F1, Tubi Exhaust, Challenge Grill, Daytona Seats on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Former Ferrari world champion and motorcycle ace John Surtees dies

"The main thing is that whatever I've done, I've done from the heart." – John Surtees John Surtees, the motorsports legend who's the only man to win world championships in motorcycle and Formula One competition, died Friday, March 10. He was 83 years old. Surtees' greatest fame in F1 came in 1964 when he won two races and finished second three times to capture the drivers championship and propel Ferrari to the constructors title. Dubbed "il Grande John" by the Scuderia fans, he returned Ferrari to the top of the motorsports world, but he infamously left the team after a falling-out with management in 1966. Surtees also raced in F1 for Honda, Lotus, Cooper, and others. He survived a crash during practice in 1965 while driving a Lola sports car, which broke his pelvis, ruptured his kidneys, and damaged his spine and left leg. He oversaw his own racing operation in the 1970s, and his cars competed in F1, Formula 2 and F5000. Surtees also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 1960s and won the 1966 Can-Am title for Lola. One of the few drivers who was equally talented on a motorcycle, Surtees counted seven titles on two wheels, dominating the circuit in the 1950s for Norton and the MV Agusta. In a biography on his website, Surtees said he relished the competition above all else. "The main thing is that whatever I've done, I've done from the heart. I have loved being involved in first building and riding motorcycles and then driving cars – but above all, competing." Surtees was born in England in 1934. His father was a motorcycle racer and his son, Henry, competed in Formula 2. Henry was killed during a crash in 2009 at Brands Hatch in England. John Surtees' death immediately drew reaction from around the motorsports world, including Ferrari, MotoGP, and F1. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Video: Motorsports Ferrari Honda john surtees

Why this 1964 Ferrari 250 GTO will sell for at least $45 million

A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO by Scaglietti will be up for auction by RM Sotheby's in Monterey next month. Actually, perhaps "the" 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO would be more appropriate, because the list of its accomplishments, claims to fame and reasons for being extremely expensive are probably more than the rest. And by "rest," we mean 36. And by "extremely expensive" we mean an expected sale price of between $45 million and $60 million. View 47 Photos If you want to read in vivid detail about the car in question, RM Sotheby's provides a lengthy tale of "the world's most important, desirable, and legendary motor car." Trying to regurgitate it here really wouldn't do it justice. Instead, here are some of the bullet points. No. 3 of 36 Ferrari GTOs built. Known as 3413. Considered by experts to be one of the most authentic and original of those 36, all of which survive One of only 4 of those 36 to receive upgraded at the time with Series II GTO/64 body work by Scaglietti. It is more aggressive in appearance, more aerodynamic and many say attractive Won the 1962 Italian GT Championship First in class at the 1963 Targa Florio in its original body work First in class at the 1964 Targa Florio in the Series II body work you see today, as detailed in the Sotheby's story Won its class in the 1964 Targa Florio, helping Ferrari win the 1964 International Championship for GT Manufacturers More than 15 class and overall wins from 1962 to 1965 Last purchased in 2000 for $7 million – There's a reason German banks are suggesting adding a classic car to your investment mix. 3413 has actually been driven during that time, making appearances at countless classic events and vintage races Purchase includes exclusive access to some of the world's most prestigious events and rallies, including the GTO club and tours – Value! Currently fitted with a 250 GT engine block built to GTO specification to allow the car to be driven to those countless classic events and vintages races – The original block has been removed for preservation and comes with the car. This Ferrari's expected price of between $45 million and $60 million would make it the most valuable car ever put up for auction. A 1963 250 GTO sold for $70 million in a private sale. Another sold at auction in 2013 for $52 million, so the upper level of 3413's sale estimate definitely seems feasible. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lewis Hamilton owns 15 cars, uses tow trucks to keep the mileage low

No matter how you feel about Lewis Hamilton off the track, it's impossible not to respect his talent behind the wheel. Currently, Hamilton is the second most successful Formula One driver of all time. His 67 wins and four championships place him only behind Michael Schumacher's 91 wins and seven championships. With all those winnings, Hamilton has racked up a decent personal fortune, much of which he uses to buy cars. Except he doesn't drive them quite as much as you might think. According to The Sunday Times, Hamilton's net worth of just over $207 million makes him one of the richest sports figures in the UK, just behind David Beckham. In a recent interview with the British newspaper, Hamilton gave some details on his personal car collection. His first car was a used Mini Cooper, soon followed by a Mercedes-Benz C200. Both have long since been replaced by a pair of original Shelby Cobras, a 1967 Shelby GT500, a Ferrari 599 SA Aperta, two LaFerraris (a red coupe and a white Aperta), a McLaren P1 and a Pagani Zonda 760 equipped with a manual transmission. All in, Hamilton has about 15 cars split between homes in Monaco and Los Angeles. Unsurprisingly, he has a Mercedes-AMG Project One ( a car that shares more than a little with his F1 W09 EQ Power+ race car) on the way. Hamilton has some hot takes on his personal collection. "The Zonda is terrible to drive," he said. "It's the best-sounding car I own, but handling-wise it's the worst. I got it in manual because I didn't like the tiptronic version. The tiptronic Pagani offered was worse than the Smart Roadster I had." He also says his Shelby Mustang is a "beautiful car, but a heap of junk." In order to keep the miles down (and valuations up), Hamilton apparently has a tow truck on retainer in Los Angeles. When he's finished driving one of his Ferraris, he'll have the car towed back to his place. Classic cars are becoming a solid and serious investment, and Hamilton doesn't want to squander his wealth like some other athletes. That said, there are a couple more cars Hamilton would love to own, including a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (the one with the gullwing doors) and a Ferrari 250GT California Spyder (the one from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"). Related Video: