Tag Archives: spider

Iso Grifo A3/L Spider

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1964 Iso Grifo A3/L Spider Prototype by Bertone

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Los Angeles, California | October 2024

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Iso Grifo A3/L was designed by Giotto Bizzarrini for Renzo Rivolta. Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone, the A3/L coupe had an aggressive, muscular stance. They even developed an alloy-bodied race car, the incredibly sleek A3/C. This was the convertible variant of the road car – the lone drop-top prototype.

It says it has a “Corvette engine” – later Grifos got a 5.4-liter Chevrolet 327 V8. So who knows I guess (but it sounds like it’s a 427). Buy it and surprise yourself. This car was initially shown at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show and was later sold to an American. It came into its current collection in 1980 and has been hidden away since.

By 1965 things had soured between Bizzarrini and Rivolta, with the former going on to produce the Bizzarrini A3/C, and Rivolta selling the Iso Grifo GL. This car has an estimate of $700,000-$1,000,000. More info can be found here.

8C 2300 by Eagle Coach Works

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1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Lungo Spider by Eagle Coach Works

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 2024

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

In terms of top shelf prewar cars, Alfa’s 8C is one of Italy’s strongest options. The car first appeared in 2300 spec in 1931, and it would advance to 2600 in 1933 and 2900 in 1935. So this is an early car, with power from a 2.3-liter inline-eight.

The Lungo cars meant that it rides on the longer of two wheelbase options. This particular chassis was delivered new with a Castagna cabriolet body via London dealer Jack Barclay. When he sold it to its first owner in 1935, it was already clad in the aluminum boattail body it wears today, which was built by Newns Coach Builders and Engineers of Thames Ditton under the name “Eagle Coach Works.”

The car has never been restored and remained with one U.K. owner between 1964 and 2008. It’s now offered with an estimate of $4,500,000-$6,000,000. More info can be found here.

512TR Spider

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1994 Ferrari 512TR Spider

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | London, U.K. | November 4, 2023

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 512TR is one of the best Ferraris. And what are two things that can take an already-great Ferrari even better? Cutting the roof off and painting it blue. This checks a lot of boxes. The 512TR was the replacement for the Testarossa and looked similar but with some stylistic tweaks.

They built 2,261 512TRs and only three Spiders. Two of which were sold to the Ferrari importer in Singapore (who had previously helped Ferrari and the Brunei royal family get some Testarossa Spiders built by Pininfarina).

Power is from a 4.9-liter flat-12 that was rated at 422 horsepower. The TR has taken off in value recently, and the price for the Spider (of which this is the only one to come up for sale publicly I think?) has an intense estimate of $2,500,000-$3,300,000. Click here for more info.

Alfa 6C 1500

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1928 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Spider

Offered by Artcurial | Le Mans, France | June 30, 2023

Photo – Artcurial

The 1500 variant of the Alfa Romeo 6C was the first, and it was a car that would launch a dynasty of pre- (and post)-war sporting machines. Introduced in 1927, it would be available in five forms of tune (from Normale up to Super Sport Testa Fissa) through 1929, with outputs ranging from 44 horsepower to 84.

This car is powered by an example of Vittorio Jano’s 1.5-liter inline-six that made 44 horsepower. The bodywork here isn’t original but is of the type that this car could’ve had back in the day.

Speaking of back in the day, this car was sold new in Argentina and was eventually acquired by Pur Sang – the Bugatti replica maker who split the body from the chassis. It’s been re-assembled and is ready to run. The estimate is $235,000-$280,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Withdrawn.

Alfa Brera Spider

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2007 Alfa Romeo Brera Spider

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | May 6, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

Kind of a newer car, yes. But it’s so attractive. Alfa Romeo revived the Spider nameplate for the droptop version of the Brera. The Brera coupe went one sale in 2005, with the Spider following the year after. Both exited production after 2010.

Various trim levels and powerplants were offered. This 2.2 JTS model was the larger of the four-cylinder, gasoline-powered cars. There was also a V6, a smaller four-banger, and four different diesels. Output for this car’s 2.2-liter inline-four was rated at 182 horsepower. This one has a six-speed gearbox as well.

It’s likely that the car’s looks exceed its reliability, as has been the case with 20-year-old Italian cars since the dawn of time. Only 12,363 Brera Spiders were produced, and this one looks pretty good. It has an estimate of $5,500-$7,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $5,483.

Ferrari 500 TR Spider

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1956 Ferrari 500 TR Spider by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Cernobbio, Italy | May 20, 2023

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Ferrari 500 TR was actually part of Ferrari’s Monza line of sports racing cars, and not part of the 250 Testa Rossa range (those had V12s). Produced for 1956, the 500 TR replaced the earlier 500 Mondial.

It shared the Mondial’s 2.0-liter Lampredi inline-four that revved to a pretty incredible 180 horsepower. It featured a coil-sprung suspension, which broke new ground for Ferrari, and a synchronized gearbox.

This example, which is the third of 17 built, was sold new to an Italian privateer, who took it road racing around Italy. It later spent time way up north, incurring damage at a race in Finland. The resulting repairs saw it gain a 500 TRC-style nose. An owner in the 1970s/80s used the car heavily in historic events.

It’s been with its current owner since 2011, and i’s now selling at no reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $3,941,107.

Giulietta Spider

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1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | London, U.K. | February 25, 2023

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

One of the prettiest cars of all time, Alfa‘s Tipo 101 Giulietta Spider is just simply classic. The Tipo 750/101 Giulietta was available from 1954 through 1963 in a number of different styles, including the basic sedan, the Bertone-bodied Sprint and Sprint Speciale, the Zagato-styled SZ, and this, the Pinin Farina-styled Spider.

This one was originally white but has been refinished in classic Italian red. It was sold new in New Jersey and spent time on both U.S. coasts before being exported to the U.K. in 2015. It’s powered by a 1.3-liter twin-cam inline-four that made around 80 horsepower. Top speed was just over 100 mph.

Giulietta Spider production totaled around 14,300 units, with another ~2,800 built to Veloce spec, which brought more power. The estimate on this example is $55,000-$63,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Alfa 8C Spider

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2009 Alfa Romeo 8C Spider

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | Online

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

Alfa Romeo resurrected the 8C nameplate for its return to North America. It was to be a halo car – one that sits atop all others in their model line. The 8C Competizione, the coupe version, was produced in limited numbers between 2007 and 2009. Just 500 were built.

The Spider was even rarer. Only about 329 were built between 2008 and 2010 (even Alfa is not super forthcoming about the exact number, it seems). It shared the coupe’s Ferrari/Maserati 4.7-liter V8 that made 444 horsepower. Styling was done in-house at Alfa Romeo, and the result is stunning. Both the coupe and spider are fantastic-looking cars.

This particular Spider is one of not-all-that-many that were destined for the U.S. It no-sale’d on BaT earlier this year at $289,000. With 10 days left on the auction as of this writing, bidding this time around is already at $260,000. So we’ll see if it surpasses March’s bidding, and if so, if it’s enough to find a new home. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $263,000.

Ferrari 500 TRC

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1957 Ferrari 500 TRC Spider by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Ferrari Monza was a series of sports racing cars from the early 1950s. Unlike the V12 Testa Rossas, the Monzas were powered by Lampredi four-cylinder engines. The Monzas started with 1953’s 625 TF and included the 500 Mondial and 750 Monza.

In 1956, Ferrari entered the 500 TR, which replaced the Mondial, in World Sportscar Championship races. The following year, that car was upgraded to be the 500 TRC, which was powered by an upgraded 2.0-liter inline-four good for 190 horsepower and 153 mph.

Only 19 examples were built, with this (0706 MDTR) one being #18. Its competition history includes:

  • 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans – 29th, DNF (with Francois Picard and Richie Ginther)
  • 1958 12 Hours of Sebring – 44th, DNF (with Gaston Andrey, Bill Lloyd, and Dan Gurney)

Later, the car was powered by a 289 Ford V8 before being reunited with its factory engine. No pre-sale estimate is provided, but you can read more about it here.

Update: Sold $7,815,000.

Alfa 2000 Spider Touring

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1960 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider by Touring

Offered by Oldtimer Galerie | Lucerne, Switzerland | May 28, 2022

Photo – Oldtimer Galerie

The Tipo 102 Alfa Romeo 2000 was the follow up to Alfa’s 1900 model, which dated back to 1950. The 1900 had its moments, but it wasn’t as pretty as this. The 2000 was offered as a two-door Bertone-styled Sprint, a two-door Touring-bodied Spider, and a four-door Berlina, all between 1958 and 1962.

This Spider features a body penned by Carrozzeria Touring and is definitely the best-looking of the bunch. Power is (typically) from a 2.0-liter inline-four that was rated at 113 horsepower in Spider form. Top speed was 110 mph.

Only 3,443 examples of the Spider were built, and this one received a replacement 2.3-liter inline-four good for 140 horsepower sometime in its past. It was restored some time ago and is estimated to bring $75,000-$85,000. Click here for more info.