Everyone loves an Italian sports car, but it takes a keen eye to know the really special ones. For its 15th year, a host of said smart collectors will make the trek to Florida to suss out some amazing finds surrounding the Concours d’Elegance at Amelia Island the first week of March.
This year is no different – and it’s shaping up to be an exciting week of finds. With this in mind, we sourced some unmissable highlights from Gooding Christie’s, who consistently brings their A game when it comes to sourcing Italian classics. You can scroll through their online catalogue here or register to bid if anything strikes a chord.
We’re not leaving all the good stuff until the end, so you have to pay special attention to these first two cars. The first is the 1968 Lamborghini Miura S (Estimate: $2,500,000 - $3,000,000). The ultimate classic Miura, this car boasts remarkably low mileage with just over 7,800 km when catalogued.
Miuras are most famous for their super stylish bodywork and a transversely mounted quadcam V-12. This particular example is no exception. But on top of the matching-numbers engine and body panels per factory records, it also has a crazy provenance – it was owned for 39 years by Giulio Vignale, the nephew of the famous coachbuilder of the same family name.
The second car you absolutely cannot miss is the 1963 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Series II Coupe Aerodinamico (Estimate: $2,500,000 - $3,000,000). This might be the most exotic and exclusive coachbuilt Ferrari of the early 1960s. It’s a long-wheelbase Series II with covered headlights, which is music to your ears if you’re a Ferrari-lover.
The stunning coachwork and 3,967 cc tipo 163 SOHC 60º V-12 engine made it special when it was first displayed by Luigi Chinetti Motors at the 1963 New York International Auto Show, and it remains outstanding today. It comes with its Marcel Massini report, build sheets, restoration records, and fitted luggage.
But of course, there are tons of other super special cars. The 1953 Siata 208 CS Coupe (Estimate: $1,500,000 - $2,000,000) is a truly unique example of the legendary 8V-powered 208 CS. It was actually displayed at the 1953 Paris Salon de l’Automobile and 1954 Geneva Motor Show. The all-alloy V-8 engine makes it ideal for touring just about anywhere, and it’s been restored to concours quality for that exact reason!
Another spectacular and rare Ferrari: the 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS (Estimate: $1,750,000 - $2,250,000). There were only 99 examples built of this open Pininfarina body – this particular one was originally delivered to Naples, Italy with a known provenance from new. It’s a true California garage find, and was retained by one owner for 55 years. It essentially has the Ferrari history you’d dream of. It’s never before been restored, exhibited or offered at public auction and has its matching-numbers engine. So we’d say it’s a pretty epic find.
Oh, and we can’t forget the 1955 Ferrari 250 Europa GT (Estimate: $1,750,000 - $2,250,000) from The Ken Roath Collection. With coachwork by Pinin Farina, this beautiful Ferrari was raced in period by Olivier Gendebien, Jacques Swaters, and Léon Dernier and has a well-documented provenance, with just three private owners since 1975. It underwent a complete restoration, after which it was certified by Ferrari Classiche. It’s a four-time participant in the 1000 Miglia and is an all-around thoroughbred.
If Ferraris aren’t your thing, you can still find all the Italian greats at Gooding Christie’s, such as the 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ (Estimate: $1,300,000 - $1,600,000), 1954 Fiat 8V Berlinetta (Estimate: $1,000,000 - $1,400,000), 1972 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS Spider (Estimate: $900,000 - $1,100,000), 1949 Cisitalia 202 SC Cabriolet (Estimate: $500,000 - $700,000) and 1984 Lamborghini Countach 5000S (Estimate: $575,000 - $650,000 | Without Reserve). All amazing touring cars, the 1949 Cisitalia 202 SC Gran Sport Cabriolet (Estimate: $500,000 - $700,000) was already pre-accepted for the 2026 1000 Miglia!
These gorgeous Italian cars are bound to get lots of attention at the Amelia Island Auctions on March 6th and 7th. In the meantime, you can learn more through the Gooding Christie's online catalogue, register to bid on your phone or computer, and get your driving gloves and sunglasses ready.
