They’re the historic racing machines that made waves on both sides of the pond, but now the crown jewels are being broken up – the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum has announced an unprecedented sale of the some of the “most significant” competition cars ever seen.
From the scintillating Mercedes W196 driven by Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss in the 1950s to the Ferrari 250LM – for decades the Scuderia’s last La Sarthe winner – and a Michael Schumacher Benetton, 11 cars in total will be put on sale by RM Sotheby’s, as the Museum attempts to raise funds and make its collection more Indy-centric.
The W196 is expected to go for a staggering $50-70m, but its racing provenance can be matched by few others. First driven at a non-championship Buenos Aires race by Fangio in 1954, the car was then fitted with the streamlined bodywork and used by Stirling Moss at the 1955 Italian GP, retiring from the race with an engine issue but still managing to set the fastest lap.
Ferrari’s last Le Mans winner until 2023 will also be on sale
IMS
The Ferrari 250LM was entered by Luigi Chinetti – its US importer – for the 1965 Le Mans, and is a hugely significant car in the marque’s history. Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory were behind the wheel to secure an overall win, which was Ferrari’s last until its victorious top-class return last year.
While no estimate has been put on this car, another example was offered for $18-$20m last year at Monterey. It didn’t sell, which perhaps explains the lack of estimate.
While there’s plenty of 200mph machinery in the lots offered for sale, there’s one car that can do three times that: Craig Breedlove’s Spirit of America-Sonic I. Breaking the land speed record five times, its fastest recorded speed was 600.601 mph – becoming the first car to top the 600mph-mark in 1965.
The record stood for five years, with the late Breedlove recalling to Motor Sport “at that speed we saw from the telemetry that the front wheels were barely on the ground. Sonic 1 was flying.”
Craig Breedlove’s Spirit of America – Sonic I record-breaker is being offered too
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Also joining these is the B191 Benetton used by Michael Schumacher at the start of his first full season in 1992 when that year’s car wasn’t yet ready.
Designed by John Barnard, Nelson Piquet took his final win with the same design at Canada ’91 when Nigel Mansell stalled on the last lap.
There’s sports car heritage too in the shape of a 1966 Holman-Moody Ford GT MkIV – driven by Mark Donohue and Paul Hawkins – and the magnesium-bodied Chevrolet Corvette SS Project XP64, which took pole at its one and only race at Sebring in 1957.
Also going up for sale is the 1908 Mercedes Brookland-Semmering Rennwagen, 1907 Itala early Grand Prix car, 1928 Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix, 1911 Laurin & Klement Racer and 1911 Mercedes 22/40 “Colonial Car” Touring.
“These vehicles will be some of the world’s most significant cars ever sold. From the Moss/Fangio-raced W196 to the Le Mans-winning 250 LM, and even a land speed record car, these aren’t just significant; they are the pinnacle of collecting,” said RM Sotheby’s global head of auctions Gord Duff.
“There is almost nothing to compare them to, and knowing they are being sold for such a worthy cause is a great feeling.”
“‘Our Stories Behind the Spectacle’ capital campaign is helping to fund the complete reimagining of the IMS Museum, from new structural and state-of-the-art technology installations to interactive exhibits and experiences,” added museum president Joe Hale.
“The deaccession and sale of these artefacts are earmarked specifically to help us create a more robust endowment to be used for caring for our collection, ensuring our long-term financial viability and position as an internationally recognised cultural institution for years to come.”
