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How An Obliterated Ferrari Sold For $1.8M
By DANIEL TROCK
While a typical requirement for selling any car is that it’s in good condition, there are certain rare automotives whose chassis’ alone are prized among collectors.
One such car was a 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I that sold for $1.8 million at RM Sotheby’s auction house.
This particular Ferrari had no wheels or internals, and the body had been subjected to horrific fire damage. However, it belonged to former Ferrari factory driver Franco Cortese.
Cortese was the driver who scored Ferrari’s very first professional racing victory at the 1947 Rome Grand Prix, and the car was the one he used at the Mille Miglia in 1954.
The Mondial Spider changed hands throughout the years but was still used at big-name racing events like the Gran Premio Supercortemaggiore and the Evergreen Trophy Race.
At some point in the late ’60s, the car was involved in a severe crash, resulting in fire damage. Despite its condition, Cortese’s Mondial Spider is an incredible collector’s item.