In the past 2023, inflation has become the main topic of the global economy.
In particular, the major economies of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the eurozone have hit record highs in nearly 30 years, and many people's lives have been greatly affected against this background.
In particular, the constantly** cost of loans and rents, as well as more expensive food and electricity bills, has meant that many of us have been tightening our belts for the past year.
Even the state of the economy hasn't stopped the world's super-wealthy car enthusiasts from spending a lot of money at auctions in 2023. Let's review the 20 most expensive cars in the global classic car market in the past 2023.
yearsFerrari F50
Sold price:US$5,065,000
Can you trust a 27-year-old Ferrari F50 that has only driven 834 miles (1,342 km) so far?
For many people, parking such a top-of-the-line supercar for a long time feels like a crime.
The extremely low mileage of 834 miles also indirectly makes this car a collection of automobile museums, rather than a speed machine that should be driven on the road, after all, every increase in mileage will greatly reduce the overall value, let alone minor accidents!
The Ferrari F50 is a special edition car built to celebrate 50 years of the Manufacture, and is the closest road car ever introduced by Ferrari to an Formula 1 car. Between 1995 and 1997, a total of 349 Ferrari F50s were produced, which sold for $480,000 that year.
In terms of power, the Ferrari F50 is equipped with 4The 7-litre V12 engine features a lighter ductile iron block with integrated nickel-plated alloy cylinder liners, forged alloy pistons and titanium connecting rods.
In terms of performance, the maximum power is 512 horsepower, the peak torque is 471 Nm, and the acceleration time from 0 to 100 km h is only 3In 87 seconds, the vehicle can reach a top speed of 325 km/h. It is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox.
Year Paganizonda r
Sold price:US$5,340,000
The story of Pagani began in 1992 when Lamborghini designer Horacio Pagani founded a company that bears his name in San Cesario Sul Panaro, a small town near Modena, Italy.
To this day, Pagani produces supercars known for their extreme performance, extensive handcrafting, high prices, and rare production to order.
At the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, Pagani unveiled the Zonda R, the first track-class supercar – the most extreme product ever launched by the company at the time and the epitome of the company's technical capabilities.
The Pagani Zonda R uses the same powertrain as the regular version, the 6. from Mercedes-AMG0L V12 M120 naturally aspirated engine, this engine has a maximum power of 750 hp;With a maximum torque of 710 Nm, a 6-speed sequential semi-automatic transmission, and an ultra-lightweight body that has become the killer feature of the Zonda R, with a mass-to-power ratio of 143 kg hp. In addition, a roof-mounted carbon fiber intake channel delivers air directly to the engine.
Only 16 cars were produced in total, one of which was reserved for the manufacturer, meaning that only 15 could be bought worldwide, but by 2011 a total of 10 had been built, with a starting price of 1.46 million euros.
Today's presentation of the 2010 Pagani Zonda R Revolución Specification is a little different, the fifth in the production sequence. The car was then shipped back to the Pagani plant, where it was upgraded to a revolución specification in December 2014. It is important to note that the car can only be used on the track, at exhibitions or on static displays, and is not legal to drive on the road.
1959 Ferrari 250 GT Tdf
Sold price:USD 5,365,598
*This Ferrari 250 Tour de France (Tour de France) was named after the model that celebrated Ferrari's victory in the famous motor race of the time.
The first Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta was unveiled in May 1956 and was used to compete in the 10-day Tour de France and won the championship, so it was more often called the "Tour de France" (it wasn't the Tour de France).
A total of 77 Ferrari 250 GT TDFs were produced, including five convertibles. The body was designed by Pininfarina and used the same engine as the other Ferrari 250GT models. A 3The 0-litre V12 naturally aspirated engine has been slightly modified to deliver 256 hp. It can be used in 6It accelerates from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 5 seconds, and that was in the 60s.
Initially it was red, but its second owner chose to repaint it with Oro Chiaro (light gold) just a few months after leaving the factory, which was later used again by the owner during the 2016 restoration.
yearsFerrari 275 GTB 4
Sold price:US$5,395,000
This Ferrari 275 GTB 4 was one of 330 built between 1966 and 1968 by the famous coachbuilder Scaglietti. In addition to this, the first owner of this car was American Hollywood movie star Steve McQueen.
In 1967, he was at the peak of his film career, and he made a name for himself in the American film industry with two films shot at the same time, Bullitt and The Thomas Crown Affair. It was also in that year that he bought the Ferrari 275 GTB 4 for $1.37 million.
This Ferrari was made specifically for McQueen. The manufacturer made some touches to the body and painted a special red on the sports car, the color of the McQueen tube called Chianti Red.
Later, McQueen had an accident while driving the car, which was subsequently converted into a convertible version of the Ferrari 275 GTB 4 and officially named the Nart Spider.
In 1971, McQueen sold the car to actor Guy Williams Guy Williams. The Ferrari then changed hands several times between 1971 and 2009 before being acquired by retired Australian racing driver Vern Schuppan.
Luckily, the car was later restored from a convertible to a McQueen-era coupe by the craftsmen of Ferrari Classiche.
1937 Bugatti typesc tourer
Sold price:US$5,395,000
The Bugatti Type 57 is a completely new design created by Jean Bugatti, the son of founder Ettore. The production cycle of the car lasted between 1934 and 1940, with a total of 710 units produced.
The Bugatti Type 57S SC model is now considered the most iconic Bugatti car. The "S" stands for "Surbaissé" (lowered) and the "C" stands for "Compresseur" (Supercharger), and as improvements, the V-shaped recesses at the bottom of the radiator and the mesh grilles on the sides of the engine compartment were also modified.
With the blessing of the roots type supercharger, 3The maximum power of the 3L DOHC inline-eight engine was increased to 147 kW (200 hp) and a top speed of 190 km/h, making the Bugatti 57SC the fastest production car in France at the time.
It is undeniable that the Bugatti Type 57 SC Tourer represents the pinnacle of pre-war ***, embodying Bugatti's unique vision of elegance and sportiness, while making it even more collectible thanks to its well-documented historical record.
Of the more than 40 Type 57 S chassis produced, only 16 had a convertible structure. Of those, eight were produced by Corsa, and only two were produced in the four-seater touring version.
2002 Ferrarienzo
Sold price:USD 5,998,805
In 2002, Ferrari celebrated the Manufacture's 55th anniversary with a limited production of 400 cars delivered to its most important customers. The most common version will easily sell for more than $1 million.
The record-breaking car was clearly not that simple, and it was in the collection of renowned Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso for 12 years.
The celebrity halo is not the main reason for the creation of **, first of all, you must know that the car in front of you is the first production version of Enzo to be built in history, and normally the official name of this car is Enzo "Scocka N."1" (meaning chassis number 1) comes with the necessary Red Book certification for Ferrari Classiche cars to ensure the authenticity of the first car. In addition to this, the mileage shows that the car has only traveled 4,800 km since delivery.
The Ferrari Enzo is 65 when it is new to the car$50,000, and now the car sells for close to $6 million, and even taking inflation into account, it's safe to assume that Alonso has made a lot of money on the car.
yearsFerrari340 america barchetta
Sold price:US$6,338,737
The 340 America was one of the first Ferraris to be powered by a Lampredi V12 engine, and the first 275S 340 America was presented at the Paris Motor Show in September 1950A total of 23 units were produced between 1950 and 1952.
* The car finished third at Le Mans in 1951 and was owned by the same collector for 48 years after subsequently retiring from racing the 12 Hours of Sabring in 1953 and the Daytona Speed Week in 1954.
1955 Ferrari 121 LM Spider
Sold price:$6,379,285
The Ferrari 121 LM Spider has a less fortunate history, having competed in the Mille Miglia endurance race in Italy and the Le Mans Challenge in France in 1955, but did not finish either.
Despite the success of the SCCA (American Racing Club) World Challenge in California, it was also involved in the first fatal accident in SCCA history in April 1956. Today, the car is one of the four that survived and received a complete Ferrari Classiche restoration not so long ago.
1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica
Sold price:USD 6,605,000
The 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica was priced at $16,800, while the most expensive American car, the Fleetwood 75, "costed" $6,240, a fraction of the price of a Ferrari. Such a high ** also doomed its production to be limited, and in the years of production, Ferrari only built 39 410 Superamericas.
* Not only was this glamorous Ferrari a multi-race winner, it was also one of only seven models to be produced with a dome light, and the only 410 to have the Nero Tropicale IVI paintwork.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWBberlinetta
Sold price:USD 7,316,598
The Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta is one of the most beautiful models in the brand's history. The coupe made its debut at the 1959 Paris Motor Show with vertically protruding headlights, a long front compartment and a wide-angled rear-sloping roofline.
Only 74 units of this car were produced. The three-liter V12 engine allows it to accelerate from zero to 60 mph (97 km/h) in six seconds and can reach a top speed of more than 150 mph (240 km/h), which is impressive for a 1960 car.
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
Price realised: $9,465,000
Yes, this is another Ferrari 250 GT SWB, because this model is a regular in expensive classic car auctions, the same car tends to appear over the years, but this car is not the same, it is still in an unrestored state, all this time this car has a total of four owners, and almost no one knew about its existence until it was made public in 2023**.
The Ferrari 250GT SWB was designed by Pininfarina and unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1959. Between 1959 and 1962, a total of 168 units were produced. Of these, 76 are sporty and 92 are deluxe. The SWB (Short Wheel Base) is a short-shaft version with a wheelbase that has been reduced by 203 mm to 2,400 mm compared to the regular Ferrari 250GT. And berlinetta means the same as coupe.
2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTRroadster
Sold price:US$10,235,000
The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, is the road version of the car that won the FIA GT1 championship.
With only 28 road-legal versions produced, including 20 coupes, six cabriolets, and two prototypes, the CLK GTR Roadster is even more outrageous than the current AMG One, the third of only six convertibles. The car has been on static display for a lifetime, with a total mileage of 106 miles (170 km) today.
Bugattichiron profilée
Sold price:US$10,878,388
The Bugatti Chiron Profilee is a derivative of the Chiron limited edition build.
The Chiron Profilée was born out of a request from a customer in 2020 from Bugatti who wanted the car to look more understated, so the Chiron Profilée did away with the large rear wing and replaced it with a small aerodynamic component, allowing the Chiron Profilée to remain stable at top speeds.
The car is based on the Chiron Pur Sport 8The 0-litre four-turbo W16 engine produces 1,500 hp, and the Christon Profilée sprints from zero to 100 km/h in just 23 seconds, to 200 km/h it only takes 55 seconds. As for top speed, the Profilée is even faster than the Pur Sport, reaching 380 km/h.
1972 Ferrari 312 pb
Sold price:USD 13,377,890
The car was designed and produced in accordance with the CIA Group 6 car limits, and the engine cylinder volume could not exceed 3 liters. Ferrari decided not to race in 1968, but the following year it raced in three 312 PBs, using engines similar to those used in endurance races.
The 312 played a key role in the 1972 World Sportscar Championship, winning the 1972 Buenos Aires 1000km and Nürburgring 1000km, finishing second in the 1972 12 Hours and finishing third in the 1000km at Monza that year. The car was driven by the official Ferrari driver in 1969 and then handed over to Chinetti.
Ferrari driver Brian Redman recalled, "The Ferrari 312PB was a fantastic car".
yearsJaguar XKSS
Sold price:$13,205,000
The 1957 Jaguar XKSS is considered one of the most beautiful cars ever built, and the car is considered "one of the most original and well-preserved cars in the XKSS".
After the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jaguar opted out of the race, but there were still some unsold Type Ds.
Executives then said they could upgrade the remaining cars to road spec for sale in the U.S. market, initially planning to produce 25 cars, but then only 16 cars were produced after the Browns Lane factory fire destroyed nine cars, making them even rarer.
yearsFerrari 250 lm
Sold price:US$17,520,065
The Ferrari 250 LM (short for Le Mans) is considered one of the greatest Ferraris of all time, and it straddles the line between pure racing and road luxury touring.
*This car was completed in 1964 with chassis number 6053 and was the 22nd of only 32 units produced. Despite having a rich racing history, including four overall wins, it is only one of the few examples where it has never experienced a major crash.
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWBcalifornia spider
Sold price:US$18,045,000
In the late 50s of the 20th century, Jon von Neumann, a Ferrari dealer in Hollywood, California, realized that wealthy people needed a different supercar, and he wanted Ferrari to build a new convertible for him, and under the persuasion of Luigi Chinetti, the representative of the Ferrari dealer in North America, Enzo Ferrari finally agreed to launch a convertible sports car specifically for the American market, and the result was the 250 GT california spider。
The car is one of 37 swb californias with new headlights, and the only one to be painted with the Azzurro Metallizzato paint, which was sold by the current owner for $2,400 in the early '70s.
If you were lucky enough to spend $16,000 on a 250 GT SWB California Spyder at a Ferrari dealer in 1963, what would be the ROI today?
2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04
Sold price:US$18,815,000
The 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 was driven by F1 champion Lewis Hamilton and became the most expensive F1 car of the 21st century with the hammer falling from auction.
Hamilton is understood to have won 14 of the 19 races in F1 in 2013, winning the Hungarian Grand Prix that year. It is worth mentioning that the reason why this F1 car can sell so much is because it retains the original 2The 4-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine is fully functional.
1967 Ferrari 412P berlinetta
Sold price:US$30,255,000
In fact, in addition to the Ferrari 250 GTO, there is also an equally rare and iconic Ferrari racing car, that is, the Ferrari 412P, also known as the P3 4, which was also born in the 60s of the 20th century. Introduced in 1967 for endurance racing, the exterior is based on the P3 prototype from the 1966 season, with an aerodynamic body meticulously handcrafted by Pininfarina.
Under the hood, the 412P is equipped with a powerful 4The 0 v12 engine, with a maximum power of 420 hp and a top speed of 310 km/h, is still very good today, let alone in the 60s of the 20th century!
This Ferrari 412P berlinetta has a long and storied history, and the car was originally designed to compete in the FIA World Championship. Produced in 1967, it was purchased by Colonel Ronnie Hoare's racing team.
It is worth noting that this car was one of two 412Ps to be raced in a private team that year, driven by Richard Attwood and Lucien Bianchi, who had won the 1967 Spar 1000km in Belgium and helped Ferrari win the Constructors' Championship that year.
The 412P also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 6 Hours of Branshaven in 1967, before being bought by D**ID Piper and competing in various endurance races in Paris, Kyalami and Cape Town in 1968-1969, winning the Nuremburg 200km in 1968, the Solituderennen at Hockenheim and the Swedish Grand Prix.
The Ferrari 412P is essentially a version of the 330 P3 car sold to the public, and it was this model that was featured in the movie "The King of Speed" Ford vs Ferrari.
1962 Ferrari 330 lm 250 gto
Sold price:US$51,705,000
We all know that the Ferrari 250 GTO is very famous (valuable), this is the most representative sports car of the 60s of the 20th century, the Ferrari family's famous big brother, the Ferrari 250 GTO, the GTO stands for "Gran Tourismo Omologato" (Grand Touring Homologated), the car was produced from 1962 to 1964, a total of 36 units were produced!
It is reported that the price of the car starts at $34 million, and the auction process was completed in less than 20 minutes. A spokesperson confirmed that both of the car's winning bidders were physically present during the auction. However, Sotheby's has not disclosed the identity of the new owner. To be sure, this is the most expensive Ferrari ever sold at auction and the most expensive classic car ever to be unveiled worldwide this year.
Coloured in Ferrari's signature Racing Red with a 7 livery, and chassis number 3765, it was one of only 34 cars built with Tipo 1962 bodywork. This car is also the only Ferrari equipped with a 4GTO of the 0-liter Colombo V-12 engine variant.
The car was reported to have won the Nürburgring 1000 in 1962 and was later driven by Lorenzo Bandini and Mike Parkes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the same year. However, due to a bunker accident and engine failure, the car withdrew from the race in the sixth hour.
In May 1963, the car was returned to the original factory for rebuild and converted back to 30 litre GTO size engine and subsequently** to Pietro Ferraro, founder of Ferrero.
In 1967, Ferrari put the car back into the deal, and it was soon acquired. After several years of circulating among buyers in mainland Italy and Sicily, the car was acquired in 1985 for $1.4 million** by Jim Jaeger, a collector from Ohio and co-founder of Escort Radar Manufacturing.
In the decades since, the car has remained in the possession of the collector and has been featured more frequently at motorsport events and touring events. The auction is also the car's first public auction in nearly 38 years.
Sotheby's stressed in the press that "in our lifetimes, we may not see this unique GTO car put up for auction in front of the public again".
However, ** commented that although the Ferrari 250 GTO, numbered 3765, set a record for a Ferrari car at public auction, the hammer price of the car did not fully meet industry expectations, and may be due in part to the current negative market conditions. It is reported that Sotheby's previously estimated that the car would sell for more than $60 million, which is reasonable considering its rarity and specificity.
However, considering that the original owner bought ** for only $1.4 million, this extremely rare and special Ferrari with racing pedigree is still a good investment. At the same time, it reflects the strength and stability of the Ferrari boutique car collection market, even in uncertain economic times.