The record-breaking 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO was responsible for almost a third of the total auction revenue at RM Sotheby’s when it sold for a whopping US$48.405 million (£36.9 mil). Bidders flew in from 37 countries to visit the sale and the car, which has been described as the ‘holy grail’ of cars by fervent collectors.
As expected given the car's buzz and status, the bidding was very intense, lasting ten minutes on the Saturday evening of 25 August. The three determined bidders who were the last to fight for the Ferrari all placed their bids via telephone.
See also: 10 Most Expensive Classic Cars Ever Sold at Auction
The 1962 Ferrari with chassis no. 3413 GT exceeded the previous world record (held by another 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO) by more than $10 million.
But this Ferrari 250 GTO wasn’t the only reason for the auction's success. Among the other cars up for sale was a one-off 1963 Aston Martin DP215 Grand Touring Competition Prototype. After an energetic bidding contest, the hammer fell at US$21.45 million (£16.3 mil), making the Aston Martin DP215 one of the most expensive British cars ever sold at auction. The car was driven by Phil Hill and Lucien Bianchi in the 1963 '24 Hours of Le Mans' race, held near the town of Le Mans, France. It was the first car to ever drive at a speed of 300 kph.