LONDON.- RM Sotheby’s announced the addition of an ultra-rare and highly desirable 1968 Ferrari 275 GTS/4 NART Spider to its Monaco auction, 14 May. Held during the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique weekend, the single-day auction features over 100 handpicked automobiles and select motorcycles, as well as the stand-alone, bespoke sale of the Quattroruote Collection.

The 1968 275 GTS/4 NART Spider, chassis no. 11057, is unquestionably one of the most important road-going Ferraris in history, substantially rarer than virtually all of its iconic colleagues. Only ten were ever built as part of an ingenious collaboration between American Ferrari importer extraordinaire Luigi Chinetti and Enzo Ferrari, bearing the race-winning moniker of Chinetti’s North American Racing Team. A fixture in the most glamorous, jet-setting locales around the world, the model itself also catapulted itself to instant automotive immortality as a result of its association with Steve McQueen, whose dapper character Thomas Crown, drove one on screen. The example on offer is all the more special, as it is not only Ferrari Classiche certified and matching numbers, it is the last of the ten built, the only one delivered new to Europe, and the third from last 275-series Ferrari of any kind constructed. The dark red metallic finish and beige interior are paired beautifully with the throaty 330-horsepower V-12 engine, and the car will stun onlookers when set against the dramatic backdrop of Monaco’s skyline. This incredible Ferrari will be one of the most valuable automobiles offered at auction in 2016 (Est. expected to fetch in excess of €19 million).

“It is a privilege to present this NART Spider, not only because of its importance and rarity, but also because its offering at auction is such an extraordinary event. Ownership of a NART Spider represents membership in a club of only nine other enthusiasts around the world,” said Rob Myers, Chairman and CEO, RM Sotheby’s. “If a Ferrari is the choice of car connoisseurs, then the NART Spider is the choice of Ferrari connoisseurs.”

No less than 21 Ferraris, including the 275 NART Spider, are poised for RM’s upcoming Monaco event. Among other notable entries ready to bask in the Monaco sunshine is a 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet, chassis 0227 EL, one of just four bodied by Vignale. Painted in black with a distinctive red leather interior, this handsome 212 has led a jetsetter lifestyle and is eligible for such prestigious events as the Mille Miglia Storica and the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este (Est. €1.250.000 – €1.500.000). Meanwhile, another V-12-powered drop-top also set for RM’s Monaco stage is a stunning Ferrari Classiche-certified 1972 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider, chassis no. 15535. One of just 18 original LHD European-specification spiders, the featured Daytona has covered just 27,000 km from new (Est. €2.400.000 - €2.800.000). For the ultimate Ferrari aficionado looking to stand out in Monaco’s yacht-lined harbour, RM’s Monaco catalogue also includes an ultra-rare, avant-garde 1990 Riva Ferrari 32, hull no. 28; striking in its F1-inspired, signature Ferrari Rosso Corsa red hull, the boat was designed to reach speeds of up to 100 kph (Est. €180.000 - €220.000).

RM’s biennial Monaco sale has quickly become one of Europe’s leading collector car auctions, with the very best automobiles lining the principality’s famous Le Sporting venue. In keeping with the location and the event’s timing during the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique weekend, motorsport greats are always a strong feature of the sale. Highlighting this year’s catalogue are the previously announced 1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta (Est. expected to fetch approximately €7.500.000) and the road-going 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Evolution (Est. €2.700.000 - €3.000.000), both of which have spectacular endurance racing provenance. Newly announced for the sale is an incredible La Sarthe legend, the ex-Team Peugeot Total 2008 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP Le Mans Prototype, chassis no. 908-05. One of two chassis built for the 2008 season, the featured Peugeot was driven to second place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that year by Jacques Villeneuve, Nicolas Minassian and Marc Gene, before winning the Petit Le Mans in 2009. Boasting a groundbreaking HDi FAP clean-exhaust diesel-power V-12 engine, its upcoming sale provides serious collectors and historic racing participants the opportunity to acquire one of the Le Mans prototype class’ most successful and unique entrants (Est. €1.200.000 - €1.600.000).

As a prelude to the main auction on 14 May, RM will present the Quattroruote Collection during a separate sale session earlier in the day. An eclectic group of 39 vehicles, including automobiles, motorcycles and carriages, the Quattroruote Collection represents the carefully curated cars of one of the most famous names in Italian motoring journalism, Gianni Mazzocchi, and his family. The founder of Quattroruote magazine, the late Mr. Mazzocchi was an automobile enthusiast who appreciated fine engineering, eventually bringing together his purchases in a museum at his publishing company headquarters in Milan. Reflecting the family’s desire to tell the history of the automobile, the selection of cars on offer spans everything from a beautiful Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet to a humble 1951 Fiat 500 C ‘Topolino’. Featuring coachwork by Gangloff, the Bugatti T57 is an historically important car, having been the company demonstrator of Bugatti racing legend Jean-Pierre Wimille, as well as one of the 11 late-production chassis produced in the autumn of 1938 as a 1939 model. Currently finished in cream and dark green, it remains in authentic order with its original engine (Est. €500.000 – €600.000). The collection also features a rare 1930 Hispano-Suiza H6B Coupé Chauffeur, an imposing pre-war car from the great Spanish company, well-known for its large and luxurious cars built for the wealthiest of pre-war society (Est. €220.000 – €280.000).

The Quattroruote Collection will cross the podium at 12 noon on 14 May, followed by RM’s traditional evening Monaco sale from 18.00.