A rare 1960s Ferrari is on sale for €16.5 million (18 photos)

At the end of April, RM Sotheby's will auction off a rare Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider in Monaco. This is the 26th example of only 56 built on the short-wheelbase platform. The model's rarity, its high status among collectors, and the excellent condition of this particular example explain the expected price of €16.5 million.





The car was assembled in September 1961 and delivered to a Ferrari importer in Düsseldorf, who presented the Spider at the Frankfurt Motor Show that same year. A month after the show, the 250 GT was handed over to its first owner, who stored the car in Rome. A few years later, the roadster was transported to the United States, where it remained in the same ownership for over three decades, from 1969 to 2000. After that, the California Spider returned to Europe, where it changed hands several more times.

Over the years, the car has been repainted and refinished numerous times, and has also undergone several restorations. The last major update of this rare car lasted from 2019 to 2022. Despite its appearance being altered compared to the factory model, this 250 GT California has a Ferrari Classiche Certificate of Originality. This certificate certifies the presence of original mechanical components, including the body, engine, and transmission. The car also includes a removable hardtop, finished in a silver shade.