There is no thrill quite like raising your hand at an auction. That heart-thumping moment where the auctioneer points to you, confirming the bid, you scan the room in what feels like slow-motion, sizing up your rivals' pockets. The auctioneer calls, once, twice, the room is slient, they raise the hammer, and it slams down as your excitement reaches its climax. Now, imagine that sale scenario while bidding for a classic Ferrari, which is exactly what’s happening on the 8th June of this year with Monaco Car Auctions.
The Monegasque auction house is now gearing up to host its second L’ASTAROSSA sale, which translates to "The Red Auction", on June 8th 2024, held in conjunction with the Top Marques show at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Attendees will have the opportunity to trace the origins of every car and piece of memorabilia featured in the auction back to Maranello and Modena, with some truly incredible pieces of history heading up for sale.
Monaco Car Auctions was founded last year by the self-proclaimed car enthusiast Mr. Laurent Blomet. This unique auction house distinguishes itself not only through its commercial approach and some of the most competitive conditions on the market, but also as a thematic automotive auction house.
In the auction’s inaugural sale, this relatively new auction house successfully presented some jaw-dropping pieces of history and exotica, including the Ferrari Enzo Scocca No. 1, previously owned by Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso, alongside the Nassau Governor’s Trophy-winning, alloy-body Ferrari 250 GT Boano. This model, designed by Pininfarina and built by Carrozzeria Boano, was piloted to victory by prominent driver Jan de Vroom. Two wildly different machines, but a pair that holds monumental significance in the world of Ferrari and the wider collector market.
Looking ahead to June, the team are still busy consigning a mouth-watering array of some of Ferrari's greatest models, among them a glorious 599 GTO, arguably one of the most collectable machines from the brand's modern history. Weighing a whole 100 kilograms less than the standard 599 GTB, the GTO is an all-out speed machine, good for a top speed of over 208 mph, thanks to that sreaming V12. The engine's origins date back to 2002, where it was first seen in the Enzo, and is still being used in a developed form today in the 812 Competizione! If classics are more your style, the auction has that aspect covered too, and our pick would be this stunning 250 GT Boano, a true showcase of Italian craftsmanship at its very best.
Speaking about L’ASTAROSSA, Laurent is naturally more excited than ever to get this second edition underway, “We are eager to return with this new auction, promising to bring together some truly remarkable cars from Ferrari’s lineage. While our catalogue is taking shape, we invite collectors and Ferrari enthusiasts alike to get in touch and contribute their automobiles or collectibles, joining us in this second edition". To find out more, head over to Monaco Car Auction’s website.
