A flawlessly preserved and entirely unrestored 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO has surfaced on the market. Unsurprisingly, this is not a car priced anywhere near everyday territory. The headline lot at Mecum Auctions in Kissimmee, Florida, running from January 6 to 18, is expected to reach beyond $70 million (approx R1.1 billion).
Why such an astronomical figure? This particular example, chassis 3729GT, is finished in Ferrari’s ultra-rare Special White. That alone sets it apart, but its value runs far deeper thanks to an exceptional competition record and a condition that borders on unbelievable for a car of this age.
The Ferrari 250 GTO is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Maranello’s road-racing creations. Built in fewer than 40 examples between 1962 and 1964, it was developed with one clear purpose: to dominate the International GT Championship. The result was a blend of advanced aerodynamics and mechanical brilliance that few cars before or since have matched.
Beneath the long aluminium bonnet, designed by Ferrari and shaped by Scaglietti, sits the 3.0-litre Tipo 168/62 Comp V12, producing around 300 hp (224 kW). Matched to a five-speed manual gearbox, it delivered staggering performance for its era, while offering the durability needed for punishing endurance races.
Chassis 3729GT stands alone even within this elite bloodline. It remains the only 250 GTO delivered new in white, specified by its first owner, British racing figure John Coombs, a respected team owner with a sharp eye for detail.
Coombs also introduced purposeful changes that remain on the car today. These include bonnet vents, an additional intake on the front wing, and a cockpit ventilation duct fed through the headlamp area. These are not cosmetic flourishes but evidence of a car that was genuinely used in anger, not stored away as an ornament.
Its competition résumé is every bit as impressive as its specification. The Special White GTO claimed class victories and multiple podiums across major British and European circuits. Over its career it was driven by some of the era’s finest, including Graham Hill, Jack Sears, Mike Parkes, Roy Salvadori, and Richie Ginther.
In both 1962 and 1963, it secured second overall at the RAC Tourist Trophy at Goodwood, a key round of the FIA GT Championship, helping Ferrari on its way to world titles. Its capability was so evident that Jaguar’s competition department reportedly borrowed the car for evaluation, where it proved decisively superior to the E-Type.
Following its racing years, the GTO passed through the hands of several significant custodians, most notably Jack Sears, who kept it for close to three decades. Since 1999, it has belonged to the Jon Shirley Collection.
It has never been subjected to a heavy restoration. Instead, it has been carefully maintained and sympathetically repaired only where necessary. That remarkable originality is officially recognised by Ferrari Classiche certification and the accompanying Red Book.