Some cars are destined to be show queens and others spend their lives at races. This rare SuperAmerica has seen it all. Auction house RM Sotheby’s sold a rare 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica for $7.645 million over the weekend at the May 2 “The Andrews Collection” auction.
In addition to this astounding final sale price, 15 other lots broke the $1 million mark, while the one-off “Tron” inspired motorcycle we reported on March 23 sold for $77,000, nearly double its estimated amount of $22,000-$40,000.
As RM Sotheby’s media site describes, the 1962 Ferrari was built as the premier show car for Geneva and New York. Pininfarina crafted this short wheelbase cabriolet with every option available. Most Superamericas were long wheelbase, which are better suited to the wider roads of the US. This car was rare and among the most expensive cars of its day, so what better way to preserve it than to go racing. Instead of hitting a historic track with a few other gentlemen at a Ferrari Challenge, the owner decided to push every inch of this car to its limit at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
(See Also: Top 10 Sales at Mecum Auctions Houston 2015)
Any car raced on the salt is prone to rust from every surface due to the pervasive nature of the racing surface. To see it in such stunning condition now, one can only imagine the painstaking level of disassembly and restoration needed after the race. Restored by Patrick Ottis in 2005, chassis 3309 is a V12 masterpiece that has earned a lavish retirement.
Be sure to check out the gallery of this $7 million Ferrari below, as well as the top 10 sales from the entirety of the Andrews Collection auction.
Top 10 Final Bids
1938 Packard Eight Cabriolet by Graber
$1,760,000
1959 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
$1,842,500
1930 Cadillac V-16 Convertible Sedan by Murphy
$1,925,000
1962 Shelby 289 Competition Cobra
$1,980,000
1934 Packard Twelve Sport Coupe by LeBaron
$2,200,000
1963 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupe Aerodinamico by Pininfarina
$2,860,000
1931 Duesenberg Model J ‘Disappearing Top’ Convertible Coupe by Murphy
$3,520,000
1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Town Car by Bohman & Schwartz
$3,630,000
1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Stationary Coupe by Dietrich
$4,180,000
1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet by Pininfarina (Gallery)
$7,645,000
(Source: RM Sotheby’s via GTSpirit)
