By . Steve Hopkins . An incredibly rare Ferrari racing car which won a string of famous races in the 1950s has been tipped to set a world record by selling for £10million. The Ferrari 375 Plus was among the quickest and most powerful racing cars of its time, notching up victories at Le Mans and Silverstone in 1954. Just four racing versions of the car were ever made, while one road model was custom built for the King of Belgium. The Ferrari 375 Plus was among the quickest and most powerful racing cars of its time, notching up victories at Le Mans and Silverstone in 1954 . The car's most famous victory was in the Carrera Pan-Americana road race through Mexico at the hands of Italian Umberto Maglioli who averaged 107mph . The supercharged red motor, which boasts a 4.9-litre 330bhp V12 engine and a top speed of 175mph, was entrusted to only the best and bravest drivers of the time. Its most famous victory was in the Carrera Pan-Americana road race through Mexico at the hands of Italian ace Umberto Maglioli. The Italian star drove the 2,000-mile course at an incredible average of 107mph and during one five hour period towards the end of the race he averaged 150mph - almost flat out. The 375 became so feared on the . racecourse that in France it earned the nickname Le Monstre - the . monster - while in Britain it was called the Fearsome Four-Nine. The Ferrari 375 Plus boasts a 4.9-lire 330bhp V12 engine and a top speed of 175mph, and right, fittingly, the speed machine has a fighter jet like cockpit . The car has a sordid post-racing history; first it was sold to a private collector then it was taken and sold to someone else without his knowledge . The Ferrari races to victory in the 1954 Le Mans race while being hotly pursued, and another car can be seen wedged over the banks of the track just behind it . But by 1958 it was obsolete and was bought by American car collector Karl Kleve for around £12,000 in today’s money. Mr . Kleve had planned to swap the car’s huge V12 but it was forgotten about . and fell into disrepair outside Mr Kleve’s home in Cincinatti, Ohio. The engine, its cover, the drum brakes, the boot lid and doors had been stripped from the motor and kept in a barn. The Ferrari team mechanics make last minute checks before the 1954 Le Mans race, while onlookers take pictures and watch the action unfold on the track . The car languished in a wooded area for almost 20 years - and was so unloved that a tree grew through its empty engine bay. Without Mr Kleve’s knowing, the car was removed from his land in 1989 and sold to a French buyer for about £30,000. Mr Kleve reported the car stolen and it was impounded in Belgium where it was destined for an exhibition. Authorities concluded the sale had been in good faith and in 1990 it was released and sold to Ferrari importer Jacques Swaters, a close friend of Enzo Ferrari. The car languished in a wooded area for almost 20 years - and was so unloved that a tree grew through its empty engine bay, before it was fully restored . Mr Swaters then set about restoring . the once-great motor to its former glory, reuniting it with original . parts which it had been separated from when taken from Cincinnati. It is now being sold with no reserve by Mr Swaters’ family following his death three years ago. The car is tipped to fetch £10million, which if realised would break the world record for a racing Ferrari at auction. Philip Kantor, motoring expert at auctioneers Bonhams, said: 'This is a very special car indeed. It is a works racing car which is rare in itself but on top of that only four racing models and one road version were ever built. This car is the first, and only four still remain. The winner of the auction, which will take place at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester, West Sussex, on June 27 will also get surviving original body panels . The Ferrari has an undisputed chassis number and the car's authenticity has never been questioned say auctioneers . 'It has participated in some of the world’s greatest racing events driven by some of the world’s best drivers. 'Very importantly it has an undisputed chassis number - there is no other car in the world like it and its identity has never been called into question. In the 1990s it was beautifully restored by Jacques Swaters, a close friend of Enzo Ferrari, and it has since taken part in Le Mans Classic twice. The auction will take place at Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester, West Sussex, on June 27.
Only four Ferrari 375 Plus racing cars were ever built, with one being custom made for the King of Belgium .
It boasts a .
4.9-litre 330bhp V12 engine and a top speed of 175mph and was entrusted to .
only the best drivers .
The car's most famous victory was in the Carrera Pan-Americana road race through Mexico .
It was known in France as Le Monstre - the .
monster - while in Britain it was called the Fearsome Four-Nine .
It was once left to ruin in a wooded area for almost 20 years and was so neglected a tree grew through its engine bay .
By . Steve Hopkins . An incredibly rare Ferrari racing car which won a string of famous races in the 1950s has been tipped to set a world record by selling for £10million. The Ferrari 375 Plus was among the quickest and most powerful racing cars of its time, notching up victories at Le Mans and Silverstone in 1954. Just four racing versions of the car were ever made, while one road model was custom built for the King of Belgium. The Ferrari 375 Plus was among the quickest and most powerful racing cars of its time, notching up victories at Le Mans and Silverstone in 1954 . The car's most famous victory was in the Carrera Pan-Americana road race through Mexico at the hands of Italian Umberto Maglioli who averaged 107mph . The supercharged red motor, which boasts a 4.9-litre 330bhp V12 engine and a top speed of 175mph, was entrusted to only the best and bravest drivers of the time. Its most famous victory was in the Carrera Pan-Americana road race through Mexico at the hands of Italian ace Umberto Maglioli. The Italian star drove the 2,000-mile course at an incredible average of 107mph and during one five hour period towards the end of the race he averaged 150mph - almost flat out. The 375 became so feared on the . racecourse that in France it earned the nickname Le Monstre - the . monster - while in Britain it was called the Fearsome Four-Nine. The Ferrari 375 Plus boasts a 4.9-lire 330bhp V12 engine and a top speed of 175mph, and right, fittingly, the speed machine has a fighter jet like cockpit . The car has a sordid post-racing history; first it was sold to a private collector then it was taken and sold to someone else without his knowledge . The Ferrari races to victory in the 1954 Le Mans race while being hotly pursued, and another car can be seen wedged over the banks of the track just behind it . But by 1958 it was obsolete and was bought by American car collector Karl Kleve for around £12,000 in today’s money. Mr . Kleve had planned to swap the car’s huge V12 but it was forgotten about . and fell into disrepair outside Mr Kleve’s home in Cincinatti, Ohio. The engine, its cover, the drum brakes, the boot lid and doors had been stripped from the motor and kept in a barn. The Ferrari team mechanics make last minute checks before the 1954 Le Mans race, while onlookers take pictures and watch the action unfold on the track . The car languished in a wooded area for almost 20 years - and was so unloved that a tree grew through its empty engine bay. Without Mr Kleve’s knowing, the car was removed from his land in 1989 and sold to a French buyer for about £30,000. Mr Kleve reported the car stolen and it was impounded in Belgium where it was destined for an exhibition. Authorities concluded the sale had been in good faith and in 1990 it was released and sold to Ferrari importer Jacques Swaters, a close friend of Enzo Ferrari. The car languished in a wooded area for almost 20 years - and was so unloved that a tree grew through its empty engine bay, before it was fully restored . Mr Swaters then set about restoring . the once-great motor to its former glory, reuniting it with original . parts which it had been separated from when taken from Cincinnati. It is now being sold with no reserve by Mr Swaters’ family following his death three years ago. The car is tipped to fetch £10million, which if realised would break the world record for a racing Ferrari at auction. Philip Kantor, motoring expert at auctioneers Bonhams, said: 'This is a very special car indeed. It is a works racing car which is rare in itself but on top of that only four racing models and one road version were ever built. This car is the first, and only four still remain. The winner of the auction, which will take place at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester, West Sussex, on June 27 will also get surviving original body panels . The Ferrari has an undisputed chassis number and the car's authenticity has never been questioned say auctioneers . 'It has participated in some of the world’s greatest racing events driven by some of the world’s best drivers. 'Very importantly it has an undisputed chassis number - there is no other car in the world like it and its identity has never been called into question. In the 1990s it was beautifully restored by Jacques Swaters, a close friend of Enzo Ferrari, and it has since taken part in Le Mans Classic twice. The auction will take place at Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester, West Sussex, on June 27.
versions of the car were ever made, while one road model was custom built for the King of Silverstone in 1954 . The car's most famous victory was in the Carrera Pan-Americana road entrusted to only the best and bravest drivers of Carrera Pan-Americana road race through Mexico at earned the nickname Le Monstre - the . monster - while in Britain it was called the Fearsome Four-Nine. The Ferrari 375 Plus boasts a 4.9-lire 330bhp V12 engine and a top speed of 175mph, and wooded area for almost 20 years - and was so that a tree grew through its empty engine bay,