Most Ferrari Daytona SP3s vanished into private garages to enjoy a quiet life of occasional Sunday drives. But Ferrari had other plans for Chassis 277499. Built in June 2022 as a left-hand drive development car, it never even went to a customer. Ferrari hung on to it for press duties, which means its early years were spent being driven to the ragged edge by motoring journalists across the world.
Top Gear, Car and Driver, Road & Track are just some of the names that had their turn. Now, it’s being offered up by RM Sotheby’s, with an estimate that stretches between $10-13 million, making this a rare case where an exotic that’s been proven to have been thrashed around stands above the current market of $5-6 million these usually command.
Now, plenty of celebrities would dream of the kind of coverage that Chassis 277499 has seen. This Ferrari just needed 829 horsepower, though. Derived from a 6.5-liter V12 that sends the car to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds. It remains the most potent non-hybrid V12 Ferrari has ever fitted to a road car. The name is a nod to Ferrari’s podium lockout at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona, and the styling borrows from the ‘60s prototypes behind it. The Daytona SP3 then, is essentially a modern retelling of Ferrari’s race history.
This particular car wears an Extra Range color: Giallo Triple Strato, a mouthful for what is essentially a triple-layer yellow that looks like a Modena summer afternoon. Carbon fiber roof panels and lower bodywork are some of the options ticked on this press car, with airbrushed Cavallino shields to complete the ‘lightweight’ appearance.
After its media tour, the car stayed with Ferrari until early 2025, when the current vendor bought and registered it in the UK. They remain this car’s first and only private owner. The odometer reads 2,948 miles, which may seem like a little, but remember that barely any of those miles are likely to have been leisurely strolls.
Considering the mileage and its provenance, the high guide pricing on the RM Sotheby’s auction listing is sure to raise a few eyebrows. But for a certain breed of enthusiast, the chance to own a poster car that has itself been featured in some of the world’s best coverage of said poster car is worth more than dollar value. It’s still considerably shy of the record-setting $26 million the one-off 599+1 production unit Daytona SP3 went for in an auction for charity last year. While that car was clearly a one-off from the start, this ex-Ferrari press car can lay claim to something no other SP3 likely can: it’s sat some of the world’s greatest motoring journalists behind its wheel.
