A 1956 Ferrari is the most expensive car sale of 2015
The stunning car, along with Janis Joplin’s psychedelic Porsche, were sold at auction last week.
A stunning array of rare cars – including a 1956 Ferrari 290 MM (pictured) and Janis Joplin’s psychedelic 1964 Porsche – were sold at auction on December 10.
The most expensive car sold in the year 2015 was auctioned off last week during RM Sotheby’s Driven by Disruption event on December 10 in New York.
The highlight of the auction was a 1956 Ferrari 290 MM (chassis no. 0626) that sold for $28,050,000, making it the most expensive car sold in 2015.
In historical terms, it is the third most expensive car ever sold.
The rare car was one of four ever built and features a 3.5-litre, V-12 engine. It was designed by Ferrari creator Enzo Ferrari especially for Formula One racing champion Juan Manuel Fangio. Fangio used the car in the 1,000-mile Mille Miglia race of 1956, where he would come in fourth place.
That same year it would also be driven by Wolfgang von Trips and Peter Collins. The pair would go on to secure a second place win at the Swedish GP in Kristianstad, which would help Ferrari become the winning auto manufacturer of the 1956 World Sportscar Championship.
Over the years, the car would be driven by a “who’s who’’ of racing champions.
Story continues after gallery.
The most expensive cars ever sold:
[bdc-gallery id=”1430754″]
Janis Joplin’s psychedelically-styled Porsche was also a highlight of the Driven by Disruption event. The 1964 Porsche 356 C 1600 SC Cabriolet sold for $1.76 million, far above the price range of $400,000 to $600,000 that Sotheby’s estimated in September.
Joplin bought the car in 1968 and tapped her friend and roadie Dave Richards to customize the body to match the Queen of Rock and Roll’s style. Richards painted a psychedelic “History of the Universe’’ mural all over the car, which features rainbows, butterflies, jellyfish, and an image of Joplin.
Rock and roll icon Janis Joplin’s 1964 Porsche 365C 1600 Cabriolet was sold for $1.76 million on December 10 at RM Sotheby’s Driven by Disruption auction in New York.
The car had spent the previous 20 years on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland.
Also sold at the Driven by Distraction auction was a 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato – one of 19 ever built – that sold for $14.3 million, making it the most expensive British car ever sold at auction. Meanwhile, a 1963 Pontiac Bonneville once owned by actor Roy Rogers sold for $308,000 and a 2003 Ferrari Enzo owned by former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather sold for $3.3 million.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com