Broadcaster Chris Evans today paid £5.5 million for a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder - a new world record price for a car at auction.

The 42-year-old multi-millionaire, wearing a black velvet jacket and torn jeans and sipping beer from a bottle, splashed the cash at a Ferrari sale at Maranello, Italy.

Super sleek: The 1961 Ferrari California Spyder in action - Evans coolly sipped a bottle of beer as he made his winning bid

New motor: Chris Evans checks out his £5.5m Ferarri

The dark blue supercar used to belong to James Coburn, star of The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape, who died in 2002.

Bidding in the front row of the sale organised by RM Auctions sale and Sotheby's, Evans's successful bid topped more than £5 million sterling.

Chris Evans and his wife Natasha Shishmanian at the wedding of Chirs' ex wife Billy Piper and Lawrence Fox

Proud owner: actor James Coburn bought the car in 1964

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.

Other leading Hollywood actors including Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood also owned similar cars.

It's not the first time Evans has splashed the cash on fancy cars.

In 2000 he famously bought a Ferrari for his future wife Billie Piper, the day after they met - and filled it with roses.

The 18-year-old was said to be "ecstatic"- despite the fact she couldn't drive.

Following a long-term separation The couple divorced last year and Evans has since married golfer Natasha Shishmanian.