1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet

The Ferrari Superamerica combined luxury and performance. They were the successor to the 410 Superamerica and it was given numerous improvements over its predecessor. The engine decreased in displacement from 5.0 liters to 4.0 liters. The 5-liter V12 was a 'long-block' Lampredi-designed unit, while the new 4.0-liter was based on the Colombo single overhead-camshaft engine that was first used in the 250 Europa GT. The 3-liter unit had a bore that was enlarged to 77 millimeters and the stroke was lengthened to 71 millimeters, providing a total cubic capacity of 3967cc. A twin coil and distributor ignition system was added along with triple Weber carburetors.

The early 400 Superamericas were built on a 2420-millimeter chassis and available as either a coupe or a cabriolet. A second series of Superamericas were later constructed, and they rested on a wheelbase which had been enlarged to 2600 millimeters in an effort to increase interior space.

This particular example was built in mid-1960 as the third of seven short-wheelbase Superamericas built. It was built with left-hand drive configuration and fitted with open headlights. It left the factory finished in a color combination of Verde Bottiglia (MM 16364) over a Ross (VM 3171) Connolly leather interior.

Pinin Farina completed the coachwork at their factory in Turin on July 6, 1960. A short time later, it was sold to Helmut Horten, a German entrepreneur based in Croglio, Switzerland. It was registered in Milan under Horten Italiana S.r.l. in January 1961, and it would remain in Italy for the next three years.

It was later owned by a Mr. Warzits in Germany, and it is believed to have been exported to the United States. By 1985, the car had been painted in white paint and had returned to Europe, where it was acquired by Bernard Pfister, of Geneva Switzerland. By 1989, Pfister had repainted the Superamerica red.

In June of 1997, the car was listed for sale in Marseille, France and was purchased a month later by Scott Rosen, of Bedford Hills, New York. It remained in his care for two years before being acquired by Oscar Davis, of Elizabeth, New Jersey. A year later, Davis sold the car through Classic Coach to its current custodian, who would also entrust them to fully restore the car to its original specifications.

The car was returned to its former glory with a no cost spared, frame-off restoration and was refinished in its original color combination of Verde Bottiglia over Rosso, which it wore when new.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2015