A unique Ferrari F430 Spider – the only one of its kind to be finished in the shade of Marrone 1971 –was auctioned off through RM Sothebys at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance on Friday March 8
Supercar palettes tend to be as audacious as the vehicles they complete. To stand out from the crowd, bright reds, yellows and blues are typical choices for drivers who seem as bold as their automotive counterparts.The appearance of your car, much like your attire, can say much about you.
So what image could you possibly give off with a brown Ferrari F430 Spider? Taking inspiration from paintwork options of days gone by, this unique Ferrari went up for sale during the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance RM Sotheby's auction and pulled a bid of $224K.
Having previously graced the seductive curves of the Dino, Daytona and 365 GTC/4 Ferrari models, the shade of Marrone 1971 now enhances the details on this F430 Spider – a colour that comes from the luscious 1970s, when no colour was considered too plush – making this one-off Ferrari a far cry from the solemn dark greys, blacks and whites of modern cars.
Frequently regarded by Ferrari enthusiasts as the model that epitomises road-car perfection, the F430 coupe was launched in 2004. Boasting a heightened aerodynamic profile and increased structural rigidity over the 360 Modena, the F430’s aluminium body was crafted by Ferrari’s head of design – Frank Stephenson, with input from Pininfarina.
The Spider edition, with its two-stage folding roof, quickly followed in 2005 and generated a surprisingly equivalent level of downforce. For most enthusiasts, this is the variant to go for.
The F430 takes many of its styling cues from previous Ferrari models and the marque’s racing pedigree. Those oval front bumper openings are reminiscent of Ferrari’s 156 ‘sharknose’ Grand Prix racecar of 1961, while the prominent tail-lights hint reminds us of the Enzo and the side mirrors, complete with F430 embossed onto the surface, look to have been stolen directly from a Testarossa.
Perfectly complimenting the Spider’s sporting looks is stellar performance delivered by a 4.3 litre V8 that shares its block casting with contemporary Maserati engines. With a top speed of over 193mph and an ability to reach 62mph in 4.1 seconds, the F430 Spider can pretty much rival the legendary turbocharged F40.
Pre-sell estimates were that it would to sell between $200,000 - $250,000, and this particular example was manufactured in 2008. Specified to a luxurious finish, this Spider is devoid of Scuderia shields and comes with black-painted brake calipers. Meanwhile, the interior comes trimmed in beige leather with black Daytona-style inserts. Carbon-fibre highlights enhance the transmission tunnel and air vent/stereo surrounds.
With only one owner to date, who has barely ruffled the odometer at 3700 miles (6000 km), this unique F430 Spider comes with notably low mileage alongside an eye-catching colour straight from the sales brochures of über-retro Ferraris. Get a closer look here.
