
1994 Ferrari 348 GT/C LM
€437,000 EUR | Sold
- One of only two 348 GT/C LMs built
- Prepared by Michelotto for the 1994 season, with F40 LM brakes and suspension
- Finished 11th overall and 4th in class at the 1994 Le Mans 24 Hours
- First Ferrari to finish at Le Mans since 1982
- Presented in original Le Mans livery and 'as last raced' condition
- Application for Attestation for Vehicle of Historic Interest submitted to Ferrari Classiche
One of two such cars constructed in 1994 for the BPR Global GT Series and the Le Mans 24 Hours, chassis number 97553 was originally run under the banner of Ferrari Club España with sponsorship from Spanish petrochemical giant Repsol. Utilizing the 348 GT Competizione as a basis, both cars built received a handful of upgrades between March and June of 1994 in preparation for the world’s most famous 24-hour race. This included centerlock Speedline wheels that were both lighter and wider than the originals, suspension and brakes taken directly from the F40 LM and Lexan sliding windows. By the Le Mans trials, both cars gained faired-in headlights and adjustable rear spoilers.
Appropriately, chassis number 97553 first saw competitive service in the Jarama 4 Hours – Round 2 of the BPR Series – in April of that year driven by Tomas Saldaña and Alfonso de Orleans, when it unfortunately retired with engine maladies. Three weeks later in the Dijon 4 Hours, the car posted its first finish, albeit classified a lowly 21st overall and 11th in class.
At Le Mans, Saldaña and de Orleans were joined by fellow Spaniard Andres Vilarino, and fortunes improved markedly as the car ran faultlessly – save for a precautionary fuel pump change and minor spin – to finish a remarkable 11th overall and 4th in class. In so doing, the car became the first Ferrari to finish at Le Mans since 1982, when the Prancing Horse Farm Racing and NART 512 BBLMs had finished 6th and 9th overall, respectively.
Having missed the Paris 1000 KM in order to prepare for Le Mans, the team resumed BPR duties at the Vallelunga 4 Hours in mid-July. Once again retaining the Saldaña/de Orleans driver line-up, a steady run netted 12th overall and an 8th place class finish, whilst at the Spa 4 Hours two weeks later, these positions improved to 9th and 6th, respectively. This would prove to be the car’s final appearance in the Series, as the final two rounds were 'fly away' races at Suzuka and Zhuhai, which the team opted not to contest.
Following the conclusion of the 1994 season, 97553 was retained by Repsol Competition Chief Carlos de Miguel who – along with Juan Quintano – drove the car in its final competitive outing at the 1998 Jarama 4 Hours. Retaining its original Repsol livery, but officially entered by de Miguel himself, the car unfortunately succumbed to engine problems after only eight laps. The car was retained by de Miguel for a further nine years, until it was sold directly to the vendor in 2007. Furthermore, it is important to note that the car comes with a fascinating history file, including an album of photographs, a 1:43 scale model and a 1:18 size Burago kit, as well as Saldaña’s racing helmet from the 24 Hours of Le Mans and some other items of memorabilia from its racing days.
Presented in original 'as-raced' condition, 97553 even retains the original Le Mans scrutineering sticker. As well as being a vital early part of the highly successful V8 Ferrari GT programme (which continues to this day), it remains a very usable and highly significant Ferrari, and would doubtless be a welcome addition to the burgeoning Global Endurance Legends fraternity.
Date | Race | Entrant | Drivers | Qualify | Overall | Class |
10/04/94 | Jarama 4h | Ferrari Club España | De Orleans/ Saldaña | 14th | DNF | - |
01/05/94 | Dijon 4h | Ferrari Club España | De Orleans/ Saldaña | 13th | 21st | 11th |
08/05/94 | Le Mans Trials | Ferrari Club España | De Orleans/ Saldaña | N/A | 28th | 10th |
19/06/94 | Le Mans 24h | Ferrari Club España | De Orleans/ Saldana/ Vilarino | 28th | 11th | 4th |
10/07/94 | Vallelunga 4h | Ferrari Club España | De Orleans/ Saldaña | ? | 12th | 8th |
22/07/94 | Spa 4h | Ferrari Club España | De Orleans/ Saldaña | 18th | 9th | 6th |
22/03/98 | Jarama 4h | C. de Miguel | De Miguel/ Quintano | 14th | DNF | - |


