Lord Irvine Laidlaw named a Ferrari 250 GTO for this year's Ennstal-Classic.
In 20 years of the Ennstal-Classic, everything from pre- and post-war Mercedes Silver Arrows to Jaguar C- and D-Types and Porsche 917s have been on the starting grid, all of which are milestones in racing history. But never a real Ferrari GTO.
Famous car originally owned in Vienna
The first owner of his Ferrari GTO with chassis number #3527 was the Viennese jeweler Gotfried Köchert. The iconic Italian car with its 290 hp three-liter V12 was delivered on May 22, 1962,
Köchert drove the 1000-kilometer race at the Nürburgring with his friend Umberto Maglioli, they were even leading in the three-liter GT class until the car failed to start after a pit stop.
Via Italy, Belgium and Switzerland to England
The car was sold back to Maranello and then went via the Ecurie Francorchamps to Lucien Bianchi, who finished seventh in the Tour de France after colliding with a truck while leading. Bianchi/Mairesse then finished fifth in the Montlhéry 1000 kilometer race, and Bianchi won the Angola Grand Prix.
Afterwards, #3527 was sold to Scuderia Filipinetti. The Swiss banker Armand Boller bought the GTO in 1963 and raced it in hill climbs. In 1965, the car was fitted with a leather interior by Graber in Switzerland.
From 1966 to 1972, the GTO was owned by Sir Anthony Bamford, who sold it to VW dealer Don Nelson. The next owner in 1984 was Stephen Pilkington, who owned the car for 20 years before selling it on to Irvine Laidlaw in 2005.
Fully restored and valuable
Lord Laidlaw, who lives in Monaco, competes in classic car races such as Goodwood and Tour Auto and is a celebrity in the classic car scene with his collection.
The GTO was restored to the highest standard in 2450 hours of work by the best companies in the restoration business in England. And so, as the most valuable car in Ennstal history, it will also start at the Ennstal Classic on July 9, 2014.
Further information can be found on the event website.