Every car spotter dreams of that one moment, when something truly unreal rolls by and makes you question if you’re actually awake. That’s exactly what happened to spotter DaviLeon on the streets of London. After finishing up a shoot with a Porsche 930, he was about to pack it in when a sound pierced the air, the kind of noise that makes car people drop everything.
Turning around, he couldn’t believe his eyes: a Ferrari 250 GTO driving casually through the city, alongside with a Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta. Now, spotting a 250 GT SWB on public roads is special enough, but a 250 GTO? That’s another level. With only 36 examples ever built, these cars are more often seen behind velvet ropes in museums or at prestigious concours lawns than in everyday traffic.
And this wasn’t just any GTO. This one, finished in Blu Scuro, is chassis 3589GT, one of just eight built with right-hand drive. Even the license plate hints at its identity. Cars like this don’t just carry historical value, they carry astronomical price tags. In 2013, a 250 GTO sold for $51.7 million, and in 2018 another changed hands for a jaw-dropping $70 million.
The life story of 3589GT
This particular GTO has lived an extraordinary life. Delivered new in 1962 to Ecurie Endeavour and first owner Tommy Sopwith in Brighton, UK, just two years later it moved on to Tom O’Connor of the Rosebud Racing Team in Victoria, Texas.
By 1964, the car ended up at Victoria High School of all places, before passing to Joe E. Kortan in Ohio in 1970, where he rented it out for just $34 per day (yes, you read that right). In 1972, it was left parked on a trailer in a field for some time, before being rescued.
In 1986, Frank Gallogly of Englewood Cliffs, USA, took ownership, followed by a move to Switzerland in 1988 under Engelbert Stieger. Around 2020, UK dealer Tom Hartley Jr. acquired the car, had it completely restored, and in 2024 it took home class honors at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Racing Pedigree
Like many GTOs, 3589GT wasn’t just a showpiece, it was a true racer. Its history on track includes:
• 23.04.1962 - Sussex Trophy, Goodwood - Michael Parkes, #52, 2nd Overall, 1st in Class
• 12.05.1962 - Scalextric International Trophy, Silverstone - Michael Parkes, #31, 1st Overall
• 11.06.1962 - Mallory Park (2 heats) - Michael Parkes, #72, 1st Overall in both races
• 15.07.1962 - Scott Brown Memorial Trophy, Snetterton - Michael Parkes, #85, 2nd Overall, 1st in Class
• 06.08.1962 - Peco Trophy, Brands Hatch - Michael Parkes, #73, 1st Overall
• 18.08.1962 - RAC Tourist Trophy, Goodwood - Michael Parkes, #5, 3rd Overall
• 29.09.1962 - 3 Hours Snetterton - Michael Parkes, #41, 1st Overall
• 02.12.1962 - Nassau Tourist Trophy (5 laps) - Innes Ireland, #4, 2nd Overall
• 02.12.1962 - Nassau Tourist Trophy (25 laps) - Innes Ireland, #4, 3rd Overall
• 08.12.1962 - Nassau Texas Classic (5 laps) - Innes Ireland, #4, 3rd Overall
• 17.02.1963 - 3 Hours Daytona - Innes Ireland, #25, 3rd Overall
• 23.03.1963 - 12 Hours Sebring - Richie Ginther / Innes Ireland, #25, 6th Overall, 3rd in Class
Why this spot is unreal?
Think about it: a car once rented out for $34 a day, parked in a field, raced at Sebring, and restored to concours-winning condition, now spotted casually rumbling through the streets of London. The 250 GTO is often called the Holy Grail of collector cars, and seeing it alongside a 250 GT SWB Berlinetta only adds to the magic.
For most enthusiasts, catching a glimpse of one of these Ferraris in the wild is a once-in-a-lifetime event. But two together? That’s the stuff of dreams.
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