There has been widespread excitement throughout the sports car industry just recently, as it has been announced that an extremely rare Ferrari 357 racing car renowned for a string of wins at famous races during the 1950s will be sold at auction where it is expected to sell for a whopping ten million pounds! The Ferrari 375 is due to go under the hammer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester, West Sussex, on June 27. But why is there so much fuss over just one car? Well, this was no ordinary Ferrari. Here are some of the reasons why this iconic car is so revered.
The Ferrari 375’s greatest victories
This strikingly red Ferrari was one of the fastest and most powerful sports cars in the world when it was manufactured in the early 50s. With a 4.9-litre 330bhp V12 the car stormed to victory at both the Le Mans and Silverstone tournaments in 1954. Although the most iconic win the car achieved was when Italian diver Umberto Maglioli won the 2000 mile Carrera Pan-Americana road race in 1954, where he clocked up an average speed of 150mph.
There were only four versions of this 375 built and this was the first. All of these Ferraris were exclusive racing cars that were only driven by the most experienced and revered of drivers. However, a domestic version of the vehicle was custom made for the King of Belgium.
The Ferrari 375’s post-racing days
When this particular model was retired from racing during the 60s it unsurprisingly became a much sought after collectible amongst sports car enthusiasts all love the world. It was a proud addition to several collections before being purchased by Ferrari importer Jacques Swaters in the 90s. As a close associate of Enzo Ferrari, Swaters decided to restore the vehicle to its past splendour, and even allowed it to be raced as part of the Le Mans Classic race on two occasions. Swaters died three years ago and his family have now decided to auction the car. There will be no questioning the legitimacy of the Ferrari as its unique chassis number remains on the model.
Auctioning the Ferrari 357
It is widely believed that due to the car’s iconic status it will reach an eight-figures sum, easily giving it the title of most expensive Ferrari car ever sold at auction. Industry insiders have observed the significance that this auction will have for Ferrari and indeed the whole motoring world.
Philip Kantor, a motoring expert at Bonhams auctioneers states: 'this is a very special car…it has participated in some of the world's greatest racing events driven by some of the world's best drivers…it is being sold without reserve and we expect it to fetch at least 10 million pounds which would be a world record for a racing Ferrari at auction.'
Will the vehicle reach the high sums of money that the industry expects of it? Well, when the auction takes place on June 27 we’ll find out. Bidders are expected to come from across the globe, with particular interest being expressed by collectors from India and China.
Liam Brennan is a blogger and sports car enthusiast. He reccomends DriveMe.co.uk for arranging all Ferrari driving experiences.
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