If you’re a car buff and we mention Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby in the same breath, you’re likely to assume we’re talking about Ford. After all, the duo are eternally linked, including on film, to Ford’s drubbing of Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966. So you’d be right to think what you did, nine out of ten times. This time, however, it’s not about Ford at all. We’re talking about a Ferrari! A very special Ferrari nonetheless.
Captained by Enzo Il Commendatore Ferrari himself, the 1950s and the 1960s was undoubtedly a golden era for the marque from Maranello. As a tribute to that era, renowned auction house RM Sotheby's will be presenting four ultra-exclusive classic Ferraris from that period at the Monterrey Car Week this August.
At the top of the list is a race-winning 1955 Ferrari 375 Plus Spyder by Sutton that was driven not only by Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby but also by Dan Gurney (who took a Ford GT 40 to a Le Mans victory in 1967) and Jack McAfee. The one-off factory-built competition special is one of just two Tipo 105 Plus chassis ever made and one of only eight cars to be originally powered by the massive 4.9-litre naturally aspirated V12 Tipo 113. In its heyday, this car took no less than 6 wins and numerous podium finishes. It is expected to fetch anywhere between US$5.5 million to US$ 7.5 million.
Next up is a very special 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet, the 17th of 40 such. This specific car was displayed at the ’58 Geneva Salon and was originally owned by opera legend Giuseppe Di Stefano. Restored in 2024, it won second in class at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and is expected to command somewhere between US$5.75 million and around US$6.5 million.
Third in the series is yet another 250 GT. Compared to the previous two, this particular piece, a 1962 Series II, is expected to fetch a modest US$1.4 million to US$1.8 million. The 157th of 200 ever built, this car was restored in 2019-20. Finished in a rare shade of Oro Longchamps over Naturale, the car will be offered with its factory-fitted hardtop roof, the customary Red Book, and its tools.
Rounding off the quartet is a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS by Pininfarina, which is likely to command between US$1.25 million and US$1.5 million. It is powered by a 3.3-litre Colombo V12 and has been through a complete restoration, making it ready for any concours event. A total of only 200 of these cars were ever made by the brand that bears the prancing horse of Modena.
