by Wallace Wyss –
I always thought Mecum was the “working man”s auction” not one you would go to for the crème de la creme cars but Mecum Auctions offering the famed Bianco Speciale 250 GTO puts them on the map with Ferrari investors.
This 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO—one of just 36 built—will be at their Florida auction January 17, 2026. Now I have to change my perception.
While we usually think of Ferrari GTOs as red, this one—SN3729 — was known as the Bianco Speciale, the only one painted white when new. It has some degree of racing success too, and in a race-car-for-the-street, that gives you something else to brag about. It has a GT win and five second-place finishes. And if you like a car depending on which race driver spent some time behind the wheel, how about, Graham Hill, Mike Parkes, Roy Salvadori, Michael Salmon, and Richie Ginther on the roster?
The engine is your standard — a 3.0-liter Colombo-designed V12 topped with six Weber carburetors, and dry sumped, cranking about 300 horsepower and it has a five-speed manual gearbox. The lightweight tubular steel chassis boasts a hand-formed aluminum bodywork by Scaglietti, and squeaks in under 2,000 pounds. In its day, an expert tuned GTO was capable of nearly 175 mph.
It had a new engine block installed by Ferrari in 2008. The last GTO that is known to have traded hands was a private sale, nobody is sure of the price but the rumor is it went for $70 million. This could go for more, though it is difficult to predict.
The only thing off-putting to a Yank buyer would be it is right hand drive. Before being offered at Kissimmee in January, the car was last owned by Jon Shirley a former president and chief operating officer of Microsoft.
Mecum writes,
HIGHLIGHTS
- The only Ferrari 250 GTO finished in Bianco by Ferrari
- Chassis 3729GT
- Purchased new by British privateer racing team owner John Coombs
- Successful racing career with one victory and five 2nd-place finishes in GT class
- Driven in competition by Graham Hill, Jack Sears, Mike Parkes, Roy Salvadori, Mike MacDowel, Mike Salmon and Richie Ginther
- Bianco Speciale placed 2nd overall in 1962 and 1963 for the RAC Tourist Trophy Race at Goodwood, which was an official round of the FIA International Championship for GT Manufacturers
- Loaned to Jaguar Competition Department for aerodynamic and performance testing in 1962
- Driven by Jack Sears to 1st in GT class for the 1963 Guards Trophy Race at Brands Hatch
- Sears later owned this Ferrari 250 GTO from 1970 to 1999
- Part of the Jon Shirley Collection since 1999
- Retains period racing details like the hood louvers and cockpit air hose added by Coombs
- Ferrari Classiche Red Book
- 2026 Cavallino Classic: The Bianco Speciale has been invited to participate in the 35th Annual Palm Beach Cavallino Classic, scheduled for February 13-15, 2026. The new owner can choose to display the car at this prestigious event.
It will be interesting to see what this GTO fetches.
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
THE AUTHOR: Wallace Wyss, a long time auto historian, now wears the beret of a fine artist, specializing in portraying classic cars.
Photos compliments of Mecum Auctions.
Hi Wallace what do we mean when we say “ new engine block “ is the engine still classed as original?
If it is I would like this car to overturn the record on the Uhlenhaut coupe but that would mean this car has to exceed 140 million .. who knows ?!
Always great to see your contributions!
Warmest Regards
Adrian
Yes I wondered about that too…but since the car was being raced by Mr. Shirley I sure he put reliability above originlity and my eatinake is the block was made by the originsl OEM, so it’s a Ferrari modified by Ferrari. Just as if the museum that first had a famous painting on display and hired the original artist to come back and touch it up…
SOLD! – $38,500,000