You have to look far and wide to find a Ferrari GT better than this $3.5 million concours winner.
It may be easy to pick out your favorite Ferrari race or supercar, but what if you were asked to pick the Prancing Horse’s best Grand Tourer? You'd probably be led to the 1960s, when driving across Europe was a weekend past-time, and your search would likely with the 400 Superamerica, only 47 of which were made.
Don't worry about trying to find the best example of said car, as Crevier Classic Cars is selling a concours winner at a negotiable fee of $3,500,000 (£2.75m, €3m).
The 400 Superamerica was first revealed at the 1959 Turin Motor Show, and contains an uncluttered 4.0-litre Colombo Tipo 163 V12 engine, capable of 340bhp. Ferrari's grand tourers hadn't been top of the game until that point, either too track or luxury focused, and it wasn't till the 400 that Enzo Ferrari and his engineers achieved the perfect blend of high power and driveability.
This efffort was achieved primarily through the engine, a 250 GT powerplant bored out to fill an extra litre, and the introduction of Dunlop disc brakes on all four wheels. Greater stopping power and driveability enhanced enjoyment of ride as well as performance.
Chassis no. 5029 SA is the one headed to sale, and one of the later longer wheelbase models. It was built by Pininfarina in November 1963, with Aerodinamico coachwork, a Grigio Argento finish and a red leather interior.
It wasn't until February ‘64 that it attracted its first owner, Florence’s Autoservizi Maggiore S.r.l., which registered it in Italy. The company sold it a year later, and approaching the 1970s it was exported to the United States.
On arrival it was repainted a dark blue metallic color by new owner Benjamin Caskey. He was a big car enthusiast, and kept the Superamerica until his death in ‘87. His widow held onto it for a further decade, but it needed a new owner before it was roadworthy again.
In 1998 it was exported back to Europe, where a team of specialists spent several years restoring the car fully to its past glory. Carrozzeria Zanasi of Maranello handled the bodywork, Tappezzeria Luppi did the interior, and Ferrari Suisse SA was commissioned for the engine work.
Now back in its original color, the car was entered in the 2004 Coppa Milano Sanremo rally. It impressed, and was sold once again to America. Although used sparingly since, it's been appearing at concourses, and won a Platinum award at the Palm Beach Cavallino Classic in January ‘11.
The car retains a proper tool kit and jack and its original manual, as well as invoices from its service by Bob Smith Coachworks. It would take a detective to find a better kept 400 Superamerica than this one, so head over to Crevier to show your interest. No pressure to the new owner of this grand tourer classic, then.
