The exceptionally rare Ferrari 412P is an iconic racing car that left an indelible mark on the motorsport world when it was introduced in 1967. Now, enthusiasts with the means to spend beaucoup bucks have a chance to own one, as this particular model will be auctioned by Bonhams at The Quail Auction on August 18. And when we say beaucoup bucks, we mean it. Estimates suggest it could bring $40 million when it crosses the block.
The auction listing provides a plethora of information regarding the racing history of this Ferrari, chassis number 0854. It was produced in 1967 and purchased by Col. Ronnie Hoare's Team. Painted Italian racing red with a Cambridge blue nose, it was one of two privateer 412P cars campaigned that year. Driven by Richard Attwood and Lucien Bianchi, it took third overall in the Belgian Spa 1,000 Kilometers, helping Ferrari secure its title in the 1967 World Championship of Makes.
Gallery: 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta
Chassis 0854 also competed in the 1967 Le Mans 24-Hours and the Brands Hatch 6-Hour race in the United Kingdom before David Piper purchased it. Piper used it to compete that year in the Paris, Kyalami, and Cape Town endurance events. Under Piper's ownership, it also raced in Europe and South Africa throughout 1968 and 1969, winning at the 1968 Nuremberg 200 Kilometers, the Solituderennen at Hockenheim, and the Swedish Grand Prix.
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In 1969, the car was acquired by Chris Cord, the grandson of E. L. Cord, who founded the Cord automobile company. It later changed hands, passing through the collections of Lord Anthony Bamford, Sir Paul Vestey, John McCaw, and Bruce McCaw before its current owner acquired it. It then underwent a painstaking nine-year restoration that included the refurbishment of its original bodywork and race livery from its days with Col. Ronnie Hoare's Team.
The Ferrari 412P was essentially the customer version of the 330 P3 race car that featured prominently in the movie "Ford v. Ferrari." The P cars were the successors of the Ferrari 250 LM built to compete in endurance racing, and actually, a 250 will also cross the auction block this year during Monterey Car Week, where it could bring $20 million.
