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A phase of Ferrari history not only will be on display but will be offered for bidding at Gooding & Company’s 15th annual Pebble Beach auction August 24-25.
“Ferrari offered competition-specification GT cars to customers who demanded automobiles that were equally at home on the road or track,” the auction company said in its news release.
Gooding will celebrate “the greatest era of road and track, dual-purpose Ferraris” at its Pebble Beach sale by offering a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans, a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France, and a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C.
“From their inception, the Ferrari GT berlinettas have been highly successful race cars,” David Gooding, Gooding & Company founder, is quoted in the news release. “They are thrilling to drive, especially in a competitive atmosphere on the track, and more importantly, they are some of the most beautiful cars Ferrari ever produced. This winning combination is why these cars are so coveted by collectors today.”
The 1950 166 MM is chassis 0060 M and has coachwork by Carrozzeria Touring. On offer is one of only six of the Berlinetta Le Mans cars campaigned by the factory in Italian races, Gooding & Company noted. After being displayed at the Paris Auto Salon, the car was sold to Briggs Cunningham and was raced in the U.S. and Argentina through 1952.
Later, the car was owned by Road & Track writer Henry N. Manney III, and then was exported to England, where it participated in events such as the Mille Miglia Storica and Goodwood Festival of Speed. The car has a pre-auction estimated value of $6.5 million to $7.5 million, according to Gooding & Company.
The 1959 Tour de France is chassis 0905 GT, one of 36 single-louver competition berlinettas but in a unique combination of features, according to Gooding & Company.
It first raced in the 1958 Targa Florio but was imported to the U.S. in 1962. It underwent restoration in 2014 and won the Coppa Bella Macchina award at the 25th annual Palm Beach Cavallino Classic. It’s pre-sale estimated value is $6.5 million to $7.5 million.
The 1966 275 GTB/C, chassis 09063, is one of only 12 produced. Created to race, it has a very lightweight aluminum body and Perspex windows. It was purchased by Luigi Chinetti and his North American Racing Team and was driven by Pedro Rodriguez at Nassau and elsewhere.
In 1992 it was acquired by Ferrari collector Albert Orbrist and was restored to concours quality. In 1995 it was purchased from the Orbrist Collection by Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone, who sold it to the consignor in 2001.
The car’s pre-sale estimate is $12 million to $14 million.
