MonacoCarAuctions™ was honoured to oversee the record-breaking €1,512,000 sale of an exquisite race-run 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano during its inaugural auction, held in partnership with Top Marques Monaco, at the principality’s Grimaldi Forum on Thursday night. Several of the auction’s stunning automobiles, each representing the revered Ferrari model lineage, achieved strong prices, with a rare Ferrari 599 GTO, an elegant Ferrari 246 GTS and a highly sought-after Ferrari 430 Scuderia 16M leading the pack.

Competed at the 1956 Nassau Governor’s Trophy in the hands of prominent customer racer, Jan de Vroom, the timeless 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano deservedly returned what is thought to be a publicly known auction house record of €1,512,000 after fees. Though the car was penned by Pinin Farina, the designer and coachbuilder was unable to commit to their construction due to a lack of workshop capacity. The contract was awarded to Carrozzeria Boano, who was tasked with replicating the design in production form. Boano did so, but with one amend. The bold Pinin Farina haunch over the rear wheels was softened, which in turn gave the appearance of a lower belt and roofline over a standard 250. This exceptionally rare 250 GT Boano, finished in Azzuro Metallizzato, was the 35^thexample built and is one of only 14 lightweight aluminium alloy cars produced by the coachbuilder.

Mirroring the model’s launch specification of Rosso Corsa body with satin Grigio Silverstone roof, the 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO made a very respectable €784,000 at the sale. Unveiled at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show, the hardcore, performance-oriented ‘Gran Turismo Omologata’ version of the Ferrari 599 GTB took inspiration from the exclusive track-only 599XX. Its six-litre V12 engine was directly derived from the customer racer and produced 10 more horsepower than the flagship Ferrari Enzo.

Elsewhere, the elegant Giallo 1975 Ferrari 246 GTS and much sought-after 2009 Ferrari 430 Scuderia 16M each achieved €448,000 on the night. The 246 has been enjoyed by its previous ownership having covered almost 45,000km over the course of its nearly 50 years on the road. One of the last to leave the production line, the car was unregistered and on display for more than a year as a consequence of the growing oil crisis of the time. The 246 was in the possession of its last owner for two decades and still carries its original Parisian registration.

Ferrari, on the other hand, had little trouble selling each and every example of its convertible Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Named the 16M to celebrate its 16^th victory in the Formula One Constructors World Championship, the car was limited to 499 units and remains highly collectable amongst connoisseurs of the Cavallino.

Another notable sale was of a 1994 Ferrari 348 GTS, which achieved an incredible €156,800.

“It was a pleasure to welcome so many bidders to our inaugural auction, not only in the room, but online and on the telephones, too,” said Laurent Blomet, Founder and Director of MonacoCarAuctions™. “It was an immense feat of organisation to arrange a new-to-market collector car auction with a team of four people in just three months. Nevertheless, we have proven that MonacoCarAuctions™ can achieve market-defining results, while also taking a new angle to collector car auctions in the form of a marque-exclusive event. For the L’AstaRossa auction, we consigned some of the most exquisite Ferrari models from decades past – each lot with its own unique story that captivated bidders as they sought to add its illustrious history. Congratulations to all of the winning buyers on their exceptional acquisitions.”

The L’AstaRossa Ferrari auction also saw the sale of a number of memorabilia items, as well as an exclusive opportunity to buy a replica of Charles Leclerc’s 2023 Monaco Grand Prix race helmet, signed by the driver. The €6,944 raised from the sale will be donated to the Princess Charlène of Monaco Foundation, which helps to save lives by promoting water safety and teaching children across the world the important skill of swimming.