Bonhams: ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ Lamborghini
Image courtesy of Bonhams
Formula 1 Paddock Club and Bonhams Cars are set to present a high-profile auction of racing and sports cars on 25 November at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Among the items up for auction is the iconic white Lamborghini from director Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. The 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary vehicle comes directly from one of the filmmakers of the 2013 hit and is presented in ‘as-filmed’ condition–a preserved time-capsule of one of the film’s most iconic sequences.
An example of the film’s extravagant debauchery, the car was the perfect fit for Leonardo DiCaprio’s charismatic stockbroker bad boy Jordan Belfort. The character is based on the real-life Wall Street wolf Belfort, who climbed to wealth and power through unethical and fraudulent activities during the 1980s. Starring alongside DiCaprio for approximately 3 minutes and 11 seconds, the ‘Hero’ car was a critical prop used in all the close-up shots and is estimated at $1.5-2 million.
Finished in sleek bianco polo over bianco and complete with scissor doors, the car is one of just 658 25th Anniversary editions produced. In the film’s famous scene, DiCaprio’s Belfort is severely impaired by Quaaludes and desperately crawls toward the car, using his body to pry open the scissor door. He struggles to pull himself halfway inside and has a slurred conversation on the car’s phone with Margot Robbie, who played wife Naomi Lapaglia-Belfort.
Image courtesy of Bonhams
The Lamborghini was used in the actual stunt sequences, which included collisions with other vehicles, and crashing into various objects. Per Scorsese, the damage from the stunts wasn’t severe enough, so Scorsese had the crew inflict further damage to achieve a more wrecked appearance. A backup car was also rented during filming, but only appears on screen in two brief shots. The car up for sale has been meticulously preserved in the same condition it was last seen on screen, and for the first time ever, is being offered to the public–directly from one of the filmmakers, who has requested to remain anonymous.
The car comes complete with an original screen-used Jordan Belfort costume featured in the Lamborghini scenes, Scorsese’s director's chair, and a production used clapboard. Both the chair and clapboard are signed by Scorsese, DiCaprio, and Robbie. Also included are two crew hoodies, a blu-ray of the film, and letters of authenticity from key members of the filmmaking team. Including a letter that states, “The Lamborghini Countach with VIN ZA9CA05A6KLA12692 is the one and only Hero car used in The Wolf of Wall Street.”
Image courtesy of Bonhams
Image courtesy of Bonhams
To get a little more insight into this cinema time-capsule, Film Review spoke with Adrien Durban, the senior specialist at Bonhams Cars in Los Angeles. “This supercar represented the pinnacle of automotive technology and excellence for the late 80s and early 90s. The 25th Anniversary Edition, with only 658 units ever produced, was the latest-and-greatest by the Italian marque’s defining vehicle. With its unmatched power, stunning Bianco Polo exterior and Bianco interior, and iconic scissor doors, it epitomised extravagance. Scorsese chose a perfect car for Jordan Belfort,” said Durban.
View the live auction broadcast and to register to bid: https://www.cars.bonhams.com
Bonhams|Cars offers live, online, and private platforms for buying and selling collector cars. Bonhams|Cars hosts 17 live auctions annually, presenting unique opportunities at international events such as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Goodwood Motorsport Events in the UK, The Quail on the Monterey Peninsula in California, The Audrain Concours in Newport, Rhode Island, and The Zoute Concours d'Elégance in Belgium. With dedicated motoring departments in London, Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Brussels and beyond, Bonhams|Cars has a world-class team with expertise in all divisions, from vintage cars to racing motorsport and automobilia to motorcycles.
