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McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Edward Jones – December 20, 2022

1967 Ford GT40 MK IV Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 1967 Ford GT40 MK IV Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 Even as the three GT40 Mk II racers were completing their famed 1-2-3 sweep of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ford Motor Company and its in-house specialty contractor Kar Kraft of Brighton, Michigan, were hard at work creating an all-American successor to the Anglo-American Mk II: the “J-Car.” Named in reference to the FIA’s Appendix J rules for sports prototypes, this all-new racer was based on a highly advanced chassis constructed of honeycomb-aluminum sandwich paneling produced by the Brunswick Aircraft Corporation. Lightweight and extremely rigid, the new chassis saved considerable weight compared to that of the more conventional Mk II, a crucial requirement in a car designed to carry the big iron-block, iron-head NASCAR 427 engine and the heavy-duty ancillaries it demanded. Initial tests revealed serious aerodynamic problems, but extensive bodywork revisions by Shelby American Chief Engineer Phil Remington and subsequent relentless testing evolved the J-Car into the formidable GT40 Mk IV. The most technically advanced and powerful racing prototype ever built to its time, the Mk IV ultimately fulfilled Henry Ford II’s desire to build an all-American racer, driven by American drivers, to win the world’s greatest endurance race. With Shelby-American drivers Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt sharing duties, the Mk IV delivered a second consecutive victory for Ford at Le Mans in 1967 and also won the FIA’s Index of Thermal Efficiency as the most fuel-efficient entrant, an astounding achievement given its monstrous power. The GT40’s absolute dominance was thus established, and Ford’s resounding double defeat of Ferrari became one of the most memorable chapters in the history of motorsports. In just two races, Sebring and Le Mans, the Mk IV so overwhelmed the competition that the FIA rendered it illegal for 1968. In the end, only 12 Mk IV chassis were built, the first four of which bore the original J-Car bodywork. Two of those were destroyed in testing, one instance of which took the life of the great Ken Miles. The second group of four were fitted with the Remington-developed Mk IV bodies and raced twice in 1967, compiling a perfect two-for-twi win record. The last four chassis were left uncompleted when the FIA announced new rules for 1968 that disqualified the Mk IV from competition. Two of those chassis, J-9 and J-10, were built by Kar Kraft into open-cockpit racers using the remaining spares from the Le Mans effort. J-9 was fitted with a twin-element dihedral rear wing and was tested in Ford’s wind tunnel and at the company’s Michigan test track driven by Mario Andretti, but it was never raced. In February 1969, the entire lot—J-9, J-10 and all the remaining spares—were sold for $1 to Agapiou Racing in Los Angeles, owned by former Shelby mechanics Charlie and Kerry Agapiou. Ford attached one proviso: that they could buy everything back for the same price for the term of one year. That never came to pass. The Agapiou brothers ambitiously took aim at the 1969 Can Am series with J-10, fitting it with new open-cockpit bodywork, a Chaparral-inspired high rear wing and Boss 429 power. In a two-year campaign that lasted through the 1970 season, J-10 was driven by such star drivers as Peter Revson, Jack Brabham, George Follmer, David Hobbs and Vic Elford, with Canadian John Cannon most often behind the wheel. Indeed, it was Cannon who drove J-10 to its best finish, placing second in that year’s Kyalami Group 7 invitational. After a racing accident at the November 1970 LA Times Grand Prix at Riverside, the chassis was sent to Johnathan Thompson’s TC Prototypes in England for repair and restoration. J-10 then remained in the Agapiou brothers’ care until 1989, when Los Angeles real estate developer Martin Yacoobian purchased it and began rebuilding it to Mk IV configuration. In 1996, approximately 70% complete, J-10 was purchased through Motor Classic Corporation in White Plains, New York, by ERA Replica Automobiles founders Jim Holden, Peter Portante and Jose Velez in New Britain, Connecticut. They continued the transformation to Mk IV specifications and completed a meticulous four-year restoration to exacting standards in 2017, including the creation of new bodywork using molds from chassis J-6 and fabricated by veteran Holman-Moody metalwork specialist Ken Thompson of North Carolina. The completed bodywork was finished in the 1967 Le Mans-winning J-5’s red and white No. 1 livery. A thorough mechanical refurbishment was executed to the same demanding standards, including a correctly prepared 427 CI FE big-block V-8 mated to an exceedingly rare Ford-designed, Kar Kraft-built, all-synchromesh T-44 4-speed transaxle. The completed J-10 was presented to the public at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance to unanimous acclaim, the occasion recorded for posterity in an episode of Discovery Channel’s “Chasing Classic Cars” TV series. As one of only 12 Mk IVs produced, Chassis J-10 is among the rarest racing prototypes of the 20th century, a valuable artifact of Ford’s historic undertaking to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans that was also driven in the classic Can Am series by some of the period’s greatest drivers. Documented with an unbroken ownership chain and painstakingly restored to authentic Mk IV presentation, J-10 is worthy of the highest concours honors, a prominent position in the vintage racing world and inclusion in the most prestigious collections. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information Tags: First Second Third Forth Fifth Sixth

By duPont REGISTRY – December 19, 2022

2003 Ferrari Enzo Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023

Presented by Mecum Auctions. 2003 Ferrari Enzo Being Auctioned At Mecum Kissimmee 2023 For automotive enthusiasts of all stripes, the 21st century commenced with the promise of ever-increasing technological advances in service to a rising demand for supercar-grade performance. For Ferrari, that meant a successor to the remarkable F50, a Formula 1-inspired missile that held the distinction of being Ferrari’s most powerful road car ever. The result was the Ferrari Enzo; only 399 were built and only 70 made it to the U.S. market, including this soul-stirring 2003 example. Ferrari’s racing fortunes were in the ascendent as development began on the Enzo in 1998, giving Maranello the perfect opportunity to again pour its F1 resources into this new ultimate sports/grand-touring machine. Answering Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo’s call, Pininfarina held an internal design competition that eventually produced the Enzo’s distinctive F1-style nose and eliminated a proposed rear wing in favor of a spacious and highly effective rear diffuser, the overall shape being rendered in carbon fiber and finalized in the wind tunnel. The Enzo’s all-alloy 6.0L V-12 engine followed Ferrari F1 practice with electronic sequential-port fuel injection, a variable-length induction system, four overhead cams actuating four valves per cylinder and the first use of continuously variable exhaust timing. This first in a new generation of V-12 engines generated 660 HP at 7,800 RPM and 485 lb-ft of torque through a new paddle-shifted F1 automatic gearbox to a limited-slip differential. The Enzo’s electronically controlled all-independent suspension automatically controlled ride height in response to changes in downforce, and its stunningly efficient carbon ceramic disc brake system was an industry first. Finished in custom-order Argento Nürburgring with Scuderia shields and riding on Bridgestone Potenza tires on silver center-lock alloy wheels, this 2003 Enzo’s butterfly doors open to reveal an unmistakably Ferrari interior lined in carbon fiber and fitted with Nero leather bucket seats with stitched Cavallino headrest emblems, a 10,000 RPM tachometer, air conditioning and an odometer reading of just 7,334 miles. While taking nothing away from its F40 and F50 predecessors, the Enzo has proven to be both an ultra-high performance sports car and a highly capable grand tourer in true Ferrari tradition. This vehicle will be offered at MECUM Auctions annual Kissimmee Florida, The World's Largest Collector Car Auction®, along with almost 4,000 cars and thousands of Road Art items. Taking place January 4-15, 2023. View more cars and register to bid online at https://drive.mecum.com/kissimmee-2023. View More Information

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By Tyler Rampersaud – December 13, 2022

RM Sotheby's First Miami Auction Sold More Than $40M In O...

In just one day, RM Sotheby’s Miami sale became an incredible success. At a beautiful modern property on the corner of Alton Court and Miami’s iconic Lincoln Road, RM Sotheby’s held its newest boutique auction in Miami with a sale taking place in just one day with just 55 cars. However, on December 10, the incredible result of over $40 million was sold, featuring some of the world’s greatest automotive masterpieces. 8 of these lots sold for over $1 million, and their new owners now own some of the world’s most desirable collector’s cars ever made. MUST READ: The Best Mercedes-Benz G-Class You Can Buy Today At the top of the list was an incredibly valuable 1995 Ferrari F50. Built as the brand’s flagship and celebration of its motorsport efforts, it featured the era’s cutting-edge performance technology and engineering that is still incredibly impressive to this day. It was for that reason that the car sold for an incredible $5,395,000. Following it was a $3,305,000 2019 Bugatti Chiron Sport. The top-selling F50’s predecessor, the 1990 Ferrari F40, took the place of the third-highest seller at $3,250,000, and the F50’s successor, the legendary 2003 Ferrari Enzo, followed closely behind at $3,195,000. Porsche’s legendary flagship, the 1988 Porsche 959 Reimagined by Canepa, came in fifth place at $2,920,000. After that was yet another Ferrari, The 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti, selling for $2,205,000, which was followed by a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT selling for $1,655,000. The final car to sell for over $1 million was a 2020 Ford GT Heritage Edition, selling for $1,490,000. After that, an air-cooled 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo S ‘Package’ took the position of the ninth-highest seller at $912,500, and rounding out the top ten was a 2007 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition, selling for $808,000. In Miami, RM Sotheby’s started very strong with a beautiful and incredibly successful auction with a total sale of $40,281,160. View All Exotic Cars For Sale Source: RM Sotheby's

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By Tyler Rampersaud – November 30, 2022

RM Sotheby's First Munich Auction Is Germany's Highest Gr...

For RM Sotheby’s in Munich, the first time’s the charm. RM Sotheby’s has concluded its first auction in Munich, and only its second auction in Germany, and already, it has broken the record for Germany’s highest-grossing collector car auction. Bidders at the auction represented an incredible 44 countries, and with a 90.5% sell-through rate, the roughly $24,311,616 sale was quite a remarkable event. With six lots selling at over $1 million in value, the cars for sale were true collectors’ gems. In addition, the Bavarian Legends Collection of historic BMWs, coinciding with BMW M’s 50th Anniversary year, added another layer of anticipation to the already electric event. MUST READ: RM Sotheby’s Miami: 2020 Ford GT Heritage Edition At the top of the list of highest sellers was a 1991 Ferrari F40, which sold for roughly $2,386,250. After that came a 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster in the style of Sindelfingen, which sold for an approximate $2,072,643. Following that was a 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II which sold for approximately $1,979,097, one of just 252 cars made. Coming in fourth place was one of just 20 2008 Lamborghini Reventon with under 66 miles, selling for around $1,807,201. Rounding out the top five was a 2017 Ferrari F12tdf, selling for roughly $1,249,152. With such a successful inaugural auction in Munich, RM Sotheby’s German presence can look forward to a bright future. View All Exotic Cars For Sale Source: RM Sotheby's

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 22, 2022

The Mecum Kissimmee 2023 Auction In January Will Have Ove...

The anticipation builds for an already-epic auction. Anyone who knows about Mecum Auctions knows that the auction house’s Kissimmee sale is quite the show, and every year, millions of dollars worth of incredible rare, historic, and iconic vehicles cross the block and go home to very excited new owners. However, the 2023 auction, which will take place early next year from January 4 to January 15, is going to be one of the most incredible ones yet, as 50 more cars from the Rick Grant III Estate Collection have been added, among other cars to bring the total to over 4,000 vehicles. MUST READ: The Best 80’s Cars You Can Buy Today Some of the highlights include a 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center SEat, a 1936 Bugatti Type 57, and a 1965 Shelby 289. This past year, Mecum set the goal of 4,000 vehicles for this coming auction, and at the time, that goal seemed quite high, but now that it has been achieved, we can look forward to one of Mecum’s greatest Kissimmee auctions yet, especially since last year’s sale garnered a record $217 million, making it the first live collector car auction to pass the $200 million mark. In fact, consignment positions are still available, and Mecum hopes to start the 2023 auction calendar stronger than ever. View All Exotic Cars For Sale Source: Mecum Auctions

By Edward Jones – November 12, 2022

Kodner's First Exotic Cars & Luxury Timepieces Auction Po...

Presented by Kodner Galleries. On November 6, 2022 Kodner Galleries, Dania Beach Florida debuted its first Exotic Cars & Luxury Timepieces auction with the automotive collection of the late Barry Amstell of Boca Raton together with a collection of men’s luxury watches. Total sales for fifty-four auction lots reached $4,589,200.00 (not including buyer’s premium) with Russ Kodner, President of Kodner Galleries at the podium as auctioneer. This exceptional collection of twenty-four cars, three motorcycles, two vintage gas pumps and a mini-Corvette was curated over seventeen years and kept on display as works of art in a custom commercial garage together with automobile memorabilia and collectibles including signage, more gas pumps, car and truck models, engine models, traffic lights and much more which Kodner will offer at a later auction date. Also in the auction were twenty-four high-end men’s watches by the very finest brands, Patek Philippe, F.P. Journe, Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, Rolex and more. The auction was featured on duPont Registry and Hemmings and received wide-ranging local media coverage in the South Florida area. The auction bidding was driven largely by phone bids from collectors and dealers who previewed the cars in Boca and who had pre-registered with the gallery well in advance of the Sunday afternoon auction date. In total there were two hundred and fifty-four phone bids with several bidders successfully bidding on multiple cars. One happy bidder won three of four of the vintage Shelby GTs, a Corvette and a Ferrari. Lot 1, a 2005 Ford GT, red with white stripes and a mere 148 miles, jumpstarted the auction with ten phone bidders aggressively bidding this amazing car to a closing hammer price of $401,500.00. Lot 6, the highly coveted 1963 Corvette Sting Ray with the split rear window in Riverside Red brought $181,500.00. Lot 8, a 1965 Ford Shelby GT350, one of four GTs in the auction, sold for $330,000.00. Lot 10, a 1992 Jaguar XJ220, the rarest car in the auction with only two hundred seventy-five made and still looking extremely modern, sold for $506,000.00. Lot 12, the 1965 Shelby AC Cobra, and the highlight of the auction, generated lots of interest and exuberant phone bidding, brought $814,000.00. Curiously, the car garnering the most attention and phone bidders was a 1981 DMC DeLorean “Back to the Future” replica car selling for $90,200.00 and well above the $50,000-$70,000 pre-auction estimate. (Prices quoted include buyer’s premium.) Kodner Galleries bi-monthly auctions consistently feature fine estate jewelry and timepieces but as the exotic car and luxury watch markets overlap it seemed a natural for Kodner Galleries to combine both for this special auction. Standouts in the November 6 auction were Lot 31, a F.P. Journe Octa Celendrier selling at $86,250.00; Lot 49 Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A bringing $115,000.00; Lot 50 Richard Mille RM-11-03 hammered down at $310,500.00 and Lot 51 Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980/R selling at $184,000.00 (prices include buyer’s premium). The auction was indeed a great success for Russ Kodner and Kodner Galleries. The gallery is already in discussions to represent more car collectors in future Kodner Galleries auctions. Stay tuned. For information, please contact Kodner at info@kodner.com or by visiting the website at Kodner.com

By duPont REGISTRY – November 06, 2022

2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta For Sale By Collector's Garage

Presented by Collector's Garage. Ferrari introduced a roadster version of the 550 Maranello at the Paris Motor Show in 2000 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Pininfarina. Here in the US, the model debut took place in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. A fitting location for one of the most beautiful modern Ferrari's produced. The 550 Barchetta was a true 'barchetta' (open-top) with no real convertible top provided. The factory did provide a cloth soft top, but it was intended only for temporary use to protect the interior from rain as using the top above 70 mph (113 kmh) was not deemed safe. In addition to speed limitations, the soft top is not quick to erect and is only be used in emergency situations when black clouds are imminent. The mechanical underpinnings of the car remained the same as its coupe counterpart but the engine was given a different internal designation. A total of 448 cars were produced worldwide with the minority of those destined for the US. Delivered new to Miller Motorcars Ferrari of Greenwich this example is numbered 24 of 448. Specified in Nero over Cuoio leather the first owner certainly had taste and avoided the pitfalls of another Rosso Corsa example. Displaying just 5,007 miles from new, it presents as one would expect with such limited use. Retaining five-piece luggage set, books, and tools one would one be disappointed to learn US destined cars, like this example, did not include the open face leather encased driving helmets that European cars did. Last serviced in September 2021 at the cost of $15,782.78 (invoices on file) this spectacular looking 550 Barchetta is presents beautifully inside and out. View Listing

By duPont REGISTRY – November 05, 2022

2009 Ferrari F430 16M Scuderia Spider For Sale By Collect...

Presented by Collector's Garage. There are collectors and then there are collectors. Certain collectors have seemingly unlimited passion and desire for cars. Michael Fux is one of those whose name sparks the latter definition of collector. Mr. Fux is known throughout the industry as someone who painstakingly agonizes over every detail of a car he is acquiring. Known to specify a number of cars in non-traditional color combinations this 16M certainly follows the trend of not following any trend. Probably the highest option 16M on the planet this is no standard example. Outside, this 16M features 19 inch forged wheels in matte charcoal, carbon-ceramic brakes with Rosso Fuoco calipers, Scuderia shields, carbon fiber headlight buckets, exposed carbon fiber rocker panels, white over-the-top racing stripes, wheel center caps in Grigio Silverstone, and a black convertible top. Not known for choosing standard colors from any catalog, this exterior color was custom blended for Mr. Fux. After many mixings and combinations Rosso Fuoco was created and selected. If the exterior specification seems extravagant, the interior is even more highly customized. The sports seats are covered in Bianco leather, burgundy Cavallinos are stitched in headrests, contrasting stitching in burgundy, full leather dashboard in Bianco, Bianco leather steering wheel with LED's, leather roll bar hoops in Bianco with burgundy stitching, fire extinguisher, fire extinguisher cover in Bianco leather, center console and lower interior in Bianco leather, seat belts in charcoal, A/C vent dials with Rosso Fuoco accent rings, leather rear wall, white rev counter, dedication plate, JBL Professional audio system, navigation, and car cover. Further still the owner's manual covers are done in Bianco leather with contrasting stitching! However, what really sets this car apart is the use of colored carbon fiber. Today the practice is standard with many cars and manufacturers featuring exposed carbon in any color one may desire. Red tinted carbon fiber features on the seat backs, side trim, door panels, inner and outer sills, and console trim. The original MSRP was a whopping $393,247 with more than $85,000 in options. View Listing

By duPont REGISTRY – November 04, 2022

1973 Ferrari 246 Dino GTS 'Chairs and Flairs' For Sale By...

Presented by Collector's Garage. Completed on 4 April 1973 this 246 GTS was specified in Rosso Cordoba over Beige Scuro Connolly leather with black inserts. Dino afficionados will know that 'Daytona' style seats were introduced as an available option over the course of E-Series production. Additionally, in late 1972, the list of optional features grew to include 7.5in Campagnolo wheels with fender flares. Now knows as 'Chairs and Flairs' the option was largely limited to US bound examples. According to Matthias Bartz's authoritative book on the model, Dino Compendium, it is estimated that only 200 to 300 vehicles were equipped with this option making them among the highest prized examples. Chassis 05004, destined for Bill Harrah's Modern Classic Motors in Reno, Nevada, was re-directed to Algar Enterprises in Paoli, Pennsylvania instead. Serving as the company car for one of the dealerships part owners through the end of 1973, it was then dispatched in 1974 for a magazine test. In February 1974 chassis no. 05004 would serve as the cover car on Road & Track magazine where it featured prominently in an eight page sports car comparison article. An original copy of the magazine is on file and included with the car. By 1980 it passed to Frank Higgins of Flourtown, PA now painted black. In 2016 after three decades of ownership the car was offered for sale as a restoration project. The car, partially disassembled, but was offered complete with the assemblage of parts that were removed. Shortly thereafter the car was sold to a very experienced and prominent Ferrari collector in Florida who commissioned GTO Engineering in the UK to fully restore the car. Work began in March 2017 and finished in 2019. A complete restoration, nothing was left undone with a total of £300,000 of invoices on file and available for review. Emerging from restoration in early 2019 now returned to its original and splendid colors of Rosso Cordoba over Beige Scuro. Only 51 cars were finished in Rosso Cordoba originally. Now fully Ferrari Classiche Certified as fully matching, chassis no. 05004 is offered with a set of books, corresponding leather pouch, and a tool roll. This Dino, just three owners from new, specified with Rosso Cordoba paint in 'Chairs + Flairs' surely must be one of the finest examples in the world. View Listing

By duPont REGISTRY – November 03, 2022

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO For Sale By Collector's Garage

Presented by Collector's Garage. Ferrari does not use their “Gran Turismo Omologato” (GTO) moniker lightly. While other carmakers may use their historical name plates very liberally, Ferrari is much more reserved and exacting. In the past 75 years of glorious Ferrari history, just two other models have carried the GTO badge and both are, in a word, legendary. The Ferrari 250 GTO produced between 1962 and 1964 needs no introduction as the iconic Ferrari and successful GT-class racer. Created as a homologation platform for the Ferrari 308 GTB, the 1984 288 GTO was one of the stand-out, unexpected supercars of the 1980s. The hand-wringing began when rumors trickled out that Ferrari would reapply “GTO” to a modern Ferrari with the cynics naturally skeptical. They did not have to worry. With just 599 examples of the 599 GTO produced worldwide, and only 125 coming to North America, this fine example finished in Grigio Silverstone with a Rosso Corsa “Racing Livery” center stripe over Extra Campionario Nero leather interior, must surely be one of the most low-mileage, desirable examples available today. Additional options include red brake calipers, colored safety belts, fire extinguisher, iPod connection, white rev counter, rear shelf leather upholstery, and $2,945.00 of “special features” according to the window sticker. Ordered through Ferrari of Atlanta this example features under 600 miles as verified on an accompanying Carfax report and is in exceptional condition commensurate with its mileage. With only two owners, and in keeping with its mileage, this Classiche certified 599 GTO is accompanied by a recent service record. View Listing

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