A 1956 Ferrari 290 MM by Scaglietti driven Juan
Manuel Fangio and Sir Stirling Moss has sold for US$ 22,005,000 at an RM Sotheby’s
auction in the United States. The rare 290 MM was the fourth and final example ever built and made
its racing debut at the 1956 Mille Miglia in 860 Monza specification. In this
guise, it was powered by a 3.5-liter four-cylinder engine.
With Peter Collins and Louis Klemantaski behind the
wheel, the racer finished 2nd overall. The car’s successful maiden year of
racing continued when it finished 4th at the Targa Florio in Sicily and
claiming 2nd place at the XVIII Aosta-Gran San Bernardo Hillclimb in Italy.
After its first year of racing, the vehicle was
upgraded to its current 290 MM specification. This saw a 3.5-liter V12 slot
into the engine bay. With its new powertrain, the car continued to have
successful outings at racing events around the world, including the 1000 km
Buenos Aires race, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 1957 Bahamas Speed Weeks.
With Sir Stirling Moss in the driver’s seat, the car claimed victory at both
the Memorial Race and Nassau Trophy Race in the Bahamas.
Following its outing at Sebring in 1957, it was
retired as an official Scuderia race car and sold privately but continued to
make appearances at racing events. It was even displayed at the Chicago Auto
Show in January 1958 and secured a 1st in class win at Watkins Glen the same
year.
Numerous individuals have owned the car in the
decades since, and in 2011 it was fully restored by Ferrari Classiche. Four
years later, the car was shown at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and in
2016 and 2017 was displayed at both the Ferrari museums in Maranello and
Modena. A similar 290 MM, also driven by Juan Manuel Fangio, sold for US$ 28
million at a 2015 auction.
