A private collection of some of the 'rarest and most desirable supercars in the world' is to be sold in an unprecedented auction after 430 cars were seized from an Italian businessman.

The hotly-anticipated 'Duemila Ruote' sale will see bidders battle it out for the collection - which includes 44 Ferraris and 72 Porsches - over a marathon three-day sale which lasts 25 hours.

All of the lots are being sold without reserve - with the most valuable cars including a £2.4million Ferrari 275 GTB/6C and a £1.1million Maserati MC12.

Other luxurious vehicles which feature in the sale include a £700,000 Porsche Carrera and a £550,000 Ferrari 365 GTC.

The impressive collection is made up of 44 Ferraris, 72 Porsches (seven are pictured here) and 62 Jaguars including 21 E-Types

All of the lots are being sold without reserve and the most valuable cars in the collection include a red £2.4million Ferrari 275 GTB/6C (pictured) 

A £1.1million Maserati MC12 (pictured) is also up for grabs after the vehicles were seized from an Italian businessman

There are also hundreds of potential bargains - with a Ford Sierra Cosworths valued as low as £8,000.

The cars were seized from a businessman by the Italian government and RM Sotheby's, which is hosting the auction, has likened the collection to an 'automotive Aladdin's Cave'.

Staff at the high-end auction house had a titanic task preparing for the sale, filling 11 warehouses full of cars, motorcycles, boats, bicycles and automobilia.

A team of nine from four countries spent three weeks photographing and cataloguing the items which are being sold later this week.

The collection is made up of 55 marques spanning 85 years. There are 44 Ferraris, 72 Porsches including 57 911s and 62 Jaguars including 21 E-Types.

There are also 34 Alfa Romeos, 29 Lancias, 23 Maseratis, 18 Fords and 17 Mercedes.

In total, the collection is made up of 423 cars, 155 motorcycles, 55 boats and 184 bicycles and automobilia items.

Duemila Ruote (2,000 Wheels) is expected to run for 25 hours with bidders registering from 45 countries around the world.

Staff at the high-end auction house had a titanic task preparing for the sale, filling 11 warehouses full of cars, motorcycles, boats, bicycles and automobilia

The hotly-anticipated 'Duemila Ruote' sale will see bidders battle it out for the 430 cars over a marathon three-day sale which lasts 25 hours

Augustin Sabatié-Garat, car specialist at RM Sotheby's, said: 'We're delighted to have been selected to bring this incredible collection to market.

'The diversity of the lots is especially exciting, from entry-level sports cars to the rarest and most desirable supercars in the world.

'These are cars that buyers today want and are actively hunting for.

'The fact that so many of them are being exposed to the world again after many years in hiding sets the stage for one of the coolest and most exciting auction events of not only 2016, but in RM's history.'

The sale also includes run-of-the-mill motors such as a Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet and Volvo XC90.

There will be a diverse mix of BMW, Triumph and Ducati motorbikes and a selection of bobsleds.

The sale will be held at Fiera Milano, a huge exhibition centre in Milan, Italy.

Sabatié-Garat added: 'The sheer size of the collection means that enthusiasts will be spoilt with variety.

'If you're in the market for a Porsche 911, you're in luck, with some 60 different examples offered without reserve.

'If a Jaguar E-Type needs to land in your garage, the sale will feature a selection of 21 different examples.

'The list goes on and encompasses a tremendously diverse range of categories. it's like an automotive Aladdin's Cave.'