Tag Archives: Lamborghini

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Inside the “Tailored for Speed” Collection: 42 Supercars Headed to Auction

Supercar collections are nothing new, but every so often one comes along that feels less like an enthusiast’s garage and more like a museum with a private key. This November, RM Sotheby’s will put the spotlight on exactly that: the “Tailored for Speed Collection,” a 42-car assemblage of the world’s most desirable exotics, quietly tucked away in Switzerland until now.

Recently, Chris Harris was granted access to this vault of horsepower, and if his reaction is any indication, we’re looking at one of the most impressive single-owner lineups ever to cross an auction block.

Ferrari Obsession, Perfected

While the collection features Bugattis, Paganis, and a handful of other top-shelf machinery, it doesn’t take long to figure out where the owner’s heart lies. Of the 42 cars, 33 wear Ferrari’s prancing horse badge—and not just any Ferraris. We’re talking about the kind of machines that rarely leave Maranello’s factory gates without instantly becoming collectible.

The star of the show? A 1998 Ferrari 333 SP, one of just 40 built. A legitimate endurance racer that claimed victories in the 1999 Sports Racing World Cup, it’s expected to hammer for $5.5 to $6.5 million.

But the 333 SP isn’t alone in representing Ferrari’s track pedigree. The auction lineup also includes an FXX-K Evo, an FXX Evo, and a 599 XX, each a factory-built track weapon that rewrote performance benchmarks in their eras. Estimates peg them between $3.5 million and $5.5 million apiece.

Then there are the road-going legends: a 2017 LaFerrari Aperta (projected at $5.5 million), the Daytona SP3, a classic F40, and a fresh 812 Competizione A. Throw in rarities like the SA Aperta, F12tdf, and even a 488 GTE Evo race car, and it’s clear this is no ordinary Ferrari fan’s garage—it’s practically an archive of Maranello’s greatest hits.

Not Just Maranello

Still, the Tailored for Speed Collection doesn’t stop at the Cavallino Rampante. From Modena, we pivot to Modena’s eccentric neighbor: Pagani. One highlight is a Huayra Roadster BC in Francia Blue with exposed carbon accents, estimated between $4.0 and $4.4 million. Alongside it sits the ferocious Huayra R (one of only 30 made) and the recently delivered Utopia, making this arguably one of the strongest Pagani trios outside of Horacio’s own factory.

Bugatti is no less represented. Leading the charge is a 2023 Chiron Super Sport finished in blue carbon fiber, a car that looks like it was hewn from a block of sapphire. With just 516 kilometers on the odometer, it could bring $4.4 million.

And because no modern supercar collection feels complete without some curveballs, the auction will also feature a Lamborghini Sian FKP 37, a Huracán Tecnica 60th Anniversary Edition, a Bentley Continental GT3-R, and even a Mercedes-AMG GT2 Pro.

A Collector’s Legacy, by Hammer Fall

RM Sotheby’s hasn’t revealed the collector’s identity, but judging by the curation, the mystery owner has a knack for timing. Many of these cars are not only rare but represent transitional moments in supercar history: analog-to-digital Ferraris, the rise of hybrid hypercars, the bespoke craftsmanship of Pagani, and the limited-edition excess of Lamborghini.

When the gavel falls in November, the Tailored for Speed Collection is expected to bring in several hundred million dollars in total. More than that, though, it will mark the end of an era for a collector whose passion leaned heavily toward Maranello, but never forgot to leave space for sapphire-colored Bugattis and hand-sculpted Paganis.

Whether you’re a buyer with a few million to spare or just a dreamer flipping through the catalog, one thing is certain: this is the kind of auction that reminds us why car culture is as much about emotion as it is about engineering.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

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Maserati MCXtrema Joins One of the World’s Most Exclusive Car Collections

At Maserati’s storied Viale Ciro Menotti plant in Modena, the past and future of the Trident collided in a moment that could only be described as theatrical. The factory, home to Maserati for nearly 90 years, served as the backdrop for the handover of one of the most extreme cars the brand has ever produced: the Maserati MCXtrema.

The recipient? Jacques Sicotte, a French nuclear engineer and entrepreneur with an enviable garage of more than 60 rare collector cars, including the legendary Maserati MC12. For a man whose taste runs toward Italian thoroughbreds with both beauty and bite, the MCXtrema wasn’t just another acquisition—it was an inevitability.

A Successor to a Legend

Dubbed “The Beast of the Trident,” the MCXtrema is the spiritual successor to the MC12, a car that cemented Maserati’s dominance in GT racing two decades ago. Developed as a track-only machine, production is capped at just 62 units worldwide. With its 3.0-liter twin-turbo Nettuno V6 tuned to a ferocious 740 horsepower, it represents the sharpest edge of Maserati performance.

Sicotte’s car, unveiled to him for the first time at the Modena factory, was far from a standard spec. Working hand-in-hand with Maserati Centro Stile through the MCXlusiva personalization program, he crafted a car that nods reverently to his beloved MC12 Stradale while still pushing forward.

The exterior wears a striking two-tone matte blue and pearl white finish, capped with an oversized Trident painted proudly on the bonnet. On the doors, Sicotte’s personal lucky number “77” adds a final flourish of individuality. Step inside, and the cockpit is drenched in deep navy, accented by bespoke track-focused options such as a passenger seat kit, telemetrics package, and rearview camera. It’s less interior and more cockpit—a darkened command center for attacking curbing at speed.

A Ceremony of Pedigree

The delivery itself was steeped in heritage. Andrea Bertolini, Maserati’s chief test driver and a four-time GT World Champion with the MC12, personally handed over the keys. Bertolini has been involved in the MCXtrema program from day one, from simulator development to track validation—a fitting link between past glory and Maserati’s next chapter in motorsport engineering.

“This is more than a car,” Sicotte remarked. “It’s a work of art, but one that demands to be driven at the limit.”

Engineering the Ultimate Maserati

Building the MCXtrema wasn’t a matter of tradition—it was a triumph of technology. Maserati’s Virtual Analysis team logged more than 1,000 hours of simulations and 200 hours in the dynamic simulator before the first prototype even touched asphalt. Aerodynamic efficiency was sculpted hand-in-glove with Centro Stile’s design language, resulting in a machine that looks every bit as vicious as it performs.

Powertrain calibration specialists wrung every last drop of performance from the Nettuno V6, an engine already lauded in the Maserati MC20 supercar but here elevated into a purebred racing heart. The result is a car that redefines the meaning of a Maserati track machine: no compromises, no apologies, just raw velocity fused with Italian craftsmanship.

The MCXperience

Owning an MCXtrema isn’t about parking it in a climate-controlled garage—it’s about living it. Maserati has built an exclusive ecosystem around the car, called MCXperience, offering private track days, coaching from Maserati Corse professionals, and concierge-level support. Each delivery includes a full racing kit co-developed with Sparco, ensuring that owners are not just spectators but active participants in the brand’s racing universe.

For Sicotte, whose collection already speaks volumes about his passion for driving rather than collecting dust, the MCXtrema represents both continuity and evolution. Where the MC12 once ruled the track, the MCXtrema now prowls, ready to unleash its 740-hp fury.

If the MC12 was Maserati’s ticket back to the winner’s circle, the MCXtrema is its battle cry for the future. Brutal yet beautiful, it is equal parts engineering showcase and design manifesto. And for Jacques Sicotte, it’s the only logical way to honor the Maserati legacy in his collection—by adding the beast that carries the Trident’s spirit into tomorrow.

Source: Maserati

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Lamborghini Polo Storico Marks a Decade by Spotlighting Icons at Italian Concours

Automobili Lamborghini’s Polo Storico, the factory department charged with safeguarding Sant’Agata’s heritage, just wrapped up a weekend that perfectly showcased its mission: celebrating the past while keeping it alive for the present. The team rolled into two of Italy’s most prestigious classic car gatherings—the Concorso d’Eleganza Varignana 1705 near Bologna and the Festival Car in Revigliasco outside Turin—armed with nothing less than the final Diablo ever built.

For Lamborghini, that car isn’t just another poster child from the bedroom-wall era. It’s a time capsule, the very last example of a model that turns 35 this year, representing the twilight of analog V12 madness before the digital age fully set in. Preserved in the company’s own collection, the car doubled as both centerpiece and statement: Lamborghini intends for Polo Storico, now in its 10th year, to be the gold standard in historic preservation.

But the Diablo wasn’t alone. Polo Storico curated a lineup that painted a broad sweep of the brand’s history. A 1965 350 GT stood in as the foundation stone of Lamborghini’s road car legacy—the moment Ferruccio moved from tractors to grand tourers. A 1987 Countach 5000 QV represented the outrageous excess of the Eighties, all strakes and spoilers, a car that cemented Lamborghini’s image as the rebel of the supercar world. And then there was the Miura P400—the car that effectively invented the term “supercar.” Certified by Polo Storico and restored to exacting standards, that very Miura walked away with first place in the Supercar class at Varignana.

“From day one, our team has worked with the same passion that has driven Lamborghini for more than sixty years,” said Alessandro Farmeschi, the company’s After Sales Director. “Being present with the last Diablo produced, in its anniversary year, allowed us to showcase our identity in contexts that highlight Italian history, style, and culture. And the Miura’s class victory confirms that authenticity is valued every bit as much as beauty.”

That sentiment goes to the heart of Polo Storico’s mission. In just a decade, it has evolved into an international touchstone for collectors seeking not only spare parts and restorations but also authenticity certification—a seal of approval that can mean the difference between a nice car and an award-winning legend.

The results speak for themselves. The Miura’s win at Varignana wasn’t just another trophy—it was recognition that Lamborghini’s factory preservation arm has the credibility to satisfy owners, judges, and purists alike. And as the last Diablo glistened under the Italian sun, it was hard not to see the through line: from the elegant 350 GT, to the groundbreaking Miura, to the outrageous Countach, and finally to the fire-breathing Diablo. Together, they tell the story of a brand that has never done subtlety—and of a heritage department determined to make sure that story is never forgotten.

Source: Lamborghini