One of the most coveted Ferrari race cars of all time will be up for grabs for the first time in nearly 25 years next month.
Sotheby’s Sealed will auction off an example of the iconic Zagato-bodied 1957 250 GT LWB Berlinetta “Tour de France” during Monterey Car Week. The coupe isn’t just one of the most stylish grand tourers of the era; it also has an impressive competitive pedigree.
The car that will hit the block, chassis no. 0665 GT, is the third of just five examples of the race-ready variant that features coachwork by the legendary Zagato. Of those, it’s one of three with a striking “double-bubble” roof; of those, it’s the only one with covered headlights. It’s not a one-off, but it’s about as close as you can get thanks to those details.
The 1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Tour de France Zagato
Sotheby’s Sealed
As beautiful as the coupe may be, it, like all other 250 GT “Tour de France” examples, was built for the purpose of racing. It competed in a dozen period races in its time, claiming 10 podiums and five class victories. Its finest moment came at the Mille Miglia in 1957—which was the final running of the original race—where it placed second in its class and sixth overall.
The Zagato 250 GT “Tour de France” is 66 years old, but thanks to several restorations, including two last decade, it looks brand new. It sports a two-tone finish that pairs a gunmetal grey body with a contrasting silver roof just like at the Mille Miglia and is adorned with its original start numbers. The interior was retrimmed last year and is covered in sumptuous red leather. It’s also a fully numbers-matching example, meaning it retains its original 2.95-liter Colombo V-12 engine, transmission, and transaxle. Despite having only made sporadic appearances on the U.S. concours circuit over the last two decades, the car has always performed well, including taking home the Strother MacMinn Most Elegant Sports Car Award at last year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Inside the 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Tour de France Zagato
Sotheby’s Sealed
When the car goes up for auction during Sotheby Sealed’s Monterey Car Week event, which runs from August 16 to 19, it will mark the first time it’s been available since 1999. The auction house hasn’t announced an estimate for the vehicle—it is available upon request, though—but we imagine the gavel price will be steep. Other examples of the 250 GT Tour de France regularly sell for more than $5.5 million, according to Hagerty, with one having gone for $13.2 million.
Click here for more photos of the 1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Tour de France Zagato.
Sotheby’s Sealed