“IT IS so choice: if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.” So said Ferris Bueller of the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider driven during his titular Day Off in John Hughes’s 1986 teen movie classic.
From Matthew Broderick’s lips, to the hearts of an entire TV and movie-influenced generation: the ‘Ferris Ferrari’ was added to the fantasy garage shopping list of teens already primed to pine after prancing horse-badged vehicles by star cars like Magnum PI’s 308 GTS and Sonny Crockett’s white Testarossa in Miami Vice.
As Ferrari prices go, it’s still just about possible to afford a Testarossa or 308 GTS without the need to sell organs, but with its incredibly limited production numbers - just 50 long-wheelbase and 56 short-wheelbase cars were handmade by the legendary Sergio Scaglietti between 1957 and 1963 - the 250 GT California Spider in any form has long been a league of its own in terms of rarity, desirability and sky-rocketing values now well into seven-figure territory.
Further proof of that can be found on the Sotheby’s website where the esteemed auction house is now previewing the upcoming auction of one of the rarest Ferrari 250 GTs - the very first short-wheelbase 250 GT California Spider ever built, the car which the Italians took to the 1960 Geneva Motor Show to showcase the newly refined version of their already beautiful Pininfarina-designed drop-top V-12 roadster.
With an estimate set at between £12,500,000 and £14,000,000, chassis number 1795 GT has a decent shot of becoming the most expensive 250 GT California Spider ever when it crosses the block at Sotheby’s in (appropriately enough) Monterey, California on Saturday.
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Still wearing its original Grigio paint, 1795 GT was the very first of the 56 short-wheelbase California Spiders produced, and as such was fitted-out in ‘fully loaded’ form: sought-after period features included on this first build include a competition-spec Tipo 168 engine, covered headlights and a factory removable hardtop. In addition, the dashboard layout is believed to be unique.
Finished initially with a red leather interior, 1795 GT was displayed by Ferrari at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1960. Afterwards, it returned to Maranello to be fitted with a black interior before delivery to the first of its five owners, British racing driver John Gordon Bennett, who was living in Geneva at the time.
Records show that 1795 GT was driven in the Scuderia Hanseat International Sports Car Driving School at the Nürburgring in late September 1960.
In 1963, the car was purchased by New York State-based Bob Grossman, a prolific Ferrari racer and dealer, who then resold 1795 GT to Chandler Kibbee, a senior executive at Phillip Morris.
Kibbee held on to the Ferrari until 1978, when it was bought by Michael Alessandro of Pasadena, California who had his own special number plate made for 1795 GT, ‘1ST SWB’. It became a regular sight at west coast concours events for the next 25 years, including the concours d’elegance on Rodeo Drive, Concorso Italiano at Monterey and at various Ferrari Club of America meetings and enthusiast functions.
In 2008, 1795 GT was sold to its present owner, who occasionally exhibited it at events such as Retro Classic Stuttgart in 2009 and Techno Classica Essen in 2010.
However, this lucky git was brave enough to actually use the car as intended, driving it across Europe to events like Ferrari Racing Days at the Nürburgring in 2008 and the Le Mans Classic in 2014.
As Sotheby’s put it: “Superbly presented in its stunning original delivery colours and Ferrari Classiche Red Book-certified to confirm it retains its original engine, gearbox and drivetrain, it is without question among the most significant 250 GT SWB California Spiders - the very finest, most important and significant available.”
‘Choice’ indeed.
Commence drooling at rmsothebys.com
