Do you happen to have €10 million laying around? We have some buying suggestions
There are almost 80 auction lots announced by Sotheby's during the Rétromobile week (February 8-12, 2017), and sixteen of them are Pranking Horses. This year Ferrari is celebrating 70 years of existence, so this is a great time for wealthy fans to show their love by investing massive amounts of money in a car bearing the famous badge.
The estimated prices range between €130,000 and €2,400,000, so you can safely say there’s something for every Ferrari-loving, checkered-shirt-wearing man. And because nothing says “important” more than the price tag, we shall use this criterion for our list.
1984 Testarossa Monospecchio (€130,000-€150,000)
The first in line is the iconic 1984 Testarossa Monospecchio, probably the most collectible version of this ‘80s Ferrari icon. The Monospecchio refers to the original, Italian trim — known by having only one door mirror, the left one.
2004 360 Challenge Stradale (€160,000-200,000)
The 360 Challenge Stradale was Ferrari’s first effort to deliver a street-legal, track day-ready car. For those not accustomed to this approach, here’s a brief description: you build a sports car, you put it on an aluminium-and-carbon-fiber diet to shed kilos, you take all the amenities from it (including carpets, if possible) and tune the engine up a bit. What we’ve realized here is that the CS-specced 360 still looks bonkers, even 13 years after its launch.
2000 550 Maranello WSR (€230,000-€250,000)
Considered to be one of the last great “analogue” Ferraris, the 550 Maranello was created to bring back the 365 GTB/4’s grand tourer spirit to the ‘90s. In 1999, it set the world record for the highest average speed for a production car on a 24-hour race. It covered 100 km at an average speed of 304 km/h, 100 miles at 306.3 km/h, and 296 km in one hour. Only 33 cars were sold in this WSR aerodynamic spec.
2005 575 Superamerica (€300,000-€350,000)
The 575 Superamerica is a sans-roof alternative to the 575M Maranello — it was also a limited-edition run, with only 559 units built. Its main feature is, of course, the Revochromico rotating hardtop: the frame was made entirely of carbon fiber and comprises electrochromic glass with adjustable opacity.
2008 F430 GTC (€300,000-€400,000)
About 50 units of the F430 GTC have been built and offered to preferred clients and privateers, and this particular one (chassis number 2616) had an impressive career in the GT2 series. Its most important trophy is the 2009 25 Hours of Spa race, where it crossed the finish line first.
2009 Ferrari 16M Scuderia Spider (€325,000-€400,000)
While the 430 might not be what you’d call a collectible (yet), the 16M Scuderia Spider is a modern-day collector’s item, as only 499 examples have been built. The 16M is an even more hardcore version of the track day-ready 430 Scuderia. The car offered here has only 674 kilometers on the odometer, and just one owner.
2001 550 Barchetta Pininfarina (€375,000-€425,000)
Although the “Pininfarina” name is omitted in some Ferrari model designations, it’s one of the reasons the 550 Barchetta was created — to celebrate the renowned design house’s 70th anniversary. The “Barchetta” label describes this car’s open-top, performance-seeking spirit. The featured rudimentary soft-top may not be the most practical one, but it clearly adds up to the 550 Barchetta’s charm.
1970 Dino 246 GT “L-Series” by Scaglietti (€375,000-€425,000)
Created with the primary purpose of confronting Porsche’s 911, the Dino was Ferrari’s entirely new take on sports car manufacturing. Firstly, it didn't feature a sophisticated, gas-guzzling V12, but a compact V6 engine. Secondly, the engine was mounted in the back, not in front of the driver, making the Dino the first mid-engine Ferrari ever built. The L-Series denotes the first iteration of the 246 and is one of the rarest and most desirable of the three batches (the other two are M and E).
1963 250 GTE 2+2 Series III by Pininfarina (€430,000-€480,000)
The early ‘60s came with financial challenges for Enzo Ferrari, so he wanted a car that was practical (and, of course, fast). Given the fact its racing rivals Aston Martin and Maserati were successful with the 2+2 coupés, Ferrari followed their lead. Built on the 250 GT LWB Tour de France platform, the 250 GTE checked all Enzo’s requirements: it was spacious enough to fit the chauffeur, himself, his wife, and the family dog.
1968 Dino 206 GT by Scaglietti (€475,000-€575,000)
If you’re after the first mid-engined Ferrari ever built, the aluminum-bodied 206 GT is the one to have. Although the more-powerful, 195 hp 246 GT was more popular (and sold better), the 206 GT was Ferrari’s first try in the mid-engine sports cars market. It's also rarer than the 246 GT, as only 154 206 GTs have been built.
2011 599 GTO (€525,000-€600,000)
In 2011, Ferrari stunned the world with what was then its most powerful creation: a 670 hp Gran Turismo Omologato. The 599 GTO is a direct derivative from the track-only 599XX program, and the results speak for themselves. On the track, it’s faster than the Enzo supercar (from which it sourced the V12 engine).
1969 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta by Pininfarina (€700,000-€750,000)
As a fun fact, the “Daytona” name is not the official designation — it’s a nickname given by the automotive car journalists at the time to commemorate Ferrari’s 1-2-3 finish at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona. None of those race cars was a 365 though. The GTB/4 featured a “Plexi” front fascia with headlights covered by plastic, a highly desirable spec among collectors.
1989 F40 (€950,000-€1,050,000)
There’s little to say about the F40 (that you don’t know already): it pioneered the use of carbon fiber, it delivered impressive handling at high speeds, and it went beyond the 200 mph mark. This example features air conditioning and wind-up windows. Plus, it’s the desirable “Non-Cat, Non-Adjust” version.
1962 250 GT Cabriolet Series II by Pininfarina (€980,000-€1,200,000)
While the 250 is most often associated with the $52 million Gran Turismo Omologato, there have been plenty of variations on that chassis. One of them is this true gentleman’s grand tourer — the 250 GT Cabriolet. Only 200 have been created, and this (chassis number 3083 GT) is the second-to-last to be built.
1965 275 GTB by Scaglietti (€1,800,000-€2,200,000)
At the sportier end of the 275 chassis, the GTB comprised the grand tourer spirit, but with a dash of pure Italian sportiness — unlike its comfort-prone GTS sibling. Two years after the 1964 debut at the Paris Motor Show, a long-nose version was also offered, a modification made to improve the aerodynamics at high speed. Collectors prefer the first interaction rather the improved version — it’s all about the purity of the car, we guess. Only 250 copies have been made.
1973 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti (€1,800,000-€2,400,000)
A year after the 365 GTB/4 debuted in coupé form, the cabriolet version broke cover. Unlike the “Plexi” Coupé shown above, the Spider features the updated fascia, with covered headlights. The sans-top version was also produced in a far smaller quantity — only 121 copies — until the model was discontinued. This particular car is a wonderful example of restoration craftsmanship — despite its pristine looks, it shows 20,314 miles on the odometer.