Ferrari-Powered Hydroplane For Sale at Monaco Auction

The brainchild of Italian speedboat star Achille Castoldi, the Arno XI was built in 1953 with assistance from Ferrari and the great Grand Prix drivers of the period and went on to establish a world water speed record of over 150 mph (241. 70 km/h) that still stands today.

Taking place at the Grimaldi Forum in the French principality, the boat will be sold alongside a vast collection of motor cars and motorcycles. It features a 12-cylinder, 4,500 cc V12 Ferrari engine and has had just three owners from new.

Peter Wallman, specialist at RM Europe, said: “We are thrilled to be offering the historic Arno XI at our Monaco sale. This awe-inspiring racing boat has beauty, history, provenance and performance; it simply ticks every box for any serious collector.”

The boat has gone through various aerodynamic improvements over the years, including a modified nose and the addition of a fin. It finished its competitive racing career in 1960 with a European championship victory and numerous fastest laps, many of which still exist.

Mr Wallman continued: “It’s an exceptional piece of history, made even more famous by the countless models one sees of it in important collectors’ libraries and is likely to appeal to serious car collectors as much as it will to traditional boat collectors.

“It has that alluring mix of ’50s Ferrari grand prix car with the sheer beauty and simplicity of the hydroplanes of the period. We are honoured to have been entrusted with its sale.”

The Ferrari-Powered Hydroplane is estimated to fetch between €1-1.5 million.