In one year, the value of his Ferrari collection rose from $100 million to $200 million: he has to have a full-time Ferrari mechanic

We've already mentioned David Lee several times—the famous American collector whose Ferrari are arranged according to a logic that is, to say the least, original: the red ones make up the «ketchup» collection, the yellow ones the «mustard» collection, and the green ones the «vegetable» collection. But since our article published a year ago featuring a collection estimated to be worth $100 million, his garage has grown even larger. His car collection is now reportedly worth over 200 million dollars!

At this level, having Ferrari It’s no longer just a hobby. It’s almost like running a business. David Lee has just revealed a rather incredible detail: he employs a full-time Ferrari mechanic to take care of his cars.

A Ferrari garage… right at home

In another tour of his collection, David Lee opens the doors to a place that looks more like a Ferrari museum than a private garage. 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari Aperta, Daytona SP3… Generation after generation has contributed to this impressive collection. The collection is now estimated to be worth nearly 200 million dollars.

But contrary to what one might imagine, these cars aren’t just left lined up under covers. David Lee explains that he drives them, particularly to attend car shows. And naturally, regularly driving so many rare Ferraris requires special organization. As an F40 appears with its hood open, the collector explains that his garage is actually a fully functional auto repair shop.

«My Ferrari mechanic, whom I employ full-time, is constantly working on the cars in this garage,» he explains. Even more surprising: according to David Lee, 85 to 90 % of the repairs can be done right on site, without sending the cars elsewhere.

The collection is now worth more than $200 million

It must be said that the cars entrusted to this mechanic aren’t exactly ordinary. A similar 288 GTO recently sold for $8.25 million, while David Lee says he bought his for about $2.3 million. His F40 sits alongside an F50, an Enzo, a LaFerrari Aperta, and several extremely limited-production modern Ferraris.

But above all, the collector recently added the piece that took his garage to a whole new level: a Ferrari 250 GTO. As we had just revealed to you its identity following this acquisition. David Lee won the auction for the only 250 GTO to roll off the assembly line in white, previously owned by Jon Shirley, former president of Microsoft. It sold for $35 million, but cost him approximately $38.5 million including fees. It was after this purchase that the value of his car collection reportedly surpassed the symbolic $200 million mark.

Ferraris worth millions… but built to be driven

Perhaps the most surprising thing is David Lee’s philosophy. Despite the skyrocketing value of his cars, he insists he didn’t buy them solely as investments. For him, their financial appreciation is mostly a bonus: the main thing is being able to enjoy them. So even his new $38.5 million 250 GTO isn’t likely to sit idle. David Lee says he plans to drive it and show it off to the public.

With dozens of Ferraris to keep in perfect condition—some of which are now worth several million, or even tens of millions, of dollars—it’s easier to understand why having your own full-time Ferrari mechanic isn’t really a luxury anymore. It’s almost become a necessity.