Equipment
OMP fire system, braced seatbacks, chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, 6.50M-15 Dunlop racing rear tires, braced rollbar, side outlet exhausts. Maranello Rosso Collection.
Condition
#3 Good
Runs and drives well. Flaws not noticeable to passersby. Most common condition.
Ex-Jo Schlesser/Henri Oreiller, Paolo Colombo, Ernesto Prinoth, Fabrizio Violati. Fair old paint, worn interior. A used but well-maintained historic race car owned by Fabrizio Violati since 1965 and raced consistently since the 1970s. Crashed by Henri Oreiller at Montlhery in 1962 with drastic results for both Oreiller and 3851GT. Returned to Ferrari and 'rebuilt', there is little doubt this is except perhaps for the engine and some mechanical parts a completely new 1963 GTO and not the car that finished second in the 1962 Tour de France. Heavily modified to meet modern historic racing safety (and performance) standards by Fabrizio Violati.
Market commentary
History is the most important element in a car's value, and the Violati GTO had both good and bad history. In claiming the 1962 Tour de France second place for this 3851GT Bonhams also implicitly accepted its instrumentality in the death of Henri Oreiller at Montlhery. This is a driver's GTO, and Bonhams reported it was sold to an avid historic racer -- which is its highest and best use. A sober, realistic evaluation of 3851GT's mixed history, present condition and application in pursuit of driving excitement. This is the real world, serious bidders who appreciated 3851GT's pros and cons. No matter what else transpires, this is the most expensive car ever sold at auction, and it is a benchmark for considered, thoughtful, realistic valuations in the face of vast hype.