Chassis no. 3204
Engine no. 001
Estimate is €550.000 - €600.000
Direkt link to the auction: http://www.rmsothebys.com/ff17/ferrari- ... t3/1706010
Original development car for both GT3 and GTD (IMSA) versions of the 458 Italia
Currently conforming to 458 GTD specification
Fitted with Endurance option, including uprated electrical, braking and fuel systems
Actual car used for GT3 ‘Balance of Performance’ testing
Test car used for development of GT tyres by Pirelli
Having achieved considerable success with its 360 and F430 models in International Sports and GT racing in the early and mid-2000s, Ferrari introduced its new 458 Italia in 2009, and its racing GT3 variant two years later. Aimed principally at ‘Pro-Am’ driver combinations contesting the long-distance classics, it was soon apparent that Ferrari had hit upon a winning formula: five consecutive Pro-Am class wins in the Spa 24 Hours, two overall victories in the Gulf 12 Hours and one in the Bathurst 12 Hours were indeed testament to the car’s user friendliness and reliability.
Introduced as a relatively low-tech response to rising costs and speeds in GT racing, the GT3 category was aimed at sub-hypercar class cars such as the Porsche 911, Aston Martin DBRS9, BMW Z4 and Ferrari 458. All were subject to so called ‘Balance of Performance’ testing by an independent driver at the start of each season, to ensure that no one car had any noticeable technical, power or weight advantage over the others. Effectively, this was a form of modern day handicapping – with the intention of promoting close racing.
This particular chassis, 3204, was used for the development of both the GT3 and the broadly similar U.S.-specific GTD class 458 Italias, and first ran at Bruntingthorpe in the UK in March 2013. Currently conforming to the latter specification – with cockpit adjustable rollbars and quick fill refuelling system – the car also features endurance-specification lighting and braking systems. Significantly, it was also used for GT3 Balance of Performance testing at Paul Ricard, Monza and at Michelin’s Ladoux test track, prior to being used by Pirelli for the development of race-specification GT tyres. Indeed, the car’s last recorded outing was in July 2015 at Paul Ricard for an official Pirelli test.
Having covered just over 22,000 km from new, and with over 5,000 km of engine life remaining, 3204 represents a remarkably practical and affordable entry into contemporary competition GT car ownership. That this chassis played a prominent role in the development and evolution of one of the GT3 category’s most successful and charismatic cars also renders it a highly significant competition Ferrari.