1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa

In May of 2009, the hammer fell at RM Auctions and history was made. A 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa had just been purchased for $12,169,784, making it the single most expensive vehicle ever sold at auction up to that time. What could have possibly made a single Ferrari worth approximately twelve Bugatti Veyrons, or about 225 Chevrolet Corvettes? Let’s start with the iconic pontoon-fendered body, inspired by Formula 1 cars of the era and created by coachbuilder Scaglietti. Then there was the new 3-liter V12 with the famous red-painted valve covers, designed to meet new racing rules, that would go on to dominate World Sportscar racing for years. The Testa Rossa racked up ten victories in 19 races against some of the best cars to ever turn a wheel in anger, such as the Aston Martin DBR1 and the mighty Maserati 300S; impressive by any measure. Truly one of the greatest Ferraris ever built, this 250 TR can understandably command such a lofty price.