by Mike –
As reported by my friend, Cindy Meitle, the CEO of WeatherTech (David MacNeil) just paid $70,000,000 USD for a Ferrari 250 GTO (No. 4153 GT).
Ferrari 250 GTO (No. 4153 GT) Photo from Ferrari Life
There are other reports around the internet as well, so it must be true, here is one on CNBC.
The rubber floor mat business must be great – in addition to this record price by its CEO WeatherTech has also recently acquired the naming rights to the famed race track, Laguna Seca, which is now known as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (formerly Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and formerly just Laguna Seca).
When do you think we will see this silver GTO take a few laps around Laguna Seca, I mean WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca?
I wonder how many Ferrari 250 GTOs have been autographed by Giotto Bizzarrini, the engineer in charge of creating this icon?
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
The question is: will he put WeatherTech carpet protectors in the car? (That could lose him points at Pebble.) Seriously I am glad he spent some of his fortune on this car as it is one of the greatest cars to see perform, both visually and sound wise. Hey, if a magazine features it with his carpet overlays, can he write the whole car off as a promotional vehicle? Us enthusiasts should be glad that he is buying so many ads in print car magazines, maybe his ads alone are saving them….
I live five minutes away from David, I’ll go do a drive by and see if he’s washing it in the driveway this afternoon.
Vanity article in the local rag
https://hinsdale60521magazine.ning.com/profiles/blogs/what-matters-to-david-macneil
Velocity of money, nice to see him blow it… why not? cant take it with you… and keep the car locally i hope. Might see it up at Road America
Full disclosure I think his product is vynil crap but he is quite successfull
When he drives it to your local Cars & Coffee please send us photos.
I am a member of fuelfed, we will see if he shows up? He lives 6 blocks away so why not, if he is in town?
https://fuelfed.wordpress.com/events-calendar/fuelfed-coffee-classics-hinsdale/
And my father told me never to buy an ex race car !!! That’s what stopped me buying an ex race D type Jag in the 60’s for 1100 pounds , about $2200 Australian . He told me that they will never be worth anything and it’s better to buy the little old lady only driven to church on Sunday’s car . It was the first D type and the fastest car in Australia when new , but had been extensively raced and modified by the time I looked at it . It is now in Great Britain worth many millions of dollars ………. Thanks Dad .
Wayne, thats what unconditional love is about…
I had a similar experience with an Aston Martin DB5 Superleggera that was sitting in the front row (please take this off my lot) at a local used car dealer.
$2,500 in 1975.
Many tears at night.. had I stuck it away that would have been a 15% compounded annually ROI, but thats not really the point. I just reeeeeaaaly wanted it because I knew it was special. But the reality was I needed a driver at the time :/
Had I put it in MCD at the time I would have had many years of 20% yearonyear ROI, so some solice in that.
So I spent it at University instead getting my brain retooled. And here I am now, it paid off in spades -i am fortunate. RIP Dad!
I think my father went to the same school as your father, same dilemma, Ferrari GTO 250 that was used at Daytona 24 hours “and what are you going to do with a car that has been raced ? Are you mad? “I still dream about the car, Ferrari red with the Italian colors running down the middle
Great story Mike
I think Mr MacNeil has indeed found the American dream. Sell about 30.000 sets of mats a day and buy a Ferrari GTO!
I wonder how long before the next sale will bring $100 million?
I THINK IT WILL BE A LONG TIME BEFORE THAT CAR WILL SELL FOR MORE THAN THAT. WOW!
There is no particular rationale to price/value at this end of the market. It could whimsically sell for $100M tomorrow if someone had that desire and Davd M was done with it.
When it’s not a significant part of net worth, it’s a case of trying to outrun this mortal coil for some.
File under: Wayne Huizenga, DIck Portillio, Peter Thorton etc etc.. More money than time to spend it.
Peter bought this boat and had it prepared essentially just to set the Chicago-Mac speed record..done , next..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIKAxbOEGOw&feature=share
I’ve been told there is a waiting list for the “good” GTO’s . The one that auctioned off in Monterey a few years ago had the stigma of a death in the car while racing, so the price was lower. Then there is a chance that one could be auctioned off with the proceeds to charity, this scenario could double the price…..
The Fcars are bringing big bucks! Makes the Grifo’s look like a relative bargain..
Just a matter of time before the nice type 1 Grifo’s fetch 1mm IMO.
I saw and photographed this GTO at Goodwood,last year.
Can someone tell me is it still wearing the French tricolour stripe or the Belgian yellow stripe?
Surely one of the best looking GTOs?! Congratulations Mr Macneil Great taste.
Im sure you could order your 812 in this colour scheme.
It still has the Belgian yellow stripe
MAN, SOME PEOPLE HAVE WAY MORE MONEY THAN THEY DESERVE. I ALWAYS WONDER HOW MUCH OF THEIR MONEY TO THEY GIVE TO CHARITIES, THAT THEY DO NOT GET A REFUND ON, IF NOT WRITE OFF, FOR THE, REAL, TAX PAYERS PAY FOR?
There are more Picasso’s than GTO’s!!!