The £5 million-plus ($A11.4 million) sale, including fees, was to UK radio and television host Chris Evans.
The 1961 250 GT California Spyder designed around the short wheelbase GT - one of only 54 such cars made - went under the hammer in Ferrari’s hometown of Maranello in Italy, but had been expected to sell for less than half the final bid.
The previous highest price ever paid for a car at auction prior to this was $A11.1 million for a Ferrari 250 GTO in 1990.
Evans's successful bid topped more than £5 million sterling, but a 10 per cent buyer's premium took his final bill to more than £5.5 million.
Coburn, who appeared in more than 100 films, bought the car second-hand in 1964, and was often spotted testing its abilities on the winding roads of the Hollywood Hills.
Evans, 42, who hosts BBC 2’s drive-time radio slot said he had long held a desire for such a car but had not yet driven one.
The popular announcer — who was reported in London’s Sunday Times to be worth around $A90 million – earlier this month splashed out on a flatscreen television for his elderly dog, to stop it getting bored after a back operation.
He also famously bought a Ferrari for then-teenage actress – and later, briefly, his wife — Billie Piper the day after they met in 2000.
