The car collectors market is a tight-knit community. Every year, there is a rise in the amount of money collected during auctions.
Adding a new car to your already vast collection sparks adrenaline in some people. One would wonder why would you want so many cars that you have no intention of driving. Well, car collection is a hobby and an expensive one at that. Car collectors yearn to preserve the history of some of the world’s most iconic cars.
Some, if not most of the classic cars in the hands of car collectors hold a lot of history to them. Either these cars are displayed in private or public museums or some are put away under lock and key never to be seen again.
10 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO - $70,000,000
All hail the king. The Ferrari 250 GTO takes the crown as the most expensive car sold at an auction. Sold during a private auction by German racing driver Christian Glaesel to David MacNeil, the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO fetched $70,000,000.
Any car enthusiast will tell you that the 250 GTO is arguably one of the most iconic cars in the history of the automobile industry. In 1963, the 250 GTO was crowned fourth during the Le Mans 24-Hour. Fast-forward to 1964, this car won the 1964 edition of Tour de France. These are some of the iconic victories for the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. The car sold during the auction was the original, it is among the very few cars that never crashed and required little to no restoration.
9 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti - $35,700,000
Ferrari has always been the leader when it comes to the production of some of Europe’s stylish, power-packed cars. The 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti is another red prancing horse that collectors are dying to get their hands on. In 2016, the 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti was the most expensive sports car to be sold that year. Before its sale in 2016, the 335 Sport Scaglietti was owned by a private collector for 40 years.
When it was announced that the car was being put up for sale, many car collectors had their eyes on it before it was sold to a private collector for $35,700,000. This car holds a couple of records among which include its participation in the 1957 Sebring 12 Hours raced by Peter Collins and Maurice Trintignant. Later, it competes at the Mille Miglia with Wolfgang von Trips as the driver.
8 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 - $29,600,000
It is not every day that you see a Formula 1 car sold at an auction. However, the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 is not your ordinary three-pointed star car. The W196 is the first Silver Arrow to win a Grand Prix race with Juan Manuel Fangio sitting at the driver’s seat during the French Grand Prix in 1954.
This Silver Arrow went ahead to win more races and some of the most memorable include the German Grand Prix and the Swiss Grand Prix both in 1954. The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 was the most expensive car sold at an auction in 2013.
7 1956 Ferrari 290 MM - $28,050,000
More Ferraris making the list of most expensive cars ever sold at an auction. The 1956 Ferrari 290 MM was built for the Mille Miglia race in 1956. Driven by Juan Manuel Fangio, the 290 MM is considered to be one of the greatest Ferrari racing cars ever made.
Selling at $28,050,000, this car is said to have sold at that price mainly because of the legend who drove it to victory. Only four units of the 1954 Ferrari 290 MM were made making it rare and thus garners more interest to those who seek unique items.
6 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider - $27,500,000
When things got heated at the track, some racing teams sought help from those who seemed to have it all figured out. In the 1950s, the North American Racing Team reached out to Ferrari with a proposition that would see both companies benefit.
NART campaigned for Ferrari in America, raising awareness of the car brand. This campaign ran from the late 1950s into the ‘60s. During this period, Ferrari built special road cars that an average Joe could drive. The 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider was one of these special road cars. Only 10 units were made. One went to Steve McQueen who used it in the screen film The Thomas Crown Affair.
5 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale By Scaglietti - $26,400,000
One last Ferrari on our list, the 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale by Scaglietti. Over the years, Ferrari has proven that all their cars are built for performance- well apart from their 2020 SF1000, which is proving to be a lemon as the season rolls by. The 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale by Scaglietti was built for the track and it lived on the track.
This car featured an aluminum body that made it lighter. It drew its power and stamina from the 3.0-liter V12 engine fitted under its hood, this engine was tuned to produce an additional 70 horsepower. There is, however, a big "oopsie" that came with this car - it was never raced when it was brand new. While other enthusiasts might see that as a letdown, it actually boosted its sale in 2014.
4 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 - $22,550,000
During the 2017 Monterey Car Week, one lucky car collector got to walk away with the keys of the most expensive British cars ever sold –the coveted 1956 Aston Martin DBR1.
This racecar was built in 1956 for the sole purpose of racing against the Italian prancing horse – Ferrari. In 1959, the 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 went to prove that it was the best among the rest by winning the Le Mans 24-Hours race. The 1956 Aston Martin DBR1/1 is one of three cars to win both the Word Sports Car championship and the Le Mans 24-Hours in the 1950s.
3 Duesenberg SSJ - $22,000,000
What would you do if you owned one of the rarest cars in the world? Display it in a museum and share it with people? Or lock it away in a safe place to preserve it and aww in its glory? Duesenberg SSJ is one of the rarest cars in the world. Only two units of this car were ever made. Its rarity has made it one of the most sought out cars in the world. One of the Duesenberg SSJ was once owned by the renowned actor Gary Cooper.
In July 2018, the Duesenberg SSJ was sold at Pebble Beach for $22,000,000 and it became the most expensive American car ever sold. The Duesenberg SSJ draws its power from a supercharged inline eight-cylinder engine that pushes 400 horsepower to the wheels.
2 Jaguar D-Type - $21,780,000
It is hard to find a car that participated in the Le Mans 24-Hours selling for less than $5 million. The Jaguar D-Type is a good example. This car not only participated in the race but also was crowned the winner during the 1955, 1956, and 1957 Le Mans 24-Hours race.
Driven to victory by the legendary Scottish driver Ecosse in the 1956 race, the Jaguar D-Type is a coveted collector’s item. Since its retirement, the Jaguar D-Type went to a private collector who raced it occasionally. With its history and the limited units produced, it is no wonder bidders pushed the price to $21,780,000.
1 1994 McLaren F1 LM-Specification - $19,805,000
We have already mentioned Ferrari's and Mercedes’ victories on the track. However, we couldn’t finish this list without mentioning another track superstar - the 1994 Maclaren F1 LM-Specification. Well, that long name describes a car that has been termed as being the best iteration of a perfect machine.
The 1994 Maclaren F1 LM-Specification is the rarest of the rarest cars ever made, two units of this car were made. Based on the Le Mans spec-racing car, the F1 is technically a Le Mans F1 GTR car. The 1994 Mclaren F1 LM-Specification is the most valuable modern supercar.