Tag Archives: swb

Duesenberg J-475

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1931 Duesenberg Model J SWB Sport Convertible Sedan by Derham

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Pacific Grove, California | August 23, 2018

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

I’ve said many times before that the Model J is one of the best cars ever built. Want proof? Look at auction catalogs surrounding big auction weekends (like Monterey/Pebble Beach) and what is the one, classic American car that every auction house has? A Model J. They don’t all have Pierce-Arrows, they don’t all have Cadillac V-16s. But they all have a Model J. Or two. This year Worldwide Auctioneers has two. Gooding & Company has two. Mecum has two. They all come out of the woodwork this time of year.

This Model J has engine number 475 and that engine is a 6.9-liter straight-eight developing a mighty 265 horsepower. It’s a four-door Convertible Sedan but it’s also on the “short” Model J wheelbase (still a massive 11, almost 12, feet). Derham built five examples of their Sport Convertible Sedan, and this is one of three that remain.

This car has known ownership history from new and the current owner acquired J-475 in 1974 as what was essentially a project car. It was restored during the mid-1980s and has been on museum duty for the last two years. It’s been serviced and freshened since and can now be yours. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,320,000.

SWB California Spider

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1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 19, 2017

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The California Spider is one of the most sought-after road-going Ferraris. Prices have stair-stepped up in recent years from $4 million to $11 million and on up to the $15-$17 million range. The 250 series has a long and varied model history, but the GT cars started in 1954 and the long-wheelbase California Spider was built between 1957 and 1959.

The short-wheelbase version debuted in 1960 and was built through 1961. It is powered by a 3.0-liter SOHC V-12 making 280 horsepower. In addition to a shorter wheelbase, the cars also sported revised suspensions, brakes, and engine internals. Visually, the SWB cars did not depart much from the LWB version, but they are a little more aggressive-looking. The car you see here lacks a chromed front bumper, as it was removed by the owner of the car in the late 1960s.

Prior to being exported to America in 1968 this car was used in an Italian film. The current owner has had it since 2006 and stands to make quite a nice profit off of it at auction. Only 56 SWB California Spiders were built and they are usually the more expensive version of the ultimate drop-top 250 GT. Look for a price in excess of $10 million in January. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

250 GT Speciale by Bertone

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1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale by Bertone

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 15-16, 2015

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Of the myriad of sub-models in the Ferrari 250 range, the SWB Berlinetta is one of the most sought after today. They were race cars, introduced in 1959, and this one is powered by a 3.0-liter V-12 making 240 horsepower.

This car was actually bought new by Nuccio Bertone – yes, of that Bertone. He had a young man working in his coachbuilding business named Giorgetto Giugiaro who he co-designed this car with. The car was modeled after earlier Ferrari race cars with “sharknose” styling.

This 250 GT debuted at the 1962 Geneva Auto Show and was Bertone’s personal ride for a short time before he sold it to a parts supplier in Milan. It had a few more owners before coming stateside in 1966. It later spent 35 years in a Mexican collection. It sports a fantastic restoration and is one of the most recognizable coachbuilt Ferraris of all time. This one-off should bring between $14,000,000-$16,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $16,500,000.

Ferrari 400 SA Cabriolet

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1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet by Pinin Farina

Offered by RM Auctions | Amelia Island, Florida | March 14, 2015

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Ferrari 400 Superamerica is a very underrated Ferrari. Maybe it’s not so much underrated as it is just unknown – only 47 were produced in total (compared to a similar vintage 250 California Spider, which is actually much more common, comparatively). A short-wheelbase cabriolet like this car is much, much rarer.

This beautiful machine is powered by a 4.0-liter V-12 making 340 horsepower. It has a smaller engine than the previous model (the 410 Superamerica) had and other upgrades. The first 400 Superamericas were all short-wheelbase cars – and only six of them were built.

The ownership history has this car bouncing between continents on either side of the Atlantic. More than half of the six SWB cars built were coupes, so this Pinin Farina Cabriolet, in wonderful Verde Bottiglia green paint – is pretty rare. The proceeds for this sale will benefit charity and it is expected to bring between $6,000,000-$7,000,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of RM’s Amelia Island lineup.

Update: Sold $6,380,000.

Ferrari 250 GT Speciale

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1959 Ferrari 250 GT SWB “Competition” Berlinetta Speciale by Bertone

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1959 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competition Berlinetta Speciale by Bertone

So many custom-bodied cars in this sale! This one is a Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competition that looks like no other 250 GT SWB Competition. In 1959, Ferrari introduced the model and built 176 examples. It was a GT race car for use in sports car racing all over the world. After racing it, you could then drive the car home on the road. Racing was more interesting when your daily driver could be competitive on track, don’t ya think?

Only six of the 176 received non-Ferrari coachwork. This is one of two by Bertone and the only one with a design that looks like it came from 10+ years from the future. Imagine taking a race car today, sending it to a coachbuilder, and taking home a very friendly-looking road car with race car mechanicals. The engine is a 3.0-liter V-12 making in the neighborhood of 276 horsepower.

This car was shown at the 1960 Geneva Auto Salon and at the Turin Motor Show later that same year. It has been restored twice in its life and has won awards at Pebble Beach twice (that’s how long this thing has been on the circuit). It’s absolutely stellar. It should sell for between $6,500,000-$8,500,000. Check out more here and click here for more from RM in New York City.

Update: Sold $7,040,000.

Superamerica Coupe Aerodinamico

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1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Coupe Aerodinamico by Pininfarina

Offered by RM Auctions | Lake Como, Italy | May 25, 2013

1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Coupe Aerodinamico by Pininfarina

The Ferrari Superamerica line of cars was the top-of-the-line model from an already top-of-the-line manufacturer. They used big V-12 engines and many had custom bodywork. They were intended for Ferrari’s most elite clients.

The 410 Superamerica was a super-fast, super-serious grand tourer. In 1959, Ferrari switched from the 5.0-liter V-12 to the 4.0-liter V-12 and the 400 Superamerica was born. The powerplant in this car makes 340 horsepower. It could do 160 mph and Enzo himself drove one. It was offered in two wheelbase lengths and it was the first Ferrari road car offered with disc brakes.

This car was sold new to the U.S. and features breathtaking bodywork from Pininfarina. The Coupe Aerodinamico body is just awesome. It’s both muscular and sleek – almost like a prototype of the forthcoming 500 Superfast. It passed through a number of owners in a number of different countries before being acquired by its current owner: Skip Barber.

Superamericas are some of the most collectible Ferraris. I’ve seen a few different numbers as far as production goes: I’ve seen “14” for the number of 400 Superamericas with this specific Pininfarina-designed body. RM says this is #12 of 36, but I’m unsure if they are referring to 400 Superamericas total, or just the SWB cars. Why am I unsure? Because I’ve also seen 47 as the number for total models built. Well there you go, the info is in there somewhere for you, make of it what you will. Oh, the price? A very large amount. Like between $2,500,000-$3,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,839,200.

Duesenberg JN-570

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1934 Duesenberg Model JN SWB Convertible Sedan by Rollston

For sale at RK Motors Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina

1934 Duesenberg Model JN-570 Rollston SWB Convertible Sedan

I randomly came across this Duesenberg for sale at a collector car dealership in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s a Model JN – so it’s certainly pretty as it had mid-life cycle styling refinements. All Model JNs had Rollston bodywork and only 10 were built before Duesenberg shut down. This is one of three JN Rollston Convertible Sedans built.

This car looks like a two-door convertible coupe, but it does have to rear doors tucked behind the mains. It rides on a short wheelbase chassis, when it seemed most later Model Js were long wheelbase cars. Ownership history is known from new. It was originally black but when it was restored a few years ago it was given this attractive maroon-ish color.

Bought new in Texas, this car has seen numerous owners – including some time spent in the Blackhawk Collection. And it’s matching numbers – chassis, body and engine – engine no. 570 – that big straight-eight engine making 265 horsepower. The price isn’t listed, but it says it had a $1 million restoration and I’m guessing they want to recoup that investment. Click here to read more.

Ferrari 250 Competizione

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1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 18, 2013

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione by Scaglietti

This Ferrari 250 GT is a short-wheelbase competition model that was meant to tear up racetracks all over the world. Except this one never did. The original owner just wanted one hell of a daily driver – and that’s what makes the 250 GT SWB Berlinetta so great: it’s balance of race-bred speed and agility and exceptional road manners.

As a “Competizione” model, this car was outfitted with aluminium bodywork from Scaglietti and a race-tuned 3.0-liter Colombo V12 engine pushing out 280 horsepower. This model is one of the best proportioned 250 coupes you can buy.

At one point in its life, this car had a Ferrari Testa Rossa V12 implanted in it, but when it was restored, the original engine was re-installed. The restoration was on-going for years, finishing up in 2010. Ownership history is known from new (it’s a four owner car). Only 72 aluminium-bodied SWB Competizione cars were built, this is #17. RM didn’t publish an auction estimate but prices should be in the $5 million range. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Arizona.

Update: Sold $8,140,000.

Spyker C8

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2010 Spyker C8 Spyder SWB

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Palm Beach, Florida | April 7, 2012

The Spyker C8 is the most popular model from Dutch supercar manufacturer Spyker. In fact, it is the only model from the company to really get going, production-wise (the C12 sold about two-dozen copies).

Introduced in 2000, the C8 features an Audi-sourced V8 of 4.2 liters, pumping out 400 horsepower. It’s pretty quick too, sprinting to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The car being offered here is two years old, but essentially brand new, having only covered six (6) miles.

The original Spyker company, which began as a coach builder, began producing automobiles in 1900. The company was quite innovative, producing the world’s first four-wheel drive car in 1903 (or, the first four-wheel drive car with a single engine. Ferdinand Porsche technically built the first four-wheel drive vehicle, with a motor at each wheel). Four-wheel brakes and a six-cylinder engine were other Spyker firsts. When World War I came around, the company began producing aircraft engines.

It is this aeronautical link to history from which the new Spyker company derives its logo. Also, their interiors are second to none in the highly-exclusive supercar world. Check this out:

There are some aircraft touches in there, from the dash switches to the world’s coolest shifter. I really do like the way these cars look. Some supercars are wild just to be wild, but this one is beautiful. It’s a shame that Spyker got tangled up in the mess that was/is Saab. I just hope these cars can continue to come out.

Brand new, this car would run about $225,000. And this one is essentially brand new. For the complete catalog description, click here and for the entire Palm Beach lot list, click here.

Update: Sold, $220,000.