FIA Sports Prototypes – 2009 Market & Price Guide

The FIA sports prototypes were some of the most exciting purpose-built racing cars ever designed. They competed under the regulations set forth by the FIA (Federation International l’Automobile) in the International Championship of Makes from 1964–1971, and the World Championship of Makes from 1972–1981. The regulations changed somewhat as the years passed, 5.0-liter engines, then 3.0-liter engines, etc., but the concept remained the same—to allow manufacturers to design the most fascinating, technically advanced sports racing cars the world had seen. These cars were built to compete in a World Championship, which included racing in the great endurance races such as the Le Mans 24-Hours, Nürburgring, Spa and Monza 1000 km, and the Targa Florio. Alfa Romeo, Alpine Renault, Ferrari, Ford, Lola, Matra, and Porsche all designed very lightweight, successful sports prototypes to compete in the World Championship. From this came the Alfa Romeo, Tipo 33/12, Ferrari 512M, Ford GT40, Matra 670, and Porsche 917. These fantastic cars were driven by the world’s best drivers at a time when Formula One drivers still enjoyed driving in sports car races. Today FIA sports prototypes qualify to race in many great historic events such as the Le Mans 24 Hour Classic and Monterey Historics. Due to their technology, great designs, eligibility, and low production number, FIA sports prototypes have steadily been increasing in value.

1964 Ferrari 250LM

By the early 1960s, Ferrari S.p.A. of Modena, Italy, was world famous for building winning, front-engine, V-12-powered sports cars, claiming the World Manufacturers Championship Group 3 with the beautiful 250 GTO, which gained FIA approval as a derivative of the 250 SWB. As the mid-engine era arrived, Ferrari created the open-cockpit 250P, and its derivative, the 250LM, was to be the first street legal, mid-engine, rear-transaxle Ferrari GT car. The FIA required 100 examples to be built for homologation as a GT car, and declined the LM’s entry as a Group 3 GT car. Only 32 250LMs were built, so they raced as sports prototypes in 1964-1965, but in 1966 ran as Group 4 sports cars. Notable differences between the 250P and the 250LM were the fixed roof and the higher-gauge-steel tubing for chassis rigidity. The prototype’s engine was the 3.0-liter, 60-degree V-12 with light alloy block and cylinder heads and six Weber 38DCN carburetors. All other cars had 3.3-liter engines producing about 325 bhp. The LM had a five-speed gearbox and four-wheel disc brakes. Vaccari of Modena built the (Tipo 577) aluminum-welded tubular steel chassis. The aluminum body was designed by Turin-based Carrozzeria Pininfarina and fabricated by Scaglietti of Modena. Introduced at the Paris Auto Salon in October 1963, the 250LM was a Ferrari suitable for private teams. It had instant success in 1964, but is most famous for its overall win in the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours.

1966 Porsche 906/Carrera 6

By the mid-1960s, Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany, was known for building lightweight, good-handling, small-displacement racing cars. Between 1963 and 1971, Porsche produced a series of innovative and successful racing designs, culminating with a World Manufacturers Championship. The first of these was the 906, or Carrera 6. The chassis was a tubular space-frame, the body lightweight fiberglass. Its 2.0-liter, six-cylinder, air-cooled engine was a 901/20 series derivative of the 911, but with lightweight metals: magnesium case, aluminum twin-spark cylinder head, and titanium internal parts. The 5-speed gearbox had a magnesium case with ZF limited slip and a quick-change rear section. The 906 first raced in Group 6 as a prototype, but once 50 had been built, qualified for Group 4. A total of 65 were built. The 906 had immediate success, winning its class and scoring well overall at the Daytona 24 Hour, Sebring 12 Hour, Monza 1,000 km and Le Mans 24 Hour, then winning Sicily’s grueling Targa Florio outright.

Criteria Used For Assessing Valuations for this Guide:

• Degree of Originality
• Overall Condition, Restoration
• Technology, Design, Coachbuilder
• Production Numbers/Rarity
• Competition History
• Ownership History, Documentation
• Modern Event Eligibility

Regional Variances

The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT. Most of the time, we are able to document known sales or closed escrows, as they say in real estate. When this is not possible, a logical estimate of the car’s value is given, based on its sales history and relationship to cars of its type.

The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT.