The 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO is the most expensive car ever sold at auction, commanding an incredible $70 million in a private sale in 2018. This legendary racer won Ferrari the manufacturers championship three years straight from 1962-1964, cementing its status as the most valuable and coveted Ferrari model among collectors and enthusiasts around the world. With only 36 built, the 250 GTO is considered the Holy Grail of Ferraris.
When it comes to exotic supercars, few automakers can match the prestige and pedigree of Ferrari. The iconic Italian brand has been crafting some of the world’s finest performance vehicles for over 70 years. And for well-heeled collectors, the rarest and most coveted Ferraris can fetch staggering sums at auction, entering the realm of the “world’s most expensive cars.”
Let’s count down 10 of the most valuable Ferraris ever sold publicly, an elite group of Prancing Horse legends that routinely sell for eight figures a piece.
Top 10 Most Expensive Ferrari
10. 2017 LaFerrari Aperta
Though it may seem modest compared to its compatriots on this list, the LaFerrari Aperta is a modern-day technical tour de force.
A limited-edition, open-topped version of Ferrari’s hybrid flagship hypercar, only 210 LaFerrari Apertas were built, ensuring exclusivity to match its potent 950 hp petrol-electric powertrain.
With a top speed over 217 mph from its mid-mounted V12 and electric motor combination, the Aperta delivers staggering performance without sacrificing Ferrari’s signature sleek lines. At auction, this rare beauty easily commands over $4 million.
9. 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale
Next up is a true rarity even among coveted 1960s Ferraris – the 275 GTB/C Speciale. Inspired by the legendary 250 GTO race car, only 3 of these Speciale models were built, intended specifically for competition use.
Though based on the gorgeous, street-legal 275 GTB, the Speciale featured extensive modifications like an all-aluminum body, reworked suspension and a 320 hp, high-revving V12.
Combining exotic looks with purebred racing credentials, it’s no wonder this Speciale obliterated records when selling for over $27 million at auction.
8. 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti
As a brand, few names are as synonymous with Ferrari as Scaglietti, the Italian coachbuilder behind some of Maranello’s most prized racers and road cars throughout the 1940s and ‘50s.
Their collaborations reached new heights with the 1957 335 S Spider Scaglietti, widely considered one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever built.
One of just four 335 S Spiders built, its curvaceous bodywork conceals a race-bred, nearly 400 hp V12, enabling a top speed over 186 mph. At $36 million, this Scaglietti Spider set a record in 2016 for most expensive car ever auctioned in Europe.
7. 1956 Ferrari 290 MM Spider Scaglietti
The 1956 Ferrari 290 MM Spider Scaglietti is another stunning Italian masterpiece from Carrozzeria Scaglietti. Crafted hand-in-hand with Ferrari’s racing team for the 1956 Mille Miglia rally, this low-slung speedster packs a 300+ hp V12, allowing it to reach speeds exceeding 170 mph on the race track.
Its ultra rare status and racing pedigree was on full display in 2015, when this 290 MM commanded $28 million at auction in Monterey. Out of only four built, this Scaglietti Spider is surely one of the most desirable competition Ferraris in existence.
6. 1965 Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale
Some Ferraris are valued for their raw speed, others for exclusivity. The bespoke 365 P Berlinetta Speciale claims a spot on this list thanks to its truly unique, one-of-a-kind styling courtesy of Pininfarina.
First unveiled in 1965 at the Paris Auto Show, it featured unusual butterfly wing doors and sharp, futuristic looks unlike anything previously seen on a road-going Ferrari.
Under the skin, the 365 P also pushed boundaries, wearing a prototype 5-liter V12 that made it the fastest road-legal Ferrari of its era. Valued today both for its distinctive Pininfarina design and advanced engineering, this spaceship-like one-off sold for just over $24 million in 2017.
5. 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4* NART Spider
When it comes to rare 1960s Ferraris, few compare to the 275 GTB/4 NART Spider in terms of value or renown. Commissioned by Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti to celebrate his North American Racing Team, only 10 of these gorgeous open-topped Spiders were handbuilt by Scaglietti.
Compared to the standard 275 GTB coupe, they boasted a revised suspension and a higher-tune 300 hp V12 for improved top-end power.
Rakish, exotic and exceedingly rare, these NART Spiders have become blue-chip collector cars, with this pristine, matching-numbers 1967 example selling for $27.5 million in 2018 – a new world record for a Ferrari at auction.
4. 1954 Ferrari 375-Plus Spider Competizione
Ferrari’s early 1950s racers that competed at Le Mans, Spa and the Mille Miglia have long captured the imagination of collectors. The same goes for the lightning-fast 1954 375-Plus Spider Competizione, one of Ferrari’s most successful early race cars.
Developed specifically to win the 1954 Carrera Panamericana road race, it utilized an exclusive 340 hp Lampredi V12 and perfectly tailored, lightweight barchetta body from Carrozzeria Scaglietti.
This rare Competizione Spider’s historical significance and jaw-dropping good looks led to an $18 million sale in 2014 – one of the highest prices ever for a 1950s racing Ferrari.
3. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider
The 1960s saw Ferrari building some of its most gorgeous sports cars, including the legendary 250 GT SWB California Spider. Hiding underneath its voluptuous sheet metal and convertible top was a race-tuned, 280 hp Colombo V12, enabling genuine 150+ mph capability.
Even better, the famous California Spider moniker was bestowed for a few rare open-top SWB examples custom ordered for the Golden State.
Exceedingly elegant from any angle, this 1961 California Spider achieved $19 million when it crossed the block in 2020, proof of its enduring popularity among collectors.
2. 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti
Returning to the top of the list is another spectacular 1950s Ferrari-Scaglietti collaboration – the 1957 335 Sport Scaglietti. Coming hot on the heels of their 290 MM Spider success, this Pininfarina-penned speedster packed an increased 340 hp all-alloy racing V12.
Built for some of Ferrari’s most prestigious privateer customers of the era, only four 335 S Sports were constructed in total. Fusing exceptional beauty with hardcore performance, chassis #0674 later won the 2014 Cavallino Classic thanks to its meticulous restoration.
That same year, during the booming collectible car market, #0674 sold for a tremendous $35 million – the second highest result ever for an auctioned Ferrari.
1. 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO
What else could possibly top this list, but the incomparable 250 GTO – quite simply the most valuable car ever sold. From 1962-64, Ferrari constructed only 36 of these legendary machines intended to dominate FIA and sportscar racing.
And dominate they did, securing the manufacturer’s championship three years straight thanks to drivers like Graham Hill, Phil Hill and John Surtees. Due to its incredible racing record, plus timeless silhouette fused with a 300 hp V12, the 250 GTO cemented its status as the ultimate prize among collectors.
Come 2018, a historically significant 250 GTO once owned by racing icon Dr. Peter Williamson sold in private sale for an astonishing $70 million – marking the new pinnacle of the rare car market and easily making it the world’s most expensive Ferrari.