Ferrari lovers take note: Ferrari 288 GTO to be auctioned in Monterey

11 August, 2016

One of the best Ferrari sports cars ever produced — the Ferrari GTO — was a 2.8-litre twin-turbo V8 400hp gem, based on a steel tube-frame chassis dripping in carbon-fibre panels. Desirable yes, and now for sale. Mecum Auctions in Monterey have an 11,000km example for sale during their August 18–20 auction period, with optioned air conditioning, stereo, and power windows! Sound like the car for you? Of course it does, who wouldn’t want one — however, you’ll need up to US$3 million.

It seems pricey, but if you’ve got the money it would be a fantastic investment. Just five years ago, a similar example sold for US$650K. This example features certification from Ferrari’s in-house certifier and restorer, known as the Ferrari Classiche, to prove its authenticity.

Now, all I have to do is check in between my couch cushions for the required moolah to purchase this ’80s bad boy!

Images: Mecum Auctions

The motor car as an art form

12 March, 2026

We have certainly come a long way since the exhibition entitled 8 Automobiles, shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in the autumn of 1951, the first exhibition concerned with the aesthetics of motor car design.
It was here that the often-used term ‘rolling sculpture’ was coined by curator Philip C Johnson, director of the department of architecture and design, when he said, “An automobile is a familiar 20th century artefact, and is no less worthy of being judged for its visual appeal than a building or a chair. Automobiles are hollow, rolling sculptures, and their design refinements are fascinating. We have selected cars whose details and basic design suggest that automobiles, besides being America’s most useful objects, could be a source of visual experience more enjoyable than they now are.”

More to the point

6 March, 2026

This Daimler SP252 is so rare, few people know it exists. It’s one of a kind. It’s the only surviving, in fact the only SP252 ever completed; the would-be successor to the SP250 Daimler Dart. It is also the last sports car to have been designed by Jaguar’s legendary founder, Sir William Lyons.
Perhaps one of the original Dart’s biggest problems was it’s somewhat-divisive looks. It certainly went well enough to win fans, although Sir William wasn’t among them. It crushed the opposition in the Bathurst six-hour race, finishing five laps ahead of anyone else, and it was snapped up by police forces in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, as it was the fastest thing on the road.
So you’d think a stunning new body with the magic Lyons touch would have been a surefire success. Why this car never made it into production is still something of a mystery, as the official explanations barely stack up.

Ferrari lovers take note: Ferrari 288 GTO to be auctioned in Monterey

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