On the top of the vintage pyramid there room for only brand - and that is Ferrari

Le Monde Edmond

November 19, 2012

Interview Marcel Massini- The Information King

Classic CarsInterviews

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Marcel Massini – A name that any Ferrari Collector should know. Must know.

All the best dealers in the world use his reports. All serious collectors will not buy a Ferrari without reading his report first. His report is the gold standard to use when doing due diligence on vintage Ferrari. Just like the Rappaport is used for diamonds. The FT for investors. The Bloomberg for investors and traders. Marcel Massini is that for vintage Ferrari. He eats, sleeps and breathes Ferrari 24/7.


Having written his first book before he was twenty (on the 250 LM), Marcel has been in the classic car business as a consultant for a very long time. It is estimated that he knows the history of over 20′ooo Enzo era Ferraris. Want to know the first owner of a 275 GTB from the 1960s? If yellow was the original color? If the car was in an accident? Marcel has that information.

Without exaggeration Marcel Massini is among the most important people, if not the MOST important person on this planet when it comes to researching old Ferrari. 

His insights are fascinating!


LME: You once said there is only place for one brand  at the top within the vintage car collector market. Why is it only Ferrari?

Massini: Considering that Ferrari has started in 1946/47 they have now been in continuous business for over 65 years, without any interruption. Unlike other Italian sports car manufacturers such as Lamborghini, Maserati or Alfa Romeo there have not been any big gaps in the history, or massive production stops or other major problems and ownership changes. Ferrari has been in Formula One racing and motorsport throughout all these years. It is the most charismatic and legendary name in the automobile world. On top of the pyramid there is just room for one make and this clearly is Ferrari.

You have information on over 20’000 chassis numbers for Ferraris. You probably have the biggest collection of books/magazines and historical archives of Ferrari  in the world. Is it fair to say information is your most valuable asset?

Massini: That is absolutely correct. You can never have enough information, the more, the better. Researching the histories of individual cars is like a big puzzle that will never be complete. Every bit helps, it can be an old letter, photograph, newspaper clipping, factory document, a book, a leather or color sample.

Did you ever imagine Ferrari becoming so powerful as a brand?

Massini: Nobody has a crystal ball and was able to see what would happen in the future. Back then Ferrari was already well established but it is clear that the brand was not as developed as it is today. No doubt the famous yellow logo with the black prancing horse is today amongst the top 50 brands on the planet.

Certainly part of the allure of the Ferrari brand is due to the legendary founder Enzo Ferrari. What did he do right?

Massini: Commendatore Enzo Ferrari was a very charismatic leader with a huge experience and a golden hand to select the right people for the job, he had an enormeous knowledge and used every human technique to work only with the very best. He was an excellent strategist and at the same time a player on the highest level.

You met him once. What was your impression of him?

Massini: It was like an audience with a king. I had to wait more than one hour. I met him twice, the first time in September 1981 in Maranello and then again two years later when I had the great pleasure of handing him out a copy of my new book. He presented me with a copy of his own book “Piloti, che gente”. No doubt this was one of my most important days in my life. I still remember it as it happened just yesterday. Enzo Ferrari was a very strong, tall man with an aristocratic or machiavellian behaviour. Quiet, soft spoken and he was clearly proud of what he had achieved. He was 85 years old at the time.

If he were in front of you today what would you ask him?

Massini: Did you ever imagine to please so many people on earth with the greatest sports cars?!

The last real Ferrari was the 275 GTB/4 of 1968. Do you agree?

Massini: I absolutely love it! The fourcam is often described as the poor man’s GTO but I honestly consider a 275 GTB/4 much more elegant, beautiful and sophisticated than any of the 250 GTOs. No doubt the 275 GTB/4 is the best road-going Ferrari of the 1960s. An iconic design and a true classic. Well balanced and a geat driver.

2014 was another strong year for classic cars with auction houses achieving record results. A 250 GTO sold for $48m (privately) a new record. How long can this keep going?

Massini: As long as you don’t get anything when you bring your money to the bank, people will continue to invest in hard assets, art, paintings, real estate, gold, and vintage cars. I am very confident that this trend will continue for quite some time and prices for classic Ferraris will further increase.

For the moment the Chinese are mostly interested in new cars. The faster, the better. Lamborghini Aventador, 458 Italia etc. When will they start buying vintage cars in a serious manner?

Massini: Asians and especially the Chinese have a very fine sense for true history and works of art. A few years ago already a 1959 Ferrari 250 Tour de France was sold to China. That was just the start. The chinese have just about begun to discover more of the European and the Italian culture in specific.

How many years will it be before  we see the 250 GTO at $100m?

Massini: A Giacometti statue sold for over $100 Million, as did an important painting recently. A GTO for $ 100 million? Within the next five to seven years it’s gonna happen, no doubt. There is enough wealth in the world but just 36 real 250 GTOs.

We think that the 250 LM might overtake the 250 GTO in value and importance one day. It’s rarer, in our opinion more beautiful. Do you agree?

Massini: I absolutely adore the 250 LM. They are totally underrated. This is one for the very experienced connaisseur with a refined taste, not fore the average Ferrari collector. It makes no sense that a GTO sells for $ 35 M and an LM for $ 10 M only. After all, the 250 LM is the last Ferrari which won the 24 hours of Le Mans (1965).

If there was only one Ferrari in the world to put into your garage it would be:

Massini: The ex-Phil Hill and Richie Ginther Ferrari 375 MM Spider Vignale, the one they raced in the grueling Carrera Panamerica Mexico m1954. Pure sex on wheels. A very significant competition Ferrari and absolutely spectacular with a huge stabilizing  tailfin and air intakes on the rear fenders from a WWII aircraft. Chassis number 0286 AM, today in a major collection in Seattle/WA.

Did you ever imagine that your report would become the gold standard of the vintage Ferrari world? Today serious buyers will not buy the car without your report. Why is your report so important for buyers?

Massini: I did not plan this. However, I worked very hard and continue to do so. Research is key. It is important to know as much as possible about each car, with every little detail. After all, people invest huge amounts of money and they wanna know what they buy. It’s all about doing the homework or have it done by a specialist like me. Due diligence indeed.

What do you do when you are not occupied with Ferrari? Do you have time for hobbies? Or is your hobby Ferrari and the brand?

Massini: I do Ferrari 24/7 with very little time for hobbies. I like great watches such as Patek Philippe and others. But my day has only 24 hours and the night.


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