello in 1968, two Ecuadorean privateers who competed under the banner of the Raceco Team. Only then did the car’s competition history start, with an amazing eighth place at the 1968 Le Mans 24 Hours. Since then, the car has been based in the UK and Japan.
“Alongside the iconic 250 GTO, the 250 LM is one of the most coveted and collectible Ferraris of all time,” says Ian Kelleher, Car Specialist, RM Auctions. “We are honored to have been entrusted with the upcoming sale of 6107. It’s a terrific addition to our New York auction, and we expect its first public offering in decades will attract the attention of the world’s top collectors.”
