A 1968 rare Ferrari almost broke the world record of a car auction sale as it closed a deal at $27.5 million, the LA Times reports.
On Saturday, several hobbyists and car enthusiasts had kept their eyes fixed on RM Auctions’ sale of the Ferrari 275 N.A.R.T. Spider, considered to be one of the few 10 models that have been built. Its ownership status set at single-family has made it look even more attractive and has in fact added up to the car’s market value.
According to owner Eddie Smith Jr, his late father bought the car in North Carolina back in 1968. It had stayed with the family for 45 years. He decided to have it sent to auction so that his family could donate the sale proceeds to several charities.
His last words before the auction began was intended for the final bidder, "Drive it, love it, enjoy it, and more importantly share it with others so they can see it."
The crowd cheered after hearing his words. Then, they kept their ground when the bidding started. The first bid set the stage at $16 million. Then, it suddenly jumped to $20 million. Afterwards, somebody bid for $21 million. The crowd would usually roar with delight every time a bid was made.
The final and winning bid excluding commission reached a staggering $25 million. At this point, the crowd went wild and generously applauded as they see a quartet of white-gloved attendants filling the stage with the red Ferrari, gearing it up for its next journey towards its new home. The identity of the new owner was not disclosed by the auction house.
Saturday night’s auction sale almost beat the defending world-record holder, a 1954 Mercedes –Benz W196 race car, of its winning $29.6 million in total bids back in July.
The Ferrari 275 N.A.R.T. Spider is widely regarded as one of the best looking Ferraris that had ever been created. Its bright-red version was even featured in the film ‘The Thomas Crown Affair” shown in 1968.
