A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta has become the most expensive car ever sold at auction after it was bought for just short of £23million last week.

Bidders from around the world fought over the historic two-seat coupe at Bonhams’ Quail Lodge Auction in California. The car is one of just thirty nine GTOs made.

“It’s been a genuine privilege to represent this outstanding car and we are absolutely delighted with today’s results,” said Bonhams chairman Robert Brooks. “We’ve always maintained that we would exceed the current world record and that the car would bring between $30-$40-million and today the GTO did just that.”