LONDON, 5 April 2012

RM Auctions, the world’s largest collector car auction house for investment-quality automobiles, is delighted to announce a superb roster of incredible new Ferrari consignments for its forthcoming Monaco sale at the Grimaldi Forum, 11–12 May.

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Scheduled during the same weekend as the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, the highly anticipated RM sale has seen an unprecedented number of historic racing cars joining the ranks of fine sports and road machinery. Continuing its standing as the global leader in the presentation of important Ferraris at auction, RM is now able to confirm a string of additional significant Ferraris for the sale, headlined by one of the two 1957 Ferrari 625 TRC Spiders ever built (pictured left) and a delectable 1966 Ferrari 206 S Dino Spyder, offered for sale for the first time in over 40 years. Other notable entries include a 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider and an ex-Michael Schumacher Ferrari Formula One Racing Car from the 2000 season. In total, no less than 22 examples from the Modenese Prancing Horse, spanning 60 years of production, will go under the hammer at the May sale.

“It was only recently that we announced a wonderful collection of racing cars for the Monaco sale, with a particularly superb collection of Ferrari and Alfa Romeo competition cars amongst them”, says Max Girardo, Managing Director, RM Europe. “Today we have the privilege of further enhancing this amazing auction with the consignment of a magnificent series of additional Ferrari competition cars, which individually represent some of the rarest and most desirable examples from the Maranello Company’s illustrious racing history.”   

Headlining recent entries for the sale is a coveted 1957 Ferrari 625 TRC Scaglietti Spider, chassis number 0680MDTR. The rarest of all TRs produced, 0680MDTR is one of only two factory-built 625 TRCs and boasts an extensive, well-documented history from new. Purchased in 1957 by famed racer and automotive businessman John von Neumann, a founding member of the California Sports Car Club and official West Coast U.S. Ferrari distributor, 0680MDTR enjoyed a successful period racing career in the hands of several drivers, including Richie Ginther. Testament to its superb handling and drivability, a test drive of the vehicle by Road & Track in December 1957 included the statement, “…both von Neumann and Ginther say that it is the best handling and the easiest of all Ferraris to drive in a race”. 

Although 0680MDTR was predominately raced in California, it’s first two race outings were in Europe, after the car was collected from the Ferrari factory. It finished first in class in its maiden race in August 1957 at the Grosser Bergpreis von Österreich at the Gaisbergrennen near Salzburg. Its first race outing in the U.S. was at the very first race held at Laguna Seca, where it claimed second place, closely followed by nine more races during the remainder of 1957 and 1958, including Pebble Beach, Pomona, Hawaii and Santa Barbara, with Mr. von Neumann scoring two victories and three podiums. Other notable race outings included Laguna Seca on 15 June 1958, where Richie Ginther piloted 0680MDTR to victory. 

Purchased by its current owner in 1981, over the past three decades, 0680MDTR has been fully restored, frequently raced and regularly shown at prestigious events, including two separate displays at the famed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. In 1999, at the 25^th annual edition of the Monterey Historic Races, the 625 TRC won the Chopard Award for Presentation and Performance. It is offered at the upcoming Monaco sale with its original 2.5-litre, matching numbers four-cylinder engine, representing an exclusive ownership opportunity for discerning collectors. (Estimate available upon request). 

“The 625 TRC is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful of all historic Ferraris”, comments Shelby Myers, Director, RM California. “Fresh to the market and eligible for the world’s leading events, its sale represents an opportunity not to be missed. We are honoured to have been entrusted by its long-term gentleman owner to present this vehicle at our forthcoming Monaco sale”.

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Another superb competition Ferrari secured for the sale is the handsomely restored 1966 Ferrari 206 S Dino Spyder, chassis number 006. Excluding the Factory Works prototype, 006 is the third 206 S of 18 examples built. Originally purchased by Maranello Concessionaires of Surrey, England and finished in Ferrari racing red with the recognizable Maranello Concessionaires blue stripe, it made its competition début at the RAC Tourist Trophy in Oulton Park, England, with renowned driver Michael Parkes behind the wheel. The following June, 006 started 12^th on the grid at the 1,000 Kilometers of Nürburgring, piloted by the superlative team of Richard Attwood and David Piper. By lap 28, the car had advanced to fifth in class and eighth place overall before retiring early due to mechanical issues. Later, the car competed at the British Grand Prix meeting at Brands Hatch, where Parkes drove the car to sixth place overall and first in class. 

In August 1967, Maranello Concessionaires sold this important Dino 206 S through Tore Bjurstrom, the official Ferrari concessionaire of Sweden, to Gustaf Dieden, before it passed to another Swedish owner, who raced the car under the name Team Bam-Bam at events such as ADAC 1,000 Kilometers of Nürburgring before being purchased by its current owner in 1970. Today, fully rebuilt and restored to an exacting standard, including a return to its original Maranello Concessionaires livery, the car is Ferrari Classiche certified and ready for vintage racing competition or premium concours exhibition (Estimate: €2.200.000 – €2.800.000).

“To many, the 206 S Dino is the epitome of a perfect 1960s sports racing car. Stunning in design, beautifully proportioned and boasting an extensive period competition history, 006 is a wonderful example of the 206 S Dino, worthy of close inspection”, adds RM specialist Alex Classick.

The trio of historic Ferrari racers recently confirmed for the RM sale is rounded out by a superb 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider, chassis 0362AM / 0374AM. The first 375 MM Spider to be delivered, the example on offer was completed in December 1953 and delivered new to its first owner in Argentina, where it enjoyed a successful racing career. During the 1954–1957 seasons, this historic 375 MM enjoyed 18 podium finishes, including 11 wins and two back-to-back national Argentine Sport Car Championships in 1954 and 1955, respectively. One of the car’s greatest victories was achieved at the Turismo Carretera road race in September 1954, where second owner, Enrique Diaz Saenz Valiente, drove his race car the 1,168 kilometre round trip to the 736 kilometre race and won at an average speed of over 210 km/h. His time of three hours, 28 minutes and 24 seconds was 25 minutes ahead of the closest Turismo Carretera entry, and his speed on the straights exceeded 275 km/h. The car eventually left South America in the early 1980s, after which time it passed through a string of prominent collectors, including Count Vittorio Zanon di Valgiuata, Yoshiho Matsuda and John McCaw. In recent years, it has successfully participated in some of the world’s leading touring events, including two Mille Miglia Storicas, four Monterey Historics and four consecutive Colorado Grand events between 2008 and 2011. A turn-key example, it is a wonderful touring car, expected to attract strong interest at the upcoming Monaco sale (Estimate: €3.300.000 – €4.100.000).

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Enthusiasts of Ferrari‘s more recent racing success will have a rare opportunity to acquire a Formula One machine driven by the great Michael Schumacher at the zenith of his career. The first Ferrari designed entirely in the Manarello wind tunnel, the Ferrari F1-2000 Racing Car, chassis no. 204 was raced in 2000 by the great German at the Austrian GP. Following the car’s retirement in 2001, it was retained by then-Scuderia manager Jean Todt, before being sold to its current owner in 2006. Fully Ferrari certified and restored to peak operating condition in 2008 by the Ferrari factory, the car benefited from a new engine in 2009 and has since covered only 400 km. It is “race ready”, and its upcoming offering represents the ultimate opportunity to purchase a Formula One racing car of the modern era, with unquestionable provenance and historical significance (Estimate: €680.000 – €850.000).

Other recent Ferrari entries secured for RM’s Monaco sale include:

• a 1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Spyder ‘Tuboscocca’, chassis 0192ET, one of the 12 Vignale Spyders produced (Est. €1.800.000 – €2.200.000);
• a one owner from new 2006 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione, chassis 145766, a magnificent example of Ferrari’s most exclusive, highest-performance production car, always kept at the Ferrari factory’s Corse Clienti Department (Est. €1.300.000 – €1.700.000);
• a highly successful racing 1987 Ferrari F40 Protoype/GT, chassis ZFFGJ34B000074047, one of about eight F40 prototypes and one of seven cars upgraded to F40 GT specifications by Michelotto (Est. €700.000 – €900.000);
• a 1955 Ferrari 250 GT Europa, chassis 0391GT, a benchmark example of Ferrari’s first, true series-production car, ordered new by well-known Ferrari client, Pietro Barilla (Est. €520.000 – €580.000);
• an early 1949 Ferrari 166 Inter Coupé, chassis 015S, one of just 38 Inters produced from 1948 through 1951 and the 1949 Geneva Motor Show and Villa d’Este participant (Est. €395.000 – €480.000);
• a beautifully presented, professionally restored 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE, chassis 4093GT (Est. €130,000 – €160,000); and
• a spectacular 2008 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, chassis number ZFFFD608000159049, driven just 8,000 km and capable of a top speed in excess of 330 km/h (Est. €80.000 - €110.000)