The Scottsdale Auctions signal the beginning of the 2019 automotive enthusiast calendar. Each new year brings more unbelievable historic cars out of the closet (garage). Vintage Ferraris are at the pinnacle of historic car collecting, and though they are far beyond most of our pay grades, it is entertaining to see what comes to market. This year the 2019 Scottsdale Auctions have four fantastic Ferraris on the block, including one which hasn’t been seen in 25 years.
Photo : Bonhams
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series I Spider by Pinin Farina
RESULTS: NO SALE
Estimate: If you have to ask… its only available if you ask.
When it comes to historic Ferraris this 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series I Spider with coachwork by Pinin Farina, one of the “star cars” on the block at Bonham’s January 17, 2019 auction, captured my eye. Partially because it is sports a beautiful non-metallic blue paint scheme but also because of its connection to the original Pebble Beach Road Races. 
The car was sold new to playboy Porfirio Rubirosa, if he was a female we’d call him a gold-digging slut being that he married two of the richest women in the world Barbara Hutton and Doris Duke. But he had great taste in cars! He had it flown to the United States and competed at the 1954 Labor Day Weekend races in California winning 2nd in class but was beat by John von Neumann who shortly after bought the car and repainted it in the traditional red. Newman was the Southern California dealer for Ferrari and hired both Phil Hill, and Richie Ginther as drivers. In 1956 car car finished 10th in the Del Monte Trophy, also the last-ever race on the the Pebble Beach roads.
The car was purchased by the current owner (seller) six years ago and re-liveried during a complete restoration by the Ferrari Classiche department. This car is number 11 of 12 first series Mondial spiders. Ferrari reproduced the current engine since the first one was blow by Phil Hill in the early days. We were there at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, there it won in the Class honoring Ferraris raced at the Pebble Beach Road Races. The following day at the Annual International Concours of the Ferrari Club of America it won both a Platinum award and the important Phil Hill Trophy, awarded to the Best Competition Ferrari at the Concours.
An important Series II Mondial, better known as The Admiral’s Ferrari sold last year for $5,005,000. What will this rare Series I bring? All eyes will be on the Blue Ferrari this January 17th in Scottsdale at Bonham’s.
Photo RM Sotheby’s
1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina
Estimate: $11,000,000 – $13,000,000
RM Sotheby’s is offering a very rare one-off 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina. Built for Princess Lilian de Réthy, a commoner then royal governess then wife to King Leopold III of Belgium, a noted car enthusiast. The Princess was one of those people we call a facilitator, someone who connects people to get things done. As friends of Enzo Ferrari, Enzo mentioned a problem he was having with Pirelli, their current tire provider. Princess Lilian immediately relayed the issue to the Belgian tire company Englebert, who had rubber on the way to Enzo the same night! This led to her being afforded this very special build for her next car. At the time the Ferrari 250 GT coupes were contracted to Carrozzeria Boano, however since the Royals appreciated the work of Pinin Farina, Enzo worked his magic. This one-off Pinin Farina 250 GT Coupe is finished in a special body which married the elements of other Ferrari builds. A long nose with covered headlamps were normally found on the TDF racing berlinettas. Bulbous chromed front fenders and louvered vents were borrowed from the California Spider. She later gifted the car to a fellow Ferrari enthusiast, a noted surgeon in the United States. After passing through numerous other collections the car is now for sale for the first time in 20 years on January 18, 2019 at RM | Sotheby’s. Happy bidding!
1953 Ferrari 250 MM Spider Series II by Vignale
Estimate: $5,500,000 – $6,500,000
I first spied this little cutie at the track during the 2008 Cavallino Classic in Palm Beach and then again in 2011. 
Commonly confused with the 166 MM Barchetta which has a very similar shape, bodied by Carrozzeria Touring using their patented Superleggera structure, the 250 MM (Mile Miglia) was powered by a larger 3 liter V-12 and the majority bodied by Pinin Farina. Just 13 were bodied by Vignale, most in this open barchetta style. 
This particular car offered at the Gooding & Company auction on January, retains its original chassis, bodywork, engine, and gearbox, with internal numbers which match factory records. It was campaigned successfully throughout the 50s in the US which includes John Fitch as an early driver. Documentation sites about 17 different owners, most within the United States, which amounts to just over 3.5 years for average ownership. Alfred Momo Corporation, who managed Briggs Cunningham’s race team, was the original purchaser. Who’s going to be number eighteen?
Photo Gooding & Company
1964 Ferrari 275 GTB Prototype
Estimate: $6,000,000 – $8,000,000
Now for a super rare car, so rare most of us have never seen it. As the successor to the 250 SWB this Scaglietti bodied marked a new generation for Ferrari. Modeled on the successful LeMans wining 275 P competition cars this new 275 offered a 3.3-liter tipo 213 engine, a rear-mounted transaxle and independent rear suspension. Wire wheels were replaced by cast alloy. This is number one. Prototype Giallo (yellow) is the original factory color. Though it began as a short nose, in 1965 after much testing the long nose was introduced and became the new standard for 250 production models. Later that year it was sold to its first private owner to be used as a factory supported rally car. This Ferrari 275 Prototype offers by Gooding & Company has not been seen publicly for over 25 years, making it a nice prize for the next owner and sure to be welcome at a number of important automotive events.
