1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Detroit, Michigan | February 2024

At the end of the 1957 World Sportscar Championship season, Ferrari debuted the 250 Testa Rossa aimed a the 3.0-liter class. Ferrari built about 33 examples by 1962, including 19 customer cars. There were 19, unclear if the same 19, that were bodied by Scaglietti, including this one. But this car does not have its original Scaglietti body anymore.

The auction catalog is not complete yet, however, what is there does not mention at all that the car carries a replica body. It just brags of the original engine and gearbox. The engine is a 3.0-liter V12 that made 300 horsepower. The TR was a beast, winning Le Mans three times, Sebring three times, the Targa Florio, and three WSC manufacturer titles. This car was sold new to a Brazilian privateer and was raced at Interlagos in period before having its pontoon fenders removed between the ’59 and ’60 seasons.

It was re-bodied in the style of a 250 GT Berlinetta in the early ’60s and made its way out of South America and to the U.K. in 1985. In 1989 it was fitted with a replica pontoon-fender body (the one you see here) during a restoration. Under British ownership beginning in 1996, the car was used at quite a few historic events, which is great, including the Le Mans Classic, among many others.

It failed to sell at an RM auction in 2010 with a $10.7 million bid and then was purchased by its current owner, Les Wexner, the guy who founded Bath & Body Works and made Victoria’s Secret into what it is today. Fun fact that Wikipedia points out very early: he was also a long-time buddy-buddy of Jeffrey Epstein.

Forbes points out that this re-bodied Testa Rossa could fetch $38 million, which may seem steep for what is essentially a re-creation of what it originally once was. But, these things are rare and you’re paying for that serial number and the history associated with it. You may be able to read more about it here.