Keep saving those pennies, aspiring Ferrari collectors, because what is widely recognized as the most expensive car in the world is likely going to get even more expensive and exclusive. The Ferrari 250 GTO—also known as the car that sold for a record-breaking $48.4 million at auction last year shortly after another example privately exchanged hands for a reported $80 million—is now officially recognized as a work of art.
According to a report from The Telegraph, the decision was reportedly made by an Italian court (because where else?) after Ferrari itself complained about a Modena company that was planning on making clones of its rare classic. Ferrari then submitted a petition to have the 250 GTO’s design and intellectual property rights recognized as a piece of art, and in turn, any reproductions pieces of piracy.
In the end, a Bologna commercial tribunal officially deemed the car a “work of art that is entirely original and must not be imitated or reproduced.”
From the ruling: “The customization of the car’s lines and its aesthetic elements have made the 250 GTO unique, a true automobile icon,” and that “production, commercialization, and promotion” of the GTO should only be carried out by the official crew in Maranello.
“It’s the first time in Italy that a car has been recognized as a work of art,” a Ferrari rep told The Telegraph. “It’s not just its beauty that makes it special—it also has a long racing history.”
The report points out that classic Ferraris aren’t the only cars to get “copied” by replica and kit car makers. Pretty much every classic car worth a third-party remake—from iconic Porsches to the Ford GT40—has been and will continue to be imitated.
What does this all mean? Well, with unofficial replicas off the scene, prices for the real McCoys will likely balloon. So, y’know, instead of going for $2 gazillion at the 2049 Barrett Jackson auction, it’ll go for $2.5 gazillion instead. #stonks
H/T: Jalopnik
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