Ferrari 275GT/4 NART Spider becomes the world's most expensive road car

A 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider smashed auction records over the weekend, to sell for $27,500,000 (£17,593,000) - making it the most expensive road car, and second most valuable car - to be sold at auction. The car topped RM Auctions' two-day sale at Monterey, underlining the Canadian company's position in the premier league of the world's top auction houses.

The NART Spider, was one of just 10 built, making it rarer than the most expensive car sold outside of the auction world - the Ferrari 250GTO race car, which changed hands privately for an alleged US$35m in 2012. That car was one of 38 made, and most commentators agree that the GTO is the most expensive type of car in the world.

The NART Spyder – named for the North American Racing Team – still went for nearly double the RM Auctions estimate of $14-17m, and millions more than its original asking price of about $15,000.The car was reportedly sold to Canadian fashion Lawrence Stroll – the business brains behind the Tommy Hilfiger brand.