At $16.39 million, a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Prototype broke the world record for a car sold at auction.
At $16.39 million, a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Prototype broke the world record for a car sold at auction. The Iconic 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Prototype makes history at $16.39 million on Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach stage.
Pebble Beach, CA – Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, made history last night selling the iconic 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Prototype for an outstanding $16.39 million. Recognized the world over for its historical significance and stunning design, the auction of the Scaglietti-bodied, pontoon-fendered Prototype mesmerized thousands of people in the Pebble Beach auction room as well as around the world via Gooding & Company’s live webcast and twitter conversation #2011PebbleBeachAuctions. Energized with excitement after the Testa Rossa arrived on stage with a thunderous engine growl, the crowd cheered when Auctioneer Charlie Ross accepted the commanding first bid of $10 million. As the audience watched in amazement, both Charlie Ross and David Gooding entertained the steadily-escalating bids that soared past major benchmarks of $12 million, $13 million and $14 million. When the gavel finally dropped, there was a roar of enthusiasm confirming Gooding & Company’s outstanding $16.39 million world record achievement.
Setting the tone for an outstanding start to its two-night Pebble Beach Auction, Gooding & Company’s top ten final results from the first day are as follows:
1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
$16,390,000
1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California
$3,355,000
1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Factory Team Car
$2,585,000
1953 Ferrari 375 Vignale Coupe
$2,200,000
1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS
$1,210,000
1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider
$1,025,000
1956 Ferrari 275 GTB
$1,001,000
1959 Fiat “Ferrari” Scuderia Factory Transporter
$990,000
1956 Ferrari 195 Inter Berlinetta
$990,000
1921 Bentley 3 Litre
$962,500
Day two highlights include the sensational 1931 Whittell Coupe Duesenberg (lot 123), the Most Elegant American Classic ever created; Sheryl Crow’s 1959 Mercedes Benz 190 SL Roadster (lot 107), which will be auctioned to benefit the Joplin Schools Recovery Fund; a rare, all-original 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Alloy Long Nose (lot 113), Steve McQueen and Von Dutch’s 1931 Brough Superior SS80 (lot 133) and a highly-coveted, preservation class 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series II Coupe (lot 135).
Gooding & Company, internationally celebrated for its world-class automotive auctions, provides unparalleled service in the collector car market, offering a wide range of services including private and estate sales, appraisals and collection management. At its 2010 Pebble Beach Auctions, Gooding & Company’s top three selling lots – a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione that sold for $7.26 million, a 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza that sold for $6.71 million and a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta SEFAC Hot Rod that sold for $6.105 million – ended up being the top three most valuable cars sold at auctions worldwide that year.
