Four rare, valuable and significant cars from the celebrated Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina have been confirmed as heading to auction at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach sale, taking place in California on August 16 and 17 as part of the Concours d’Elegance. And all of them capture the beauty and influence synonymous with Pininfarina.
The line-up is led by a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet, estimated to sell for $7,000,000 to $8,000,000. It is one of only 40 Series I Cabs built, which was one of the most exclusive and expensive Ferrari road cars of its era. And this one, chassis 0789 GT, as well as being one of just four with its desirable coachwork combination, has the significant previous of being finished for the eccentric aristocrat, playboy, and actor, Prince Alessandro “Dado” Ruspoli of Rome, who was often seen driving his exotic sports cars with iconic figures such as Salvador Dalí, Brigitte Bardot, Truman Capote, and Pablo Picasso. Like all Series I Cabriolets, this chassis was hand-built by Pinin Farina’s custom workshop. And more recently the car, having been restored, took several Concours d’Elegance prizes in the 1990s, including at Pebble Beach. It’s never been offered before at auction.
The Ferrari is joined by a one-of-a-kind 1953 Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM Superflow IV show car, which is estimated to bring in $6,000,000 to $8,000,000. The 6C 3000 CM was one of the most technically-advanced racing cars of its era and this chassis 00128 is one of only approximately six competition cars built before the company suspended its factory-backed racing activities in the mid-1950s. Upon completion of the 1954 racing season this car was given to Carrozzeria Pinin Farina, who used it to build a series of experimental show cars. The Superflow series was a hugely influential design study, which previewed cues that would later appear on many Pininfarina-bodied production cars such as the Alfa Romeo Duetto. Like the Series I Cabriolet, this Alfa Romeo was more recently meticulously restored before winning a series of Concours d’Elegance prizes, again including at Pebble Beach, in its case within the last decade.
Also going under the hammer at Pebble Beach is a close-to-original 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Series I Coupe Aerodinamico, estimated at $2,800,000 to $3,400,000. The limited-production 400 Superamerica series is widely regarded as the ultimate coachbuilt Ferrari of the early 1960s and this very car was one of the last short-wheelbase Coupes, whose aerodynamic design was inspired by the famous Superfast II show car.
The Pininfarina quartet heading to auction is completed by one of only six Ferrari Sergios produced by the Prancing Horse to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Sergio Pininfarina’s first collaboration with the marque. It’s one of the Ferrari’s most dynamic and exclusive cars and its design and build focused entirely on performance, with its V8 engine achieving 0-60 in just three seconds. This 2014 Ferrari Sergio is estimated to fetch $2,500,000 to $3,000,000.
“Pininfarina is recognized as one of the world’s premiere coachbuilders,” said Gooding & Company president and founder, David Gooding. “Their designs have been hailed as groundbreaking, incredibly influential, and always stunningly beautiful. We are proud to be offering some of Pininfarina’s most famous work when the celebrated firm from Torino was at the pinnacle of its power.”
Images courtesy of Gooding & Company, photos by Mathieu Heurtault, Brian Henniker and Josh Hway
