Words by Ben Barry
The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award is the pinnacle of the concours world, inviting only nine of the past year’s most celebrated show winners to compete for a title that cements a car’s place in automotive history.
Held at the opulent Peninsula Paris, this year’s honour went to an immaculately restored 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, lovingly brought back to life by Ferrari Classiche and owned by renowned collector Chris Cox.
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Just being selected is considered a mark of excellence, but taking home the trophy is the highest accolade a classic car can receive. “I am truly humbled to receive this distinguished award,” said Cox. “It brings me tremendous joy to show a vehicle with such a rich history at the world’s biggest concours.”
The 250 LM first appeared at the 1963 Paris Motor Show, built on the DNA of Ferrari’s 250 P prototype but reimagined as a closed coupe by Pininfarina and hand-built by Scaglietti.
It would go on to prove itself as one of Ferrari’s most capable machines with a dramatic overall win at the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans—a feat few road-legal racecars can claim.
This year’s winner, chassis number 6053, is the 13th of only 32 examples ever produced. Delivered new to the UK’s Maranello Concessionaires in October 1964, it quickly racked up victories at Brands Hatch, Snetterton, and Silverstone, and it competed at major endurance events like Daytona in 1966 and Le Mans in 1968.
Cox acquired the car in 2018 and commissioned a full restoration in 2021 at Ferrari Classiche, returning it to its original Rosso Cina exterior and Bleu Cloth interior, complete with the same 3.3-litre V12 and transaxle it raced with in period.
In 2024, it claimed Best in Show at the prestigious Cavallino Classic, securing its spot among the elite contenders for the Peninsula Classics award. A judging panel that included Jean Todt, Jay Leno, and Ralph Lauren ultimately named the 250 LM as the year’s most exceptional classic.
“This isn’t just a beautiful car—it’s a piece of motorsport history,” said Christian Philippsen, one of the award’s co-founders. “The 1964 Ferrari 250 LM represents innovation, competition pedigree, and a rare level of authenticity. It’s an honour to recognise a vehicle of this calibre as Best of the Best.”
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