As it stands gleaming under the sun, with the car’s polished surface catches the rays and makes it sparkle but the 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider isn’t just another beautiful classic car. It’s a cornerstone of Ferrari’s history, and with a pre-auction estimate of $16 million to $18 million, it has the potential to become one of the most valuable cars ever sold.
The Ferrari 250 series holds a legendary status within the brand’s history. Between 1952 and 1964, Ferrari produced 21 different 250 models, with some designed for the racetrack and others for public roads. Among these, the open-top “Cali Spider” stands out, lauded for its powerful V-12 engine and the stunning Pininfarina design that many consider one of the most aesthetically pleasing car bodies ever created.
As the most advanced iteration of the design, the SWB California Spider was every bit as thrilling to drive as it was to behold. Produced in a modest quantity of 56 examples, it won famous buyers from Hollywood to the French Riviera, including actors James Coburn, Peter Helm, Alain Delon, and Brigitte Bardot; singers Johnny Hallyday and Nicholas Reynolds; director Roger Vadim; and the Aga Khan. It was perhaps the highest-performance open car of its era, and held in the same esteem then as cars like the McLaren F1 would be decades later—the best of the best of its time.
Initially launched in 1957 as a long-wheelbase (LWB) model specifically targeted for the American market, the true turning point for the Cali Spider came with the introduction of the SWB version in 1960. This particular example, however, holds even greater significance. It’s not just an early SWB model – it’s the very first one ever built.
This isn’t just a historical footnote, either. This chassis 1795 GT was the car Ferrari used to unveil the SWB California Spider to the world at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show. Only 56 SWB California Spiders would be built by Scaglietti during its three-year production run, and this very first car remains in exceptional condition.
Finished in a gleaming Grigio paint job, the two-door originally sported a red leather interior at Geneva. However, it was returned to the factory and refitted with black leather upholstery before being delivered to its first owner, British racing driver John Gordon Bennet. Today, over six decades later, the car appears virtually identical to how it left the factory for the second time.
RM Sotheby’s will be offering this legendary 1960 Ferrari during their annual Monterey Car Week auction, scheduled for mid-August. With its historical significance and pristine condition, the auction house has high hopes, placing a pre-auction estimate between a staggering $16 million and $18 million. If it reaches that mark, this very first SWB California Spider could become one of the most expensive cars ever sold at auction.
