The world-famous racing boat was constructed with assistance from Ferrari and the great Grand Prix drivers othe period and went on to establish a world water speed record of over 150mph.
ARNO XI boasts a continuous, well-documented history, including just three owners from new. It was the brainchild of Achille Castoldi, who, wanting to establish a world water speed record, set about developing the ultimate powerboat. During 1952 and 1953, Mr Castoldi, a friend of the famous Ferrari Grand Prix drivers Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi, succeeded in convincing Enzo Ferrari to provide knowledge and technical assistance to develop the boat.
The result was horsepower provided by a 12-cylinder, 4,500cc V12 Ferrari engine, the same as that installed in the Type 375 Grand Prix car that gave José Froilán González Ferrari’s first ever World Championship Grand Prix Victory at Silverstone in 1951. The only addition was twin superchargers that developed in excess of 502bhp at 6000rpm. On 15th October, 1953, ARNO XI achieved 150.19mph on Lake Iseo in northern Italy, establishing a world speed record for an 800kg boat. The record, incredibly, still stands today.
ARNO XI was then sold to Nando dell’Orto, who went on to race it with great success for more than 10 years, securing numerous wins. The boat went through various aerodynamic improvements during that time, including a modified nose and the addition of a fin, finishing its competitive racing career in 1960 with a European championship victory and numerous fastest laps, many of which still exist.
The current owner acquired the racing boat over 20 years ago, restoring it to concours condition. ARNO XI has been in the water many times since and is not only an impressive sight when seen in action but also sounds magnificent. Well-documented, its sale is accompanied by an extensive history file including numerous period photographs and hand-written notes from the great Ferrari engineer, Colombo during tests on Lake Iseo and during bench testing at Ferrari’s Maranello factory.
Estimated at €1m – €1.5m – www.rmauctions.com
