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$8.8m '58 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider highlights RM's Arizona auction

All manner of vehicles change hands at the annual auction extravaganza in Arizona, but never has one sold for as much as the Ferrari you see here. The car in question is an (obviously) eminently desirable 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider, one of only 50 ever made and purring onto the stage in flawless red over black livery with matching numbers of the coveted covered headlights straight from the factory.
When we reported on the car's consignment in anticipation of this weekend's sale, it was expected to bring in between $7 and 9 million - and it's done just that, coming in near the top of its valuation with a winning bid of $8.8 million. That makes for a lot of zeros, but while it set a new record for the Arizona auctions, it hardly makes it the most expensive in the world. That honor still belongs to the Mercedes-Benz W196 that sold last summer for nearly $30 million. Nor is it the most expensive Ferrari ever sold at auction, an honor which still belongs to the 250 Testa Rossa that sold for over $16 million in 2011. Heck, it's not even the most expensive 250 California ever sold, coming in behind the SWB example that sold for nearly $11 million in 2008. All of which only goes to show just how insane the collector classic car market has grown in recent years.
The California was undeniably the highlight of RM's two-day sale, but was joined by several other seven-dollar lots, including a 1961 Porsche 718 ($2.75 million), a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso ($2.44 million), a Duesenberg Model J convertible ($2.2 million) and several other million-dollar Ferraris, Mercedes and a '35 Hispano-Suiza. A 1961 Chaparral 1 failed to reach its reserve price despite a high bid of $1.75 million, neither did a 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 at $1.18 million or a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 at $2.85 million. RM Auctions did, however, manage to sell 85 percent of those lots consigned to bring in a massive two-day total of $45.56 million in sales, details of which you can read in the press release below.

Ferrari 488 Spider turbocharges the topless life [w/video]

As expected, Ferrari has followed the Geneva debut of the new 488 GTB with the introduction of the 488 Spider convertible. Like the hardtop model, the new Spider builds on the old 458 cabriolet. The retractable hardtop has been retained for the new model, slated to debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. But thanks to the new aluminum spaceframe, the 488 Spider's torsional rigidity has been increased by 23 percent over its predecessor, promising even sharper handling. The powered roof can be stowed in just 14 seconds. Beyond that, the 488 Spider boasts the same goodies as the hardtop model. A 3.9-liter, twin-turbocharged, flat-plane crank V8 sits amidships, sending 661 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Even in this roofless model, 62 miles per hour arrives in just 3.2 seconds, compared to an even three seconds in 488 GTB. The top speed is a toupee-eradicating 203 miles per hour. Prices, not surprisingly, have not been published. You can look forward to much, much more on the 488 Spider when it makes its grand debut in September, at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Until then, check out the launch video for the new droptop, as well as the official press release from Ferrari. The Ferrari 488 Spider: performance and effortless driving for maximum drop-top fun Official unveiling scheduled for Frankfurt Motor Show Maranello, 28 July 2015 – Ferrari announces the launch of the 488 Spider, its most powerful ever mid-rear-engined V8 car to feature the patented retractable hard top along with the highest level of technological innovation and with cutting-edge design. Ferrari was the first manufacturer to introduce the RHT (Retractable Hard Top) on a car of this particular architecture. This solution ensures lower weight (-25 kg) and better cockpit comfort compared to the classic fabric soft-top. Just like all previous spider versions of Ferrari's models, this is a car that is aimed squarely at clients seeking open-air motoring pleasure in a high-performance sports car with an unmistakable Ferrari engine sound. Every area of the car has been designed to set new technological benchmarks for the sector: from the aluminum spaceframe chassis and bodyshell to the new turbo-charged V8, aerodynamics that reconcile the need for greater downforce with reduced drag along with the specific cabin air flow demands of an open- top car, and vehicle dynamics that render it fast, agile and instantly responsive.

1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 is a love letter to Steve McQueen

There have been plenty of movie stars who've been into cars, but few genuine aficionados like Steve McQueen. The legendary King of Cool was known for driving his green Mustang and Porsche prototypes on the big screen, but in his private life, he loved his Ferrari.
There was, of course, his iconic 250 GT Lusso, but back in 1967, the actor and sometimes racer also bought a rare 275 NART Spyder. Sadly, that car was totaled a mere two days after he took possession, and there were no replacements available. So he bought this hardtop 275 GTB/4 instead.
Ferrari's Classiche department recently restored the car to pristine condition and RM Auctions sold it for over $10 million, but there's more to its story than its celebrity provenance and high hammer price. Listen to the guys who worked on it for McQueen tell the car's story in this latest video from the Aficionauto.