Few colour schemes are more evocative than the famous ‘1•2•3’ red-white livery with the slogan no hay dos signwritten above the radiator grille which can be – fittingly – translated as ‘nothing better’.

The car you see here is the latest in a stellar line-up of entries ‘by invitation only’ to RM’s forthcoming, May 21 auction at Villa d’Este. Powered by a 2953cc, single overhead cam V12, chassis 0352 MM was ordered new by well-known Mexican racer Efrain Ruiz Echeverria who, having seen works driver Bracco do so well in a 250 MM prototype in the 1952 Carrera Panamericana, decided that he would replace his trusty 212 Inter Berlinetta with the latest 250 MM for his entry in 1953.

The race was a triumph for Lancia and the final order was: Fangio, Taruffi and Castellotti driving Lancias, then Ferrari-mounted Mancini, Rosier in a Talbot, Maglioli in another Ferrari and Echeverria behind the wheel of this car, in this iconic livery.

After Echeverria’s ownership, the car passed through various collectors’ hands (including an ‘E.R. Stetson’ – could this be the heir to once the world’s largest hat manufacturer?), generally staying in North, or Central America.

In recent years, it has been restored to ‘Pebble Beach standards’ by Tillack & Company and was shown on the famous 18th fairway in 2002. Clearly superbly presented, it’s no garage queen – RM challenges anyone to find a “better way to slingshot down the corkscrew at Laguna Seca or fire off the starting block in Brescia”.

You can see all the entries to the RM Auctions Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este sale in the Classic Driver car database. Or, for further information, visit RM AUCTIONS.
-Steve Wakefield