Rare 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider headed to auction

International auction house Gooding & Company has unveiled a one-of-a-kind 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider as the star car of its upcoming, highly anticipated two-day Amelia Island Auctions in March.

The event will also feature several premier examples of the finest classic Ferrari models, including a 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta, a 250 MM Spider, a 275 GTB/4, and a 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider, among others.

This incredible line-up of Maranello’s finest Ferraris will cross the auction block on Thursday, March 2 and Friday, March 3 at Gooding & Company’s marquee at the Omni Amelia Island Resort. 

The Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, that's estimated to cost about $20m (R344m), featured striking coachwork by Carrozzeria Scaglietti, and aimed at young, well-heeled enthusiasts who wanted a stylish yet highly capable sports car equally at home on the road or on the track.

Built specifically for the American market, the California Spider featured a swept-back windscreen, minimal interior appointments, lightweight folding top, and competition-inspired bucket seats.

After earlier examples built on the long-wheelbase (LWB) chassis, Ferrari introduced its short-wheelbase (SWB) iteration in 1960 to complement the launch of the similarly short-wheelbase Berlinetta.

The resulting chassis was more sophisticated, with standard four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes, a more refined suspension, and new outside-plug tipo 168 engines. The Scaglietti body of the short-wheelbase was accommodated to incorporate a more aggressive and sporty appearance, with curvaceous front fenders, muscular rear haunches, and a more luxurious interior.

Between 1957 and 1963, Ferrari built just 106 examples of the 250 GT California Spiders: 50 of the early LWB version, and 56 of the final SWB variant. 

The 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider presented here is chassis no. 3099 GT. Boasting the preferred covered headlight treatment applied to just 37 examples, the rare example which was completed in February 1962 was finished in the one-off colour scheme of an aquamarine-hued Azzurro Metallizzato (MM 16240) exterior with Naturale Connolly Vaumol leather upholstery.

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Initially displayed as one of several new models on Luigi Chinetti’s stand at the New York International Auto Show in 1962, this example was then shipped to California, where it was used as a daily driver before eventually being acquired circa 1970 by car collector Rudi Klein.

In 1972, the California Spider was discovered and purchased by Charles Betz and Fred Peters, two Ferrari collectors based in Southern California. In the early 2000s, Betz and Peters restored 3099 GT to exacting concours standards, employing hot rod painter Stan Betz to carefully colour-match the exterior to its original splendour. 

The restoration was completed in 2004, and 3099 GT subsequently made its debut at the 40th Annual Ferrari Club of America National Concours at the Quail Lodge in Carmel.

Two years later, in 2006, it was displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the Cavallino Classic in Palm Beach, where it won a Platinum Award and the prestigious Judges Cup.

In 2008, this California Spider was granted Ferrari Classiche Red Book certification confirming that it still retains its original chassis, coachwork, engine, gearbox, rear axle, and ancillary components.

Since then, 3099 GT has taken centre stage in one of the most important Ferrari collections in North America, rarely displayed publicly and only to the greatest acclaim. In 2010, it received a First in Class award at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, and in 2020, it received the 250 GT SWB California Spider Cup at the Cavallino Classic.

Gooding & Company says it’s honoured to present this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire such a remarkable, covered-headlight SWB California Spider, which has belonged to only two Ferrari collections since 1972, presented here with Ferrari Classiche certification, documented history, and a striking, singular colour scheme.

The event will also feature several classic Ferrari models, including a 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta, a 250 MM Spider, a 275 GTB/4, and a 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider, among others. But none is as storied as the 250 GTO.

Ferrari 250 GTO

The Ferrari 250 GTO, of which only 36 units were built,  was produced by Ferrari from 1962 to 1964 for homologation into the FIA's Group 3 Grand Touring Car racing category.

“GTO” stands for Gran Turismo Omologato, Italian for “Grand Touring Homologated”. It was powered by a 3.0l V12 engine and the “250” denotes the displacement in cubic centimetres of each of its cylinders.

A 1963 250 GTO sold for a reputed $70m (R975m) in 2018 — a record price for a car in that year.