NEW YORK CITY — On Monday evening, November 13, and as part of Sotheby’s New York’s sales of Contemporary and Modern art, a select group of bidders gathered in person and over the phone to vie for a piece of Ferrari history. After nearly four decades in private ownership, the 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO with chassis 3765 was claimed by its new owner for $51.7 million, becoming the most valuable Ferrari ever sold at auction and the second highest price ever achieved for a car at auction.

The only GTO Tipo 1962 raced by Scuderia Ferrari; this example boasts an impressive and perhaps legendary history. Its racing pedigree alone includes clinching a class win and a 2nd overall finish at the 1962 Nürburgring 1000 KM. It was piloted by Mike Parkes and Lorenzo Bandini for Scuderia Ferrari at the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans, and also secured the position of runner-up in the 1965 Sicilian Hillclimb Championship. Previously owned by a chairman of the Ferrari Club of America, it won an FCA Platinum Award and the Coppa Bella Macchina at the Cavallino Classic, placed second in the GTO class at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and received a Best of Show at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium; for information, www.sothebys.com.