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1957 Ferrari 335 S could set auction record at $30+ million

This car that could set the record for the highest price to be paid for an automobile at auction in 2016 – by the second month of the year, no less. It's a 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider, and it's going up for sale at Artcurial in Paris next month, with an estimate topping $30 million. Though it may look a lot like the iconic 250 Testa Rossa that came out the same year, chassis number 0674 actually started out its life as a 315 S and fitted with coachwork by Scaglietti. After finishing sixth at Sebring and second in the Mille Miglia, it returned to Maranello and was upgraded to 335 S spec. The 3.8-liter V12 was enlarged to 4.1 liters, and its output swelled from 360 horsepower to nearly 400. Mike Hawthorn drove it at Le Mans that year, leading the race and setting a lap record before dropping down to fifth with mechanical troubles. It went on to compete in several more events as part of the factory Scuderia, helping it secure the title in 1957. It was then sold to famed US importer Luigi Chinetti who campaigned it for another couple of years, winning (among others) the 1958 Cuba Grand Prix with Stirling Moss and Masten Gregory behind the wheel. The 335 S was ultimately sold to noted collector Pierre Bardinon. Asked once why he didn't have a factory collection, Enzo Ferrari once said he had "no need" because "Bardinon has done it for me." That's high praise indeed, and the car remained one of the highlights of the Bardinon collection for over 40 years. Having liquidated the Baillon barnfind collection last year, the auction house estimates that this 335 S will sell for $30-34 million. That would not only set the bar very high for the year ahead, but could make it one of the highest price ever paid for a car at auction. 2014 saw a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sell for nearly $40 million, and a 250 GTO for $38 million. Behind them is Fangio's Mercedes W196 Silver Arrow that sold for nearly $30 million in 2013. The auction is set to take place during the Salon Retromobile in the French capital on February 5th. Among the other Prancing Horses that Artcurial has corralled for the event include a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta (estimated at $10–13.2m), Gianni Agnelli's unique 1986 Ferrari Testrossa Spider ($750k-1m), and a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series 2 that belonged to the King of Morocco ($1.5-1.9m). So if it's a multi-million-dollar Ferrari you're after, Paris will be the place to be in a couple of weeks.

2017 Ferrari Model Year Preview and Updates

Despite the stereotypes surrounding Ferrari and its owners, at least a few of these automotive thoroughbreds are still bought for driving. And in 2017 the driving has never been better. A V8-equipped GTC4Lusso T is a welcome addition, while the entry-level California T remains relatively accessible. FERRARI 488 GTB/GTS: Some forty years after introducing the now-iconic 308 GTB, Ferrari continues the 'Berlinetta' format with power supplied by a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8. The GTS (Spider) shares the same drivetrain and architecture, but offers a power retractable hardtop that folds in 14 seconds. Both are unchanged for the 2017 model year. CALIFORNIA T: Ferrari's most accessible GT now offers a Handling Speciale package, which makes the California's handling more 'special', with stiffer springs and magnetic dampers reprogrammed for a more athletic dynamic. This mod also ups the decibels by three. It, too, is powered by a 3.9-liter V8, albeit in a lower state of tune than the 488. F12 BERLINETTA: You may have missed the F12tdf, as fewer than 800 examples were produced. The Tour de France commemorative offered an upgraded V12 in combination with a faster acting twin-clutch gearbox. The V12 remains naturally aspirated, and delivers – in either standard or tdf versions – over 700 horsepower. GTC4LUSSO: The family-friendly Ferrari boasts generous 2+2 seating. For 2017 there's a massaged V12 and new touchscreen. With all-wheel drive this is the all-season, all-climate Ferrari. GTC4LUSSO T: Take the GTC4LUSSO, pull out the V12/AWD drivetrain and substitute the same V8 as the California T, in combination with rear-wheel drive. The combo is lighter, tighter, less expensive, and brand new for 2017.

Ford GT dominates Le Mans qualifying, gets slapped with performance adjustment

Fifty years after Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon drove the Ford GT40 to victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ford is poised for a historic return to the Circuit de la Sarthe. The new Ford GT took the top two qualifying positions in the LMGTE Pro class, and four of the top five. Ferrari's 488 filled in the rest of the spots in the top seven, the first two from AF Corse. In other words, we're primed for a reboot of the classic Ford-Ferrari feud at this year's race. Or not, as the ACO, which organizes the 24 Hours of Le Mans, announced sweeping pre-race Balance of Performance (BOP) adjustments this morning that make this year's GT class anybody's race. In LMP1, last year's overall winner Porsche locked up the top two spots with the 919 Hybrid and will lead the entire field at race start. Toyota's two-car factory effort followed with qualifying times 1.004 and 2.170 seconds behind the pole lap. Audi rounds out the manufacturer-backed LMP1 class in fifth and sixth. Full qualifying results can be found here. The storyline for the GT cars is perfect - some say too perfect. Ford's class-leading times came after BOP adjustment to the Corvette Racing C7.R before qualifying. BOP is intended to level the playing field in the class by adjusting power, ballast, and fuel capacity. (Check out this explainer video for more, or even just if you love French accents.) But the process is riddled with unknowns and ripe for accusations of sandbagging. That is, if the Ford cars were intentionally slow in practice they could hope for BOP adjustment to improve their race chances. On the Corvette side, last year's GTE Pro winner went from the top of the field to the bottom, barely improving from practice to qualifying. If you think Le Mans is as rigged at the NBA Playoffs, well, it's not that simple. Because if Ford and Ferrari held back until qualifying - the eighth-place Porsche 911 RSR is three-and-a-half seconds off the class pole time - it was a pretty dumb strategy. This morning, the ACO tried to put things back in order by limiting the boost in the Ford GT's twin-turbo V6 and adding 11 pounds of ballast. Ferrari was also given extra weight but allowed more fuel capacity. The Corvette and Aston Martin teams were both given breaks on their air restrictors, which will allow their engines to make more power. Both Ford and Porsche also received extra fuel capacity.