Unlike the Aston Martin DP215 - the last of its kind created during the era of the British marque's founder, David Brown - Holman & Moody's Ford GT40 sporting a gold livery embellished with characteristic bright pink does have a track record in endurance racing. After a retirement mid-race at the 1966 Rolex 24 at Daytona with a failed gearbox, the P/1016 chassis finished 12th at the 12 Hours of Sebring one month later thanks to A.J. Foyt (winner at the Le Mans the following year) and Ronnie Bucknum. The latter, along with Dick Hutcherson from NASCAR, reached the third step on the 24 Hours podium on 19 June 1966, rounding out the American marque's historic hat trick for the first of its four consecutive victories.

The car was relegated to Holman & Moody's workshops in Charlotte, North Carolina before passing from one owner to another after being mistaken for the P/1015 chassis, second at the 1966 24 Hours. The car was then restored and went on to take part in classic car events such as the Le Mans Classic, Pebble Beach and Goodwood.

The Aston Martin DP215, sold at auction during the Pebble Beach concours d'élégance, also participated in the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but its track record in endurance is limited to two retirements in as many races, first the 1963 24 Hours, then in Reims the next month. The results are not surprising given the fact the project was launched only two months before Le Mans. A broken gearbox forced Lucien Bianchi, future winner in 1968 with a Ford GT40, and three-time Le Mans winner Phil Hill to retire two hours after the start of the race.

Photos above (copyright ACO and Laurent Cartalade / ACO): The Aston Martin DP215 at the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans ; the Ford GT40 at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans ; the 1966 Ford GT40 at 2014 Le Mans Classic.

Sold in 1974, the Aston Martin DP215 was missing several original parts, including the engine finally reinstalled thanks to the tenacity of owners Neil and Nigel Corner. Their perseverance paid off during the auction: the car sold for more than 21 million dollars with fees, making the British car the most expensive in history. In comparison, the owner of the 1966 Ford GT40 had to settle for a relatively paltry 10 million dollars.

Besides being auctioned off by the same house, RM Sotheby's, the two cars have something else in common: John Wyer. The engineer left Aston Martin shortly after the development of the DP215 to help Ford win the 24 Hours. After the American manufacturer's official withdrawal from competition, John Wyer founded his own team, John Wyer Automotive, and fielded the two Ford winners at Le Mans in 1968 and 1969.

PHOTO (Copyright - Laurent Cartalade/ACO): The 1966 Ford GT40 at the 2014 Le Mans Classic.