The very first 250 GT SWB California Spider will join a 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet and a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider as RM Sotheby’s announces early highlights for its Monterey, California auction this August.
RM Sotheby’s is thrilled to announce early highlights for this year’s highly anticipated Monterey Car Week auction. Headlining the offerings is the very first Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider ever produced and the 1960 Geneva Motor Show car. Joining this remarkable car are two other legendary Ferraris: a 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet and a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider.
The First California Spider: 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, chassis 1795 GT
Not very often do you come across a car that checks all the boxes of what makes an automobile exceptionally collectible like this California Spider does. As an icon amongst icons, it holds a unique place in Ferrari history as the very first 250 GT SWB California Spider ever built and holds remarkable provenance as Ferrari’s factory show car at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show.
Its current owner has cherished and maintained it for the past 16 years and developed a close friendship with Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher and through this friendship, his passion for driving and Ferrari as a brand deepened. Not only for contemporary models but also for the best examples of classic Ferraris. This very enthusiasm naturally led him to one of Maranello’s finest outputs, the California Spider—the ultimate form of open-top driving from Ferrari’s golden era.
The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider by Scaglietti stands as one of the most important and finest examples of its kind in existence. Equipped with a competition-spec engine, competition-style covered headlights, and a factory removable hardtop, enhancing both its aesthetic and performance attributes, the chassis 1795 GT is presented in its striking original delivery colors and has been meticulously preserved to maintain its timeless appeal. Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified, the car is confirmed to retain its original ‘numbers matching’ engine, gearbox, rear axle, and bodywork, underscoring its authenticity and historical integrity. With only five owners from new and three long-term custodians over the past 60 years, its provenance places this example among the very best of all California Spiders (Estimate $16,000,000 – $18,000,000 USD).
