SANTA MONICA, Calif. (January 6, 2014) – Gooding & Company, the auction house acclaimed for selling the world’s most significant and valuable collector cars, is excited to announce the addition of several rare-to-market coachbuilt Ferraris to its annual Scottsdale Auctions on January 17 and 18, 2014. The offering features some of the greatest sports cars ever made including a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet (estimate: $4,000,000-5,000,000), a one-of-a-kind 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Specialé (estimate: $2,400,000-3,000,000), a 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe (estimate: $2,250,000-2,750,000) and a 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe (estimate: $1,700,000-2,200,000).
David Gooding, President and Founder: “These spectacular Ferraris are some of the most beautiful cars created by the marque. As the demand for unique 1950s and 1960s Ferraris increases, we are excited to present these cars at public auction.”
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet Leading the coachbuilt offerings is a stunning dark blue 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet (estimate: $4,000,000-5,000,000). An undisputed Pinin Farina masterpiece, this car is 14th of only 40 Series 1 Cabriolets built. It is a prime example of what many would consider one of the greatest sports cars of the 1950s – an open 250 GT with an unbroken provenance, desirable factory upgrades, and a stunning presentation that is sure to impress the most discerning eye. Since leaving the factory in spring 1958, this exceptional Series 1 Cabriolet has benefitted from the care of just four knowledgeable owners, including famed racing drivers John “Buck” Fulp and Robert Donner Jr. To many Ferrari connoisseurs, the Series 1 Cabriolets, such as this example, are some of the most beautiful Ferraris ever made. Many would argue that these early Series 1 Cabriolets, which are distinguished by their bumperettes and driving lights mounted ahead of the eggcrate grille, are the most attractive of all. This car has been a consistent Colorado Grand entrant for more than two decades and is an ideal candidate for leading international events.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Specialé The fascinating history of this one-of-a-kind 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Specialé (estimate: $2,400,000-3,000,000) begins in June 1961, when Ferrari sent this car to the Pinin Farina factory in Torino. Consistent with its mid-1961 build date, this chassis was equipped with all of the latest advances introduced for the 250 GT series, including four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes, an outside-plug Tipo 128E engine, and a central gearshift location. When the bare chassis arrived at Pinin Farina, the decision was made to create a unique Coupe Specialé that combined the basic elements of the 250 GT Coupe and the recently introduced 400 Superamerica Coupe Aerodinamica. As completed in September 1961, this 250GT was beautifully finished in Celeste, a lovely pale metallic blue, and upholstered in blue Connolly leather. Eager to promote their latest custom-bodied 250 GT, Pinin Farina took a number of photographs with the Coupe Specialé around Torino, which appeared in Style Auto: Architettura Della Carrozzeria, the influential Italian review of automotive design. From there, the Coupe Specialé was shipped to England and unveiled to the public at the 46th London Motor Show held at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre October 1961. The Coupe Specialé boasts an impressive provenance that includes famed sportsman John Mecom Jr. and two decades with one of the great collectors of custom-bodied Ferraris, Larenzo Zambrano. This car made its post-restoration debut at the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, where it was selected as First in Class from an impressive field of Pinin Farina-bodied Ferraris. Following its outstanding result at Pebble Beach, the Coupe Specialé was shown at the Ferrari Club of America National Meeting and Concours in Los Angeles, where it received a prestigious Platinum Award.
1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe Rare to auction, this 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe (estimate: $2,250,000-2,750,000) is among the most powerful, expensive, and prestigious Ferraris of the 1950s. It is truly a car of kings. Constructed with coachwork by Pinin Farina in late 1955, this car was the fourth of only 16 Series I 410 Superamericas built on the 2,800 mm wheelbase. Possibly the first 410 in the US, this car was included in the Chinetti Motors display at the New York International Auto Show in 1956 and boasts a rich, well-documented provenance with limited and noteworthy ownership that includes DuPont heir William Kemble Carpenter and is offered from the McBride Estate. Refinished in stunning dark red, this Superamerica was displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® in 1984 and was a participant on the Colorado Grand in 1997 and 2007. Ferrari Superamericas are fixtures in some of the world’s most important collections and rarely trade hands.
1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe Also in the Ferrari coach built lineup for Scottsdale is a 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe (estimate: $1,7000,000 -2,200,000). Upon its completion in 1952, this 212 Inter chassis, was shipped to Carrozzeria Vignale in Torino. Dubbed the “Geneva Coupe,” the basic design shared many similarities with the Vignale-bodied 340 Mexico Berlinettas, with their forward-thrusting front fenders, imposing eggcrate grille, low-set headlamps, swept-back roofline, and small, ornamental tail fins. Many Vignale-bodied Ferraris were painted in dramatic two-tone color schemes and this 212 is certainly no exception, as it was tastefully finished in black with a green top and matching accented fins on the hood and rear fenders. Following its public debut in the prestigious 1954 San Remo Concours d’Elegance, Sig. Fontanella, Ferrari’s official agent in Torino, returned this car to the Ferrari factory, where it was prepared for delivery to an important American customer, Robert C. Wilke of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A well-known car enthusiast, Wilke established one of the most successful dynasties in the history of American open-wheel racing and built an impressive collection of one-off Ferraris. Since restoration, the Vignale-bodied 212 achieved a near-perfect 99-point score and received the prestigious Ferrari Club of America Platinum Award at Cavallino Classic and was invited to take part in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, where it completed the Tour d’Elegance®. In addition to a wealth of research documentation, archival photos, correspondence, judging sheets, and restoration records, this 212 is accompanied by a history report compiled by Marcel Massini, the noted marque historian and author of Ferrari by Vignale.
Additional Ferrari highlights from the Scottsdale Auctions include a 1966 275 GTB Long Nose (estimate: $1,800,000-2,000,000), a 1966 330 GTC (estimate: $550,000-700,000), a 1971 365 GTB/4 Daytona (estimate: $500,000-600,000) and a 1973 Dino 246 GT (estimate: $425,000-475,000).
Still have questions? Contact us!
Fill the form to get in touch with our specialists.
