cars news 10: Pininfarina-Designed 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Heads to Auction

A rare Ferrari with bodywork by legendary Italian design house Pininfarina is headed to the RM Sotheby’s auction in Paris this February. The 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupé Aerodinamico is the first of only 18 examples of the second-series, long-wheelbase models of its kind, and was used as a display model at the 1962 London and Chicago auto shows.

The Ferrari 400 Superamerica was introduced at the Turin Motor Show in 1959, with a 4.0-liter V-12 engine, four-wheel disc brakes, and other tweaks to improve its performance over the preceding Ferrari 410 Superamerica. The first cars rode on a 95.3-inch wheelbase, but when this particular bowed car in London in 1962, Ferrari had switched to a 102.4-inch wheelbase. The car’s bodywork, designed by Pininfarina, was notable for its aerodynamic fastback tail, open-mouth nose, and graceful front fenders.

After its appearances at the aforementioned auto shows, this 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica changed hands several times in the U.S. before being purchased by a Tokyo-based collector in the early 1980s. In the early 2000s, the car was imported to the U.S. again and subsequently sold to a European owner.

RM Sotheby’s does not have an estimate for this car’s value at auction, but bidders can expect to pay a healthy sum for this car, especially given its interesting provenance. Earlier this year, a 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica sold for $5.1 million at auction, while a 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet raked in $7.6 million.

Source: RM Auctions