A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider by Scaglietti is expected to fetch around R300m at an April 25 Monaco auction hosted by RM Sotheby’s.
The restored Ferrari, in Blu Scuro paint over a rosso leather interior and a silver hardtop, is the headline act in an auction where around half of the sale is dedicated to the prancing horse. The 250 GT series cars have fetched staggering prices in recent years due to their extreme rarity and racing pedigree, with examples fetching upwards of R800m.
The car going under the hammer this weekend is the 26th of 56 short-wheelbase examples built and was displayed at the 1961 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Based on the competition-oriented GT models, the SWB California Spider is regarded as one of the most beautiful and pedigreed Ferraris built, combining timeless design with race-winning performance.
The initial long-wheelbase version found racing success, taking a class win in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1959 and 5th overall in the 24 Hours of Le Mans a few months later. At the 1960 Geneva Salon, Ferrari introduced an updated version built on the company’s new short wheelbase, offering improved handling and styling, and powered by a “short-block” V12 engine.
Other high-value Ferraris offered in the auction include a 2018 FXX-K Evo (estimate R100m) and a 1989 F40 (estimate R77m).
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