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Ferrari Dino prototype will go for auction at Pebble Beach

Following the announcement of a Duesenberg that could go for more than $10 million at Pebble Beach, we have yet another historic car headed for the auction block at the venerable event. This is a 1966 Ferrari Dino Berlinetta GT, and it was the second prototype designed. It previewed the production 206 GT, and it could be yours if you have the means. While the car looks very close to the production coupe, there are quite a number of differences. Compared with the production car, the prototype has its turn signals below the grille, and the taillights consist of three round lenses rather than two. They have a chrome rectangular background, too. The entire body looks to be a bit longer than the production car. Part of this may have to do with the fact that the 2.0-liter V6 in the middle is mounted longitudinally. In the production Dino, the engine was mounted transversely. The body has a more tapered tail, too, one that has less of a duck-tail spoiler integrated. Additional details not found on the production car are the chrome bars across on the side strakes and the large single windshield wiper. Even with these detail changes, the Dino prototype is still gorgeous, maybe even more so than the consumer version. Now we come to the part of the post where we discuss the car's high price. For this rare piece of Ferrari history, Gooding and Company expects someone will spend between $2 million and $3 million. Obviously that's a lot of money, in fact it's twice what the Ferrari Aperta cost when it launched. But this is a truly one-of-a-kind car, and it has an important place in history in helping give us the first mid-engine V6 Ferrari. So, it might be worth it. If you agree and have the cash, be sure you get to the Gooding and Company auction on Aug. 24-25. Related Video: Featured Gallery 1966 Ferrari Dino Berlinetta GT prototype View 9 Photos Image Credit: All images copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photos by Mathieu Heurtault Ferrari Auctions Coupe Concept Cars Classics Pebble Beach ferrari dino

Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa reportedly stepping down [UPDATE]

Update: In a statement to Autoblog, Ferrari USA predictably responded: "We do not comment on rumors. There is no announcement at this time." Rumors are currently swirling in the European media that Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa (pictured above) is stepping down from his position at the Prancing Horse. An exact timeframe isn't clear at this time. Motori Online from Italy indicates Felisa might not leave the company until September, whereas Autocar reports that he has already resigned from the Italian automaker. Autoblog has reached out to Ferrari for clarification, but the Maranello-based firm has not yet officially confirmed any of this speculation. Felisa has been the company's CEO since 2008 when Jean Todt stepped down. He joined Ferrari in 1990 as the director of product development and became general manager there in 2006. Felisa was also among people thought possible to take the role as chairman when Luca di Montezemolo left the Prancing Horse last year. Sergio Marchionne retained that role. If these rumors prove true, Felisa's departure would be the biggest corporate shakeup at Maranello since di Montezemolo's departure. The move would also come at a time that's not particularly pleasant for Ferrari or its corporate parent. Marchionne recently indicated that the Prancing Horse was just days away from filing the prospectus for its imminent initial public offering. The Fiat Chrysler Automobiles executive had previously put Ferrari's value at around $11 billion. So far, all we have are rumors and reports, but as soon as we know more, so will you. Stay tuned.

$8.8m '58 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider highlights RM's Arizona auction

All manner of vehicles change hands at the annual auction extravaganza in Arizona, but never has one sold for as much as the Ferrari you see here. The car in question is an (obviously) eminently desirable 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider, one of only 50 ever made and purring onto the stage in flawless red over black livery with matching numbers of the coveted covered headlights straight from the factory.
When we reported on the car's consignment in anticipation of this weekend's sale, it was expected to bring in between $7 and 9 million - and it's done just that, coming in near the top of its valuation with a winning bid of $8.8 million. That makes for a lot of zeros, but while it set a new record for the Arizona auctions, it hardly makes it the most expensive in the world. That honor still belongs to the Mercedes-Benz W196 that sold last summer for nearly $30 million. Nor is it the most expensive Ferrari ever sold at auction, an honor which still belongs to the 250 Testa Rossa that sold for over $16 million in 2011. Heck, it's not even the most expensive 250 California ever sold, coming in behind the SWB example that sold for nearly $11 million in 2008. All of which only goes to show just how insane the collector classic car market has grown in recent years.
The California was undeniably the highlight of RM's two-day sale, but was joined by several other seven-dollar lots, including a 1961 Porsche 718 ($2.75 million), a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso ($2.44 million), a Duesenberg Model J convertible ($2.2 million) and several other million-dollar Ferraris, Mercedes and a '35 Hispano-Suiza. A 1961 Chaparral 1 failed to reach its reserve price despite a high bid of $1.75 million, neither did a 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 at $1.18 million or a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 at $2.85 million. RM Auctions did, however, manage to sell 85 percent of those lots consigned to bring in a massive two-day total of $45.56 million in sales, details of which you can read in the press release below.