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Ferrari 400 Superamerica Aerodinamico fetches record $4.4M

RM Sotheby's moved an impressive $38.6 million in vintage metal at Amelia Island this year. And the top lot was the sleek classic you see here. It's a 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupe Aerodinamico, and its $4.4 million final tally is a record for its type. That's well past what it was estimated to sell for, with pre-sale expectations ranging from $2.7-3.3 million. Sports Car Market records that the previous high-water mark stood only a few hundred grand less at $4.07 million, achieved by a similar example sold by Gooding & Company last January. This particular example was the show car at the 1962 Turin Auto Show and has belonged to Erwin Goldschmidt and his family for the past four decades. As much as it sold for, of course, the Superamerica wasn't the only lot on the docket at RM Sotheby's Amelia Island sale. Other top sellers included a 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO and '68 330 GTS that sold for $2.6 and $2.2 million, respectively, a Pagani Huayra that topped $2 million, and a Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback that went for a high bid of $1.8 million. There was even a highly sought-after 1985 Ford RS200 Evolution that found a new home for $522,500 and a 2003 Aston Martin DB AR1 that went for $363,000. Check out the action in the high-resolution image gallery above, the videos below, and the press release at bottom for the full recap. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Video: BEST-OF-CATEGORY AUTOMOBILES DRIVE RM SOTHEBY'S $38.6 MILLION AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE SALE · RM Sotheby's generates $38.6 million in sales with 89 percent of all lots sold at its 18th anniversary Amelia Island, Florida sale · Top seller: 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupe Aerodinamico surpasses estimate at $4,400,000 to set new auction record · Bidders from 20 countries spur lively bidding contests, propelling numerous lots to above-estimate prices · Complete results from RM Amelia Island available online at www.rmsothebys.com · RM Sotheby's continues its global calendar of events in Monaco, May 14, during the Grand Prix Historique de Monaco weekend AMELIA ISLAND, Florida (13 March, 2016) – RM Sotheby's, the official auction house of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, celebrated its 18th anniversary sale in Amelia Island yesterday (March 12) with $38,685,100* in sales and 89 percent of all lots sold.

Model waves checkered flag too soon at F1's Canadian Grand Prix

MONTREAL — Formula One said on Sunday it will review its procedures after the Canadian Grand Prix ended in confusion and embarrassment when a celebrity waved the checkered flag a lap too soon. The gaffe did not affect the outcome of the race, which was won by Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, but the German said he was left double-checking his lap counter while checking in with his pit before carrying on to run the full 70 laps. "Fortunately we had radio, fortunately I had the lap count in the car, and the pitboard was accurate — but if you lose radio and maybe the pitboard is not there, then you back off," said Vettel after notching his 50th career win. "I was just worried, I told them also on the last lap, then people don't jump on the track, waving flags and celebrating, because we're still going at full pace." The official results were later determined based on the 68th lap to avoid any impact the early flag might have had. Formula One race director Charlie Whiting said the error was caused by simple miscommunication between the official starter and crew in the starter's tower, which resulted in model Winnie Harlow — a friend of Mercedes world champion Lewis Hamilton — waving the flag prematurely. "It was a miscommunication between the start platform and the guy they call the starter here," explained Whiting. "He thought it was the last lap and asked them at the top to confirm it, they confirmed it. "They thought he was making a statement when in fact he was asking a question. "He told the flag waver to wave it a lap early. It was as simple as that, it wasn't anything to do with the fact it was a celebrity flag waver. "The celebrity was not to blame." Celebrities are often given the honor of waving the checkered flag at motor races, which has occasionally resulted in unintended flubs. Brazilian soccer great Pele famously reacted too late when Ferrari's Michael Schumacher won at Sao Paulo's Interlagos circuit in 2002, brandishing the flag instead as the later finishers appeared. While the incident on Sunday produced shrugs and even a few chuckles, there were also very real safety concerns, as course workers often come out of their safety areas to stand alongside the track waving flags. "We need to review procedures and make sure we have a very simple procedure for every circuit," added Whiting. "We're dealing with different human beings, different countries, different languages and it's not always absolutely perfect.

Vettel hopes to pull off some Ferrari 'tricks' to end Mercedes F1 dominance

MONTREAL — Sebastian Vettel says Ferrari has a few tricks up its sleeves for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix and will need to conjure up something special if it is to end Mercedes' magical run. Six races into the season, Vettel is not ready to wave the white flag and concede the title to Mercedes, which has racked up six straight wins, five of them with 1-2 finishes. But the German admits the battle had reached a critical juncture. "The next races will be really crucial for us to try and get back to the front and give a much harder time to Mercedes," said Vettel, who finished second in Monaco last month for Ferrari's best result so far this season. "It will be crucial to do it rather sooner than later, but at the moment I am not too fussed, I am not looking at, 'OK this is the date.' "Clearly we are behind, clearly there is a big margin between Mercedes and the rest and we have to lose that gap and get ahead otherwise it will be difficult to turn around. "That is as much realism as you can get."Vettel won from pole position in Canada last year and Mercedes has suggested the high-speed circuit could again favor Italian rivals whose season has yet to get into gear. But Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas will like their chances as well on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Hamilton was fastest in Friday's early practice, but damaged his car when he hit the wall in the afternoon. The five-time world champion sits 17 points clear of Bottas at the top of the standings and in his bid to equal Michael Schumacher's seven Canadian Grand Prix victories between 1994 and 2004. Not that Mercedes needed another boost, but Hamilton and Bottas will have new and upgraded engines in their cars for this weekend's race. Ferrari has already introduced its first upgraded powerplants of the season, but Vettel was optimistic tweaks to the car would benefit them on a circuit that plays to some of their strengths. "There is always little tricks you can do, the question is whether they make a difference," Vettel said. "But I am not sitting here trying to paint things black we haven't done a single lap this weekend so I am quite optimistic it was a strong track for us last year. "We have some tricks up our sleeves whether they work or not we will see.