In its traditional end of year auction usually dedicated to Ferrari models, Bonhams is featuring a truly outstanding group of ex-Le Mans entries from the 1960s, as well as various Maserati GTs of yesteryear.

Star attractions will be racing cars that formed part of the splendid Rosso-Bianco Museum in Germany, a collection assembled through many years by noted Maserati enthusiast Peter Kaus, and now being sadly dismantled.

The earliest of the Maserati racing cars featured is a mid-engined Tipo 63 Birdcage that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1961, and the youngest a Tipo 65, of which only this single exemplar was ever constructed to take part in the famous French endurance race in 1965. Both are expected to approach the $1Million mark.

A 1962 Tipo 151 coupé - this time a front-engined car - is set to reach even higher. A faithful reconstruction of the later 151/3 version of the same model will also be offered for sale, the original having been destroyed in a fatal crash in 1965 after setting a record speed of 307 km/h on the Hunaudières straight. The history of these two cars is detailed under the "Cars>R&D>Track and Road" section, in an article entitled "Maserati competition coupés".