Santa Monica, Calif., 14th July, 2022 |
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1950 Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans Estimate: $5,500,000 – $6,500,000 |
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1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Series I Coupé Aerodinamico Estimate: $4,000,000 – $5,000,000 |
Ferrari’s “America” series of custom-bodied, large-displacement grand touring cars were built for the most
elite clientele, including international royals, Italian industrialists, and American sportsmen, among others.
Included in this group of customers was Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata, the Italian nobleman who founded
Scuderia Serenissima, one of the top privateer racing teams of the early 1960s. As one of the most
important figures in the history of postwar Italian motorsport, Count Volpi was one of the first customers to
place an order for a 400 Superamerica, Ferrari’s latest and most expensive gran turismo, a new model only
recently introduced to the public. Volpi’s 400 Superamerica presented here, chassis 2809SA, was one of
the first examples to wear the new Coupé Aerodinamico body style, which was inspired by Pininfarina’s
sensational Superfast II show car. In total, Pininfarina built just 14 examples on the original short-wheelbase
chassis, and of these, seven were completed with the desirable covered headlamp treatment, including the
car offered here. The body of 2809 SA is especially noteworthy, as it was the sole example built from
lightweight aluminum rather than the default steel. |
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1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series I Spider Estimate: $2,500,000 – $3,000,000 |
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1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Gran Sport Estimate: $2,700,000 – $3,200,000 |
The rare and desirable Alfa Romeo six-cylinder (6C) Super Sport and Gran Sport 1750 models were among
the greatest high-performance automobiles of their day, possessing excellent roadholding qualities and
reliable power. According to marque expert Cristián Bertschi’s report on file, this extraordinary 1931 Alfa
Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Gran Sport, chassis 10814311, is one of the finest and most well-documented 6C
1750s in existence. Completed in March 1931, this example, sporting coachwork by Zagato, was sold new
to privateer racer Sergio Rusca of Milan, who kickstarted the car’s illustrious racing career. This 6C 1750
was an entrant in the 1931 and 1932 Mille Miglia, placing 13th overall at the 1931 event. In more recent
years, this example participated in the Colorado Grand and Mille Miglia Storica, and was a three-time
winner of the 1000 Millas Sport in Patagonia in 2005, 2008, and 2015, respectively. With an expert
restoration conducted by the Alfa Romeo 6C specialists at Phil Reilly & Company under its belt, this
impressive and well maintained collectible is certainly in the very upper echelon of surviving 6C 1750
examples. |
1950 Gilco-Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Supergioiello Coupe Estimate: $1,400,000 – $1,800,000 |
1961 Maserati 5000 GT Indianapolis Coupe Estimate: $1,300,000 – $1,600,000 |
Pebble Beach Auctions |
1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America Estimate: $1,400,000 – $1,800,000 |
Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions will also present a pair of Pininfarina-bodied specials offered
from a private collection. Designed by the notable Tom Tjaarda, the 1964 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Coupe
Speciale (Estimate: In Excess of $1,000,000) and the 1960 Chevrolet Corvair Coupe Speciale
(Estimate: $300,000 – $500,000) are treasures of the highest order, epitomizing the height of 1960s
automotive innovation and collaboration. The spectacular, one-off Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Coupe Speciale
gained notoriety as the show car on the Pininfarina stand at the Paris and Torino Motor Shows, and
subsequently was housed in a total of just four private collections. Today presented in its original color of
German Racing Silver following a concours-level restoration by Hjeltness Restoration, this cherished vehicle
comes to public auction for the very first time this August. The Chevrolet Corvair Coupe Speciale also
represents a one-off design concept by Pinin Farina, this time for Chevrolet, highlighting a fascinating chapter
in General Motors history. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1963, this Pinin Farina-bodied Corvair Coupe
Speciale was a pivotal design, influencing a generation of automotive stylists at the major American
manufacturer. |
Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions will also present a pair of Pininfarina-bodied specials offered
from a private collection. Designed by the notable Tom Tjaarda, the 1964 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Coupe
Speciale (Estimate: In Excess of $1,000,000) and the 1960 Chevrolet Corvair Coupe Speciale
(Estimate: $300,000 – $500,000) are treasures of the highest order, epitomizing the height of 1960s
automotive innovation and collaboration. The spectacular, one-off Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Coupe Speciale
gained notoriety as the show car on the Pininfarina stand at the Paris and Torino Motor Shows, and
subsequently was housed in a total of just four private collections. Today presented in its original color of
German Racing Silver following a concours-level restoration by Hjeltness Restoration, this cherished vehicle
comes to public auction for the very first time this August. The Chevrolet Corvair Coupe Speciale also
represents a one-off design concept by Pinin Farina, this time for Chevrolet, highlighting a fascinating chapter
in General Motors history. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1963, this Pinin Farina-bodied Corvair Coupe
Speciale was a pivotal design, influencing a generation of automotive stylists at the major American
manufacturer. |