The top 5 Ferraris from the Bonhams|Cars Zoute sale

1991 Ferrari F40

Sold for €2.6million including premium

The Ferrari F40 is a real high water mark even among the lofty standards of the marque’s flagship models. It followed the 288 GTO and preceded a rarefied line that includes the F50, Enzo, LaFerrari and the latest F80. Despite a growing lineage of descendants, nothing will ever unseat the 1980s F40 and its turbocharged place in history. Its pure analogue driving experience will never be repeated. There’s nothing quite like the delivery of that forced induction V8.

The car in the sale actually dates from 1991 but its big wing and side strakes are clearly products of the previous decade of excess. Being a later model, it comes with catalytic converters and adjustable suspension. Its first owner was in the Channel Islands before the car moved to Japan for more than two decades. It came with a stack of history and was undergoing Ferrari Classiche Certification during the time of the auction. It sold for €2,645,000 (£2.3million) including premium.

1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso

Sold for €1.4million including premium

The next seven-figure Ferrari couldn’t be more different in style to the F40. The 250 GT Lusso mixed performance with luxury in a package that was wrapped up in svelte Pininfarina styling. It was a combination that captivated when it made its debut at the 1962 Paris Salon. Construction was carried out by Scaglietti who at the time typically assembled Ferrari’s lower volume models and 350 were built.

The Lusso was derived from the 250 SWB when Ferrari abandoned its policy of combining road and racing models. That meant that the road-going car could be better suited to its grand touring role. The engine remained the Colombo V12 and its roadholding reflected its competition origins. It takes its place in history as the finale of the 250 series, a range that gave Ferrari a sound commercial footing.

This example was sold to its first owner in New York and came back to Europe later in its life. It’s not often that 250 GT Lusso comes to the market, which goes some way to explaining its €1,380,000 (£1.2million) including premium result. Its new owner will have a blend of performance, GT credentials and style to enjoy.

1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’

Sold for €600,000 including premium

Officially, it’s called the Ferrari 365 GTB/4, but it’s far better known by its Daytona nickname that reflects Ferrari’s 1-2-3 victory at the American circuit in 1967, a year ahead of the 365’s debut in Paris. The distinctive styling was the work of Leonardo Fioravanti, its long shark nose and small cabin emphasising its front-engine-rear-wheel drive layout. And it could cash the cheques written by its looks thanks to its 4,390cc V12 engine. It was enough to make it the fastest production car of its day, and it was also the most expensive Ferrari.

By the time production came to an end in 1973, 1300 Berlinettas and 122 Spyders had been built, 530 of them featuring the plexiglass nose of the example offered by Bonhams|Cars. It’s the 29^th Daytona built as confirmed by its Ferrari Classiche documentation, and has been subject to a 1,500-hour restoration in Switzerland, reflected by its current registration, although it spent the first years of its life in Italy. It is beleived to have been resident in Europe for its entire life and was bid to €603,750 (£530,000) including premium.

2020 Ferrari 488 Pista ‘Piloti Ferrari’

Sold for €598,000 including premium

Now for something a lot more modern. The Piloti Ferrari edition of the 488 Pista was created by Ferrari’s Tailor Made department. It made its debut at the 2018 Le Mans 25-hour as a tribute to the AF Corse team’s WEC championship titles from the previous year. The exterior colour scheme was a reflection of the number 51 488 GTE, while there was a range of special details both inside and out. The Argento Nürburgring colourway of this example was the most subtle of the four liveries available.

Power was supplied by a worked over version of the twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 engine that produced an increased power output of 710PS (522kW). The result? a 0-62mph time of 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 211mph. It was also the first road-going Ferrari to wear carbon fibre wheels. It follows models such as the 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia and 458 Speciale as the peak of the Special Series lineage. The hammer fell at €598,000 including premium.

1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS

Sold for €488,000 including premium

The Dino marque was introduced in 1967 as a ‘junior Ferrari’. While never officially branded as a Ferrari, it was widely regarded as a true Prancing Horse model and many owners couldn’t resist fitting the badges that Maranello itself omitted. The 246 arrived in 1969, two years after the 206 that introduced the brand. The newer car had a steel body in place of earlier aluminium, and the cylinder block was cast iron rather than aluminium. Extra power from the increased displacement. compensated for the weight gain.

The example offered by Bonhams|Cars was first sold in the United States and therefore comes equipped with air conditioning. It underwent a thorough restoration between 2008 and 2009, which also included some desirable upgrades alongside the engine and gearbox overhaul. It now has a German registration, and at Zoute was bid to €488,000 (£425,000) including premium, gaining it the final place in the top five Ferrari sales of the auction.