Yours for £20m: Ferrari 290MM raced by Fangio and Moss

By Marc McLaren

| 19 Oct 2018

Classic & Sports Car – Yours for £20m: Ferrari 290MM raced by Fangio and Moss

A 1956 Ferrari 290MM driven by a who’s who of motor racing greats including Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss will headline the RM Sotheby’s Petersen Automotive Museum sale in December.

Chassis 0628 competed in the Mille Miglia, Swedish Grand Prix, Nürburgring 1000km and 12 Hours of Sebring, among other races, and is a historically important racing car.

It will go to auction on 8 December with an estimate of £17-20m ($22-26m) – and given its history, it might well exceed even those lofty figures.

Chassis 0628’s first outing was at the ’56 Mille Miglia

The 290MM was conceived as part of Enzo Ferrari's plan to win the Mille Miglia – hence the ‘MM’ initials.

Three 290MMs were originally built, alongside three 860 Monza cars; all six used the same Tipo 520 chassis and were bodied by Scaglietti, but the 290 got a V12 engine while the 860 had an in-line four.

The car for sale was born as an 860 Monza, and competed as a works Ferrari throughout the 1956 season. Its first outing came at the ’56 Mille Miglia, where, driven by Peter Collins and Louis Klemantaski, it finished second; one of the 290MM variants came first.

Fangio raced it in Sweden (top) and Phil Hill at Sebring

Further success that year came at the Targa Florio, where it finished third, with its final outing in 860 Monza guise coming at the Swedish Grand Prix – with none other than Juan Manuel Fangio at the wheel.

It was upgraded to full 290MM spec in time for the ’57 season, and taken to the 1000km Buenos Aires race in January of that year. With a team of Alfonso de Portago, Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips, Peter Collins and Eugenio Castellotti at the helm, it finished third overall.

Next up was the 12 Hours of Sebring race, where Phil Hill teamed up with von Trips, but 0628 unfortunately failed to finish.

Now a 290 MM, it competed at the 1000km of Buenos Aires in 1957

Its works career over, it passed into private hands – and it was during this period that Stirling Moss took it for a spin, racing it at the 1957 Bahamas Speed Weeks. He duly drove it to victory in both the Memorial Race and the Nassau Trophy Race. Dan Gurney also raced it that year, driving it to second at Watkins Glen.

Chassis 0628 then spent the next five decades in America, passing through several hands including those of Luigi Chinetti, who owned it for more than 20 years.

During its retirement, it was given a full restoration and was then presented at many of the big concours, winning a Best in Class award at Pebble Beach in 2001. Its current owner acquired it in 2011.

Chassis 0628 has also tasted concours success

“We’re delighted to bring this highly significant Ferrari 290MM to our Los Angeles auction,” said Augustin Sabatié-Garat, Auction Manager of RM Sotheby’s Europe. “The 290MM is certainly one of the most important Ferraris to grace the halls of the renowned Petersen Automotive Museum and will be right at home in an auction set to present some of the most notable moments in motoring history across numerous categories.

“The car represents the golden age of the sports two-seater, having taken part in some of the most famous races ever held. Moreover, the sheer number of legendary drivers who have been at the helm of this car make it truly remarkable.

“The opportunity to acquire a proper Scuderia Ferrari works barchetta in the realm of the 290MM, 315S, or 335S rarely ever comes along in such exceptional form.”

The 290MM is one of 40 cars that will go under the hammer at the auction, which takes place in Los Angeles on 8 December. Look out for more information on the sale here soon.

Images: Diana Varga/RM Sotheby's, The Klemantaski Collection, The Revs Institute of Automotive Research, Gene Bussian, The Cahier Archive

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