Ferrari 250 GTO Catches Fire

[Twisted Shifter]

 

https://carbuzz.com/news/extremely-valuable-ferrari-250-gto-catches-fire-at-goodwood-revival

 

Ferrari only produced 36 examples of the 250 GTO, and unfortunately, one caught flames during the Lavant Cup at the 2023 Goodwood Revival. This 250 GTO is reportedly valued at over $50 million. Fortunately, its driver, former Formula 1 driver Karun Chandhok, got out of the car safely.

[George Smolinski]

The value of any of the remaining 36 just went up.

[West Peterson]

2 hours ago, George Smolinski said:

The value of any of the remaining 36 just went up.

The car survived intact. And I believe your statement is accurate whether this car went up in flames or not. Prices of high-end exotics and domestic cars are increasing substantially by the minute.

[TexRiv_63]

I am impressed as hell with someone who would take that 50 million dollar car and go race it for fun.

[Dr B]

1 hour ago, TexRiv_63 said:

I am impressed as hell with someone who would take that 50 million dollar car and go race it for fun.

First, this is not "hardcore" racing.  It is gentleman racing (no wheel to wheel and "swapping paint").  However, I agree, either way taking out and pushing such an expensive car is impressive.  Although, that is what this car was built for.  If I were a betting man, I would bet that for the person who owns that car, $50M is a small portions of his/her holdings, and probably not the only multimillion dollar car in the collection.  It would probably be comparable to me or you taking a $5-10k car on the track!

 

Robert

[Pfeil]

1 hour ago, TexRiv_63 said:

I am impressed as hell with someone who would take that 50 million dollar car and go race it for fun.

So true is the old Yorkshire Dales farmer saying, "Only them that has them can lose them."

[8E45E]

31 minutes ago, Dr B said:

First, this is not "hardcore" racing.  It is gentleman racing (no wheel to wheel and "swapping paint").  However, I agree, either way taking out and pushing such an expensive car is impressive.  Although, that is what this car was built for.  If I were a betting man, I would bet that for the person who owns that car, $50M is a small portions of his/her holdings, and probably not the only multimillion dollar car in the collection.  It would probably be comparable to me or you taking a $5-10k car on the track!

Or a Model T on the Expressway!!

 

Craig

[TTR]

According to very well known and respected Ferrari and vintage car historians, the car in question is a fake/replica, not a real 250 GTO*.

 

According to same sources, several other perceived to be high value, rare cars participating in this event are/were also “fakes/replicas”, not genuine articles. 
 

Majority of mid-to-high eight figure cars no longer participate in these types of public driving/racing events due to their continuously increasing values, but some of their owners have commissioned replicas (some more accurate, some less) to “play with” instead.

 

* There’s an often used phrase about Ferrari 250 GTOs that goes something like “Of the 36 originally produced, probably at least a 100 or so can be found today”.

Similar has been said of Bugatti Atlantics, i.e. “Of all 3 (or 4 ?) made, about a dozen are still around today”

[1912Staver]

You could burn it to the ground and run it over with a D8 cat. It would still be a $25 million + car. There is no chance of ever writing off a real GTO . They will always be rebuilt regardless of how badly they are damaged.

 About the only way one could be lost forever is if a volcano opened up and swallowed the entire car.

 I agree that many of the ones on the track are replica's with the owner keeping the real one tucked away in the vault.

I think these days most of the replica's are all but identical to the real thing. Probably not so much in years gone by, but if you can afford to own a real one you can probably also afford a replica to actually drive that is top notch.

Edited September 12, 2023 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[TTR]

2 hours ago, 1912Staver said:

I think these days most of the replica's are all but identical to the real thing. Probably not so much in years gone by, but if you can afford to own a real one you can probably also afford a replica to actually drive that is top notch.

One would think so, but according to those far more familiar than I with these cars have already (publicly) commented the "$50+M Ferrari 250 GTO" the topic example was supposed to be portrayed as in this event (and allegedly entered by an owner of a real one in same color) has significantly different (inaccurate ?) coach work features, not to mention driving controls on the opposite side (RHD vs, LHD) and who knows what the drive train that blew up is...  

 

 

 

 

P.S. This thread is yet another great example how internet dis-/misinformation gets easily started and repeated.

I guess nobody cares to do any fact checking homework/research before posting/repeating.

So much for historical accuracy context.

Edited September 13, 2023 by TTR (see edit history)

[Lowo]

I’m glad the driver wasn’t hurt 

[TAKerry]

I would not be surprised in the least that replicas are built and run, however I would imagine even one of those would be in the millions to have custom made.

[Dr B]

15 hours ago, TTR said:

Majority of mid-to-high eight figure cars no longer participate in these types of public driving/racing events due to their continuously increasing values, but some of their owners have commissioned replicas (some more accurate, some less) to “play with” instead.

While I am not trying to make this a "pissing contest", I asked a friend who has been involved with 50s-70s high end sports and racing cars for over 40 years and specifically Ferraris and services a few very large collections on the east coat. He has been to Goodwood several times. I asked him if most of the cars that race at Goodwood are "real" or reproductions. He said "most" are real. I will not argue about the GTO. That may be one of the exceptions. The rest are "only" $5-15M cars! It's all relative. 

 

Robert

[Dr B]

10 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

I would not be surprised in the least that replicas are built and run, however I would imagine even one of those would be in the millions to have custom made.

I asked that question once. I was told they are usually less than a million dollars to make. Hence the "disposability" factor.  However, there is also a "old (rich) boys club" issue. If you want to play with the big boys, you bring a real car. 

 

Robert

[Leif in Calif]

16 hours ago, TTR said:

According to very well known and respected Ferrari and vintage car historians, the car in question is a fake/replica, not a real 250 GTO*.

 

According to same sources, several other perceived to be high value, rare cars participating in this event are/were also “fakes/replicas”, not genuine articles. 
 

Majority of mid-to-high eight figure cars no longer participate in these types of public driving/racing events due to their continuously increasing values, but some of their owners have commissioned replicas (some more accurate, some less) to “play with” instead.

 

* There’s an often used phrase about Ferrari 250 GTOs that goes something like “Of the 36 originally produced, probably at least a 100 or so can be found today”.

Similar has been said of Bugatti Atlantics, i.e. “Of all 3 (or 4 ?) made, about a dozen are still around today”

I think the Cobra crowd has that category covered, although they have a very firm grip on which ones are "real" and which are "air cars". Unfortunately, if it weren't for the "replicas" or cars with complicated provenance many historic racing fields would be mighty slim.  

[TTR]

1 hour ago, Dr B said:

While I am not trying to make this a "pissing contest", I asked a friend who has been involved with 50s-70s high end sports and racing cars for over 40 years and specifically Ferraris and services a few very large collections on the east coat. He has been to Goodwood several times. I asked him if most of the cars that race at Goodwood are "real" or reproductions. He said "most" are real. I will not argue about the GTO. That may be one of the exceptions. The rest are "only" $5-15M cars! It's all relative. 

 

Robert

No argument or wetting contest from here either, as “most” participating cars are (or may) still be “real”, but according to my sources, the “Breadvan” (= highly modified 250 “SWB”) and at least one of the stock configuration 250 “SWB”s (both, if original, would be considered being in that $5M-$15+M perceived value range) in that ^^ race were also known to be fakes/replicas.

 

OTOH, since most of this is not a part of my purview, it doesn’t make a difference to me personally, but I hope organizers of these events make these details clear to paying spectators.

Idiotic (copy & paste) tabloid type sensationalist media reporting doesn’t seem to help either.

Edited September 13, 2023 by TTR (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

21 hours ago, TexRiv_63 said:

I am impressed as hell with someone who would take that 50 million dollar car and go race it for fun.

“Racing is a great mania to which one must sacrifice everything, without reticence, without hesitation.”   Enzo Ferrari.

[Dr B]

1 hour ago, TTR said:

since most of this is not a part of my purview, it doesn’t make a difference to me personally, but I hope organizers of these events make these details clear to paying spectators.

COMPLETELY AGREE!  I have no vested interest here either. As you point out, we should know whether what we are looking at is the real deal or a reproduction.

 

Robert

[tcslr]

If I owned one, I'd drive it.  Maybe not race but drive.  Maybe rent a track and try that - gently.