The Rarest Vintage Ferraris

250 LM
It’s not often that one car can be credited with changing the automotive world as we know it, but if anything comes close, it’s the GT40. And while many will confidently espouse that it was the Ford Motor Company nearly bankrupting itself in order to develop this high-performance race car, a move born of a fervent grudge against Enzo Ferrari that changed the course of racing history, it was the GT40 that spurred Ford’s winning streak at the coveted Le Mans 24-hour race in the first place.

In 1965, the 250 LM, one of the rarest examples of racing vehicles to screech off the test-track at Fiorano Modenese, was the first to cross the finish line at the grueling Le Mans circuit. It was the sixth year in a row that Ferrari would take the top spot with one of their whips, and the last that Ford could tolerate, after they had been stiffed on a buyout deal with the company over a dispute involving their racing division. Ford went on to spend a small fortune finessing their next entry, and won the next four in a row (the first with New Zealand racing legend Bruce McLaren), breaking Ferrari’s domination of the world-famous track.

The iconic 250 LM is the last Ferrari to win Le Mans, giving it a special place in the hearts of Ferrari fans. Only 32 were made, and the most recent one to hit the auction block sold for a cool $17.6 million in 2015.

Dino 246 GT
The story of the Dino isn’t the happiest, but it did lead to one of the most important engine breakthroughs of the last century. Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, son of founder Enzo, was only 24 when he died from muscular dystrophy. At the time of his death, however, the talented young engineer was in the final stages of developing a DOHC V6 engine, something that would revolutionize Ferrari’s F1 capabilities, and indeed, the car industry itself.

Nimble and lightweight, the Dino did not bear a Ferrari badge, as it was intended as a separate make, one which was more affordable and accessible due to its fewer cylinders and (slightly) more practical road-going tuning. It was one of the first road cars to feature a mid-engine format, and to take on the dominant Porsche 911.

The best thing? Getting into one isn’t out of the question. Many examples, from the seventies in particular, are still around (and in good condition, too). Expect to pay north of $430K for a pristine model, but then again, you’re buying a piece of automobile history.

250 GT Lusso
A “grand tour” was once the coming-of-age playtime for young English aristocrats in the seventeenth century. Involving a months-long trip through Europe to get familiar with culture and art, it was a key element in becoming a gentleman, and one which complemented an Oxford education, tailored threads, and a healthy inheritance.

When cars became a thing, however, the grand tour took on a new meaning. Rich Brits could now say, “Bugger Michelangelo and the rest, I’m going to motor to Monaco.” And they did.

The opulent and hedonistic tradition of the grand tour eventually lent its name to the most popular style of sports car the world now knows: the GT. This is one of the more gentlemanly Ferraris to speed out of Modena, and its rarity has only driven its price higher and higher, especially among avid collectors who know that their finite numbers are dwindling fast.