LONDON.- Four outstanding Ferraris - a 1999 Ferrari F50 Barchetta; a 1985 Ferrari 288GTO Berlinetta; a 1990 Ferrari F40 Berlinetta; and a 2003 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale – which form part of a private collection, are to be sold at Bonhams sale of Collectors’ Motor Cars and Automobilia at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon on 11 April 2011. In total, the cars are expected to realise in excess of £1 million between them.

The 1999 Ferrari F50 Barchetta, which has just 5,444 kilometres on its odometer, has been written about in Autocar as ‘an uncompromising, carbon fibre, V12, two-seat sports car based on the Ferrari 614/2 that won six races in 1990 and nearly snatched the driver’s championship for Alain Prost’. Built to commemorate the Maranello marque’s 50th anniversary, it has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £350,000 – 400,000, while one of the most desirable and sought after Ferraris of recent times, the 1985 Ferrari 288GTO Berlinetta, is expected to fetch £350,000 – 400,000.

The 1990 Ferrari F40 Berlinetta, which was announced in 1987 to celebrate Enzo Ferrari’s fortieth anniversary as a carmaker, has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £300,000 – 350,000; and the 2003 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, which was introduced at the Geneva International Motor Show and is described in the catalogue as ‘a thoroughly modern automobile employing state-of-the-art technology’, is expected to make £75,000 – 85,000.

Another sale highlight is a 1978 Ferrari 512BB Berlinetta Boxer, formerly owned by British Formula One driver, Jenson Button. The car, which was bought last year by the then reigning Formula One World Champion, has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £90,000 – 110,000.