1955 Ferrari 410 S Berlinetta

Exactly my answer every time someone around me starts whining about millions being paid for a car.

 

Prices are steep vs prices were low

Hard to argue against either possibility, however I will attest to one thing, there are some new players from new markets BUT the real issue is that there arent a lot of them and yet every dealer talks up the amount of business they are getting from these new markets. What I am seeing is a great level of diversification of the super wealthy (Billionaires @ 50% of the market), the wealthy (25%) and the recurrance of the wheeler dealer/ speculator (25%).
The billionaires can and will buy whatever they want and they push along the market for things like 250 GTO's or any of the $20 million + cars and if the car drops in value to $10 they wont care, their fortune will still be intact. ITS the next level down, like this 410S or the numerous California's, maybe 4 already sold this year, with three more to come at Gooding & RM, and all of the other $2 - 10 million cars that will see a lot of price fluctuation, as the speculators decide they need their cash and the market might be reaching its apogee.
Just like the 1980's if enough great cars come to the market at the same time the price will only go in one direction.

 

Because the Picasso is unique while the GTO is made 36 cars.
And IMO some paintings by Picasso -for example "Demoiselles d'Avignon"- were so radical that they changed modern art until today. The GTO was a fantastic car but it was neither radical nor was its influence in design and performance that important in the automotive industry.

 

Well, you didn`t get the point!
Of course not every Picasso is worth $100m - but even the cheapest of his painting is more worth than the cheapest Ferrari. And Picasso`s early painting are much more important for the culture of mankind than any GTO which was not a radical car in terms of technical layout (single-camshaft, front-engine, nothing radical at all). The early PIcasso paintings were very much unique and changed the view on art and the history of art. His life is only part of the myth. Same with ol`Enzo`s life.

Do you really believe that Ferrari made only important cars?

Yes, the GTO is an icon, it was successfull as a race car and its today the most expensive car on this planet. Also I agree that its the most important car Ferrari ever made. But you need 3 of them to get an important Picasso! I am pretty sure that it will take many years if a GTO will fetch $100m. But if this will happen the $100m-Picasso is worth $200m!

 

Now we understand each other!..

 

Some pics from Villa d'Este # 2009 : https://picasaweb.google.com/100135472644301773345/Ferrari410SBerlinettaScaglietti19550594CM#

 

I would argue that the GTO is nowhere near the most important car in Ferrari history. I would place the 166 Barchetta above it. The GTO was very luckily placed in the GT category, when in fact it didn't comply with the rules. If it hadn't been allowed into that class, it's place in history would have been a sneeze. It is a great auotmobile, but nowhere near being worth so much more than other Ferraris (like the P4's). It is the perceived value and social-ness that has driven the latest prices. Not to say that is wrong, per se, but it should be recognized for what it is, and they very well could be selling for $100M soon.

George

 

Theres only one reason the GTO is worth more than any other F-car, just look at it. Art and beauty is all perspective but IMO this is the best looking Ferrari ever. EVER.

 

375 Plu-hus!

 

Just one reason why the quote "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder" is rubbish. Beauty can be scientifically determined. Other reasons of course are rarity and history and the 250 GTO was "lucky" enough to be born a winning race car. And unlike some small piece of shiny, crystallized carbon it's actually usable!

 

this is a CM chassis car!
it is the one and the only berlinetta version of the 410 sport
there are 2 twin plug cars(works, full tilt boogey versions) and 2 single plug cars(not "works comp versios")
these were made to do airport racing of the era at SAC bases and were mainly trying to beat SCARABS....FWIW

this was with PB in Mas du Clos for many years....

 

Paintings will always be worth more than cars for the simple reason that Art museums attract many more visiters than car museums and those visitors can be monitised. There are paintings that if they came to market would trade for Billions, The Mona Lisa for example. When you bid for a major painting you're up against Museums backed by countries that want to turn that painting into tourist dollars.

 

Quite a gorgeous car!

 

Exactly. Say what you will, Art will always be valued higher by humanity than a car given it's cultural implication.

That's why I think the Andy Warhol M1 might be the most potentially expensive car in the world.

 

Speaking of andy warhol, he collected the old masters........
Ed

 

Was the car restored in europe? I suspect so, as there is a difference wrt to the brightness of the fittings and nuts/bolts.
Ed

 

Not the answer to your question but I have read that they will never be for sale and that they are currently insured for in excess of £35,000,000 GBP. I'm sure Jim will chime in with the answer.

 

Isn't this the car that was destroyed in the riots (Detroit?) and restored, was once blue and repainted white?

Didn't we also debate how the nose is wrong?, or have I got my cars confused.

Beautiful car, though. No car is actually "worth" millions, they are just bits of metal that can be remade ... a painting on the other hand is just canvas and paint but it also captured a one time event by an artist. My conclusion, we put way too much worth into art and antiques, and yet people starve and kids are abused, animals exploited to extinction just so some idiot can get a supposedly better erection (tigers) ... makes no sense to me at all.
Pete

 

Like the Mona Lisa that car will never come to market but if either did the Mona Lisa would sell for FAR more than 722.

 

Which rules did it fail to comply with?

Best wishes, Kare