A 1957 Ferrari 335 Sport Spider Scaglietti sold for €32.1 million at the 2016 Rétromobile Paris auction, drawing attention across the automotive world. The record price was striking, as was the rumor about the buyer: had Leo Messi, then at the peak of his career with FC Barcelona, acquired one of the rarest Ferraris ever built?
Organized by Artcurial, the auction featured more than 130 classic vehicles, including 19 Ferraris. Lot 170, the 335 Sport Scaglietti, drew the fiercest bidding. Collectors vied for a piece of racing history as the price climbed from €20 million. The hammer fell at €32.1 million, surpassing the previous record, held by a Ferrari 250 GTO since 2014. Contemporary coverage also rounded the figure to €32 million; descriptions of the sale as the world’s most expensive car depended on how prices and auction premiums were compared.
Speculation about the buyer’s identity intensified almost immediately. In February 2016, reports citing Spanish newspaper Sport said Messi had outbid Cristiano Ronaldo, casting the auction as an extension of their football rivalry. Coverage by The Daily Star also pointed to a statement on the Proto group’s website as suggesting Messi was the buyer, while making clear that the official purchaser remained anonymous: “Officially, the buyer has remained anonymous.” That account reported the sale price, but did not establish the buyer’s identity.
Messi addressed the speculation with characteristic humor. on Instagram, he posted a photo holding a miniature Rayo McQueen toy car, captioned, “The new car they say I bought.” The playful post circulated after the story had already spread across social media and news outlets, and many took it as a response to the rumor.
The Ferrari That Fueled the Frenzy
The Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti is basic to the brand’s racing legacy. Built in 1957 for the World Sportscar Championship, only four units were produced, making it one of the most exclusive competition Ferraris. Its engineering reflected Ferrari’s fierce rivalry with Maserati. The car featured a 4.0-liter V12 engine capable of 400 horsepower and a top speed of 300 km/h, impressive figures for its era.
Chassis 0674, the car sold in Paris, debuted at the 12 Hours of Sebring and later finished second at the Mille Miglia, driven by Wolfgang von Trips under team orders. It also competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Mike Hawthorn set a lap record before mechanical failure forced the car to retire. The car won the Cuban Grand Prix with Stirling Moss and Masten Gregory behind the wheel, and contributed to Ferrari’s 1957 world constructors’ title.
After its racing career, the 335 Sport Scaglietti passed through very few hands. Pierre Bardinon, a renowned Ferrari collector, acquired it in 1970, and it remained in his private collection for more than forty years. Its provenance and limited production increased its appeal among collectors.
Rumors, Rivalries, and Reality
The idea that Messi and Ronaldo were locked in a bidding war for the Ferrari was never substantiated in the contemporary account, but it captured the imagination of fans worldwide. The story’s viral spread shows how quickly speculation can shape coverage, especially when global celebrities and record-breaking sums are involved. As a recent analysis of high-profile car acquisitions noted, José Mourinho’s choice of the BMW XM for Real Madrid reflects the continuing public fascination with sports fame and luxury vehicles (see more on Mourinho’s automotive statement).
Messi’s public joke addressed the speculation, while the reported auction account left the buyer officially anonymous. The Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti’s sale became a key stage in the collector-car world; the Messi story endured because an extraordinary price and a famous football rivalry made an anonymous purchase compelling news.
Context and Legacy
The 335 Sport Scaglietti is recognized for its engineering and racing history, as well as its role in one of the most talked-about auctions of the decade. Its value reflects its rarity and provenance, along with the stories attached to it. For collectors, documented history and legend can matter as much as performance; for the public, the prospect of sports icons being linked to such treasures keeps these stories alive long after the gavel falls.
