1960 Ferrari 250 GT – One of these has been donated to the RNLI

In an act of incredible generosity, the RNLI has had two extremely rare and valuable Ferrari’s donated to the charity. The 83 year old benefactor died in March, requesting that his two Ferrari’s be sold to fund the cost of new lifeboats named after his wife and himself.

The two Ferrari’s have an estimated value in excess of £8 million. The models include a red 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB and a silver 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4, both highly sought after classic cars. The benefactor, 83 year old Richard Colton who passed away in March, requested that the cars be auctioned with the funds used to buy a new lifeboat named after himself and his late wife Caroline. Based in Northamptonshire, Mr Colton made his fortune in the footwear industry. He was a keen car enthusiast, having restored both Ferraris before driving them all across Europe.

The RNLI in action.

The exact reason why he decided to donate money to the RNLI is unclear, but acquaintances believed it has something to do with his nervousness around the sea and respect for those who risk their lives on the open water. Whatever the reason, the RNLI will be extremely grateful, especially as 6 in 10 lifeboat launches are as a result of donations made in wills.

Two of Ferrari’s finest

The Ferrari 250 GT was one of the most successful early production models. Produced between 1953 and 1964, the 250 GT helped establish the famous prancing horse away from the race track and onto the streets. A famous black 1961 SWB model was owned by James Coburn and sold to Chris Evans for £5.5 million. Mr Colton bought his red model in the late 70s, restoring it himself before covering 60,000 miles behind the wheel. He even drove it as part of the Ferrari 50th Anniversary Celebrations at Maranello back in June 1997. It is estimated to sell for around £6 million.

1967 Ferrari 275 – Steve McQueen owned one of these models.

The other Ferrari is a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4. One of these was famously owned by Steve McQueen, the king of cool and avid car enthusiast. The 275 was the next stage in evolution for the 250, with its Pininfarina designed body giving the car a more streamlined, graceful look. Mr Colton’s model was purchased back in 1974 and has covered 78,000 miles since his restoration work. It is expected to sell for around £2 million.

The cars will be auctioned at H and H Classics in October.

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Source: Bournemouth Echo