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1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Navigation
On the long straightaways, Ferrari's larger and powerful twelve-cylinder models were fierce competitors; on shorter, winding courses, they were at a disadvantage. Strengthening its arsenal, Ferrari assigned Aurelio Lampredi to develop a four-cylinder motor to address the shortcomings of its 12-cylinder cars.
In 1951, at the Bari Grand Prix, the Lampredi-designed 2.5-liter engine made its debut, initially developing 200 horsepower. For the following season, much of the competition had withdrawn from racing, forcing the FIA to reevaluate its approach to the World Drivers' Championship for the foreseeable future. Looking ahead, the FIA elevated Formula Two as the determining series for the World Drivers' Championship for the years 1952 and 1953. Thus, Formula Two was the highest level of racing for those two years.
The Lampredi-designed engine was suitably positioned to capitalize on the rule changes, and by late 1951, the naturally aspirated 2-liter inline-four-cylinder engine was being tested in monoposto form. The engine was very different than the Colombo-designed Tipo 166 V-12 engine, with a 65% reduction in moving parts and weighing 92.8 pounds less. It relied on simplicity, low weight, and reliability, and despite having eight fewer cylinders, it had 15 more horsepower than its predecessor.
Alberto Ascari's consecutive championships for Ferrari in 1952 and 1953, inspiring the factory to experiment with various chassis and displacement combinations for its customers. In early 1954, a 2-liter customer version became available and was dubbed the 500 Mondial. Each of its cylinders displaced nearly 500 cubic centimeters, thus the '500' in its name, with the 'Mondial' portion in recognition of Ascari's back-to-back World Championships.
A total of 13 spiders and two berlinettas were completed by Pinin Farina over a run of first-series cars before Scaglietti assumed coachwork production. The first example was chassis number 0404 MD, and chassis number 0406 MD was the second (sequentially).
Chassis 0406 MD
Chassis number 0406 MD was assembled during March 1954 and given a Rosso Corsa paint scheme over a Similpelle Beige vinyl interior. A month after completion, it was sold by Enzo Ferrari to the Milan-based sports car dealer Franco Cornacchia, who also helmed the privateer racing team Scuderia Guastalla.
Former factory driver Franco Cortese and co-driver Perruchini drove the Ferrari in April 1954 at the Coppa della Toscana, finishing 19th overall and 2nd in class. In May 1954, Cortese and Perruchini drove the Mondial to a 4th in class and 14th overall finish at the Mille Miglia. After the race, the Ferrari was re-bodied by Scaglietti. In June, the car placed 8th in the Golden Shell race at the Imola Grand Prix.
When the Ferrari returned to the Imola Grand Prix in June of 1955, it wore a white paint scheme with a tri-color stripe on its hood. It was driven by Joao Rezende Dos Santos but was unable to finish the race, retiring during the formation lap, apparently experiencing some mechanical failure. In early July, it raced at the Bolzano-Mendola hillclimb where Dos Santos drove it to 4th place overall.
Shortly after the race, Cornacchia sold the Ferrari to Angelo Benzoni of Milan, and the following month (August), it Cortese drove it at the Daily Herald International Trophy at Oulton Park. After ten laps of racing, the Ferrari was forced to retire due to a clutch failure. In March 1956, Benzoni drove 0406 MD at the Vigorelli Trofeo at Monza, finishing 6th.
In June 1956, Benzoni was joined by Naust to campaign the Targa Florio, but the grueling course got the better of the pair. In late June, Benzoni teamed up with Palermo resident Domenico Tramontana at the Gran Premio Supercortemaggiore at Monza. In July, the Ferrari was sold to Tramontana.
This Ferrari 500 Mondial was exported to the United States in 1958, and in 1962, it was sold from R.W. Devereau of San Francisco to Hal Rudow of Washington. Mr. Rudow competed with the Spider at the Evergreen Trophy race at Pacific Raceways in October 1962. In 1963, it was sold to Stanley Surridge who replaced the original engine with an American V-8. Sometime over the following two years, the Ferrari was crashed and suffered fire damage.
Entering the 1970s, the Ferrari was sold to Ed Niles, who soon sold it without an engine. It was briefly owned by a Maryland-based individual and later entered the care of Walter Medlin. The car would remain in Mr. Medlin's care for 45 years.
When the car was brought to RM's Monterey auction in 2023, it was in unrestored, rusted, burned, and crashed condition. It had its factory-issued chassis plate, matching-numbers gearbox, and a larger, 3.0-liter Tipo 119 Lampredi inline-four engine, such as would have been used in a Ferrari 750 Monza.
Despite its many shortcomings and non-original engine, this piece of history was expected to fetch as much as $1.6 million at auction. Considering that it was the second Mondial built, the limited number of examples built, and its racing history, buyers opened their wallets and bid with their hearts. At the conclusion of the auction, the lot had been sold for the sum of $1,875,000 (inclusive of the buyer's premium and fees).By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2024
In 1951, at the Bari Grand Prix, the Lampredi-designed 2.5-liter engine made its debut, initially developing 200 horsepower. For the following season, much of the competition had withdrawn from racing, forcing the FIA to reevaluate its approach to the World Drivers' Championship for the foreseeable future. Looking ahead, the FIA elevated Formula Two as the determining series for the World Drivers' Championship for the years 1952 and 1953. Thus, Formula Two was the highest level of racing for those two years.
The Lampredi-designed engine was suitably positioned to capitalize on the rule changes, and by late 1951, the naturally aspirated 2-liter inline-four-cylinder engine was being tested in monoposto form. The engine was very different than the Colombo-designed Tipo 166 V-12 engine, with a 65% reduction in moving parts and weighing 92.8 pounds less. It relied on simplicity, low weight, and reliability, and despite having eight fewer cylinders, it had 15 more horsepower than its predecessor.
Alberto Ascari's consecutive championships for Ferrari in 1952 and 1953, inspiring the factory to experiment with various chassis and displacement combinations for its customers. In early 1954, a 2-liter customer version became available and was dubbed the 500 Mondial. Each of its cylinders displaced nearly 500 cubic centimeters, thus the '500' in its name, with the 'Mondial' portion in recognition of Ascari's back-to-back World Championships.
A total of 13 spiders and two berlinettas were completed by Pinin Farina over a run of first-series cars before Scaglietti assumed coachwork production. The first example was chassis number 0404 MD, and chassis number 0406 MD was the second (sequentially).
Chassis 0406 MD
Chassis number 0406 MD was assembled during March 1954 and given a Rosso Corsa paint scheme over a Similpelle Beige vinyl interior. A month after completion, it was sold by Enzo Ferrari to the Milan-based sports car dealer Franco Cornacchia, who also helmed the privateer racing team Scuderia Guastalla.
Former factory driver Franco Cortese and co-driver Perruchini drove the Ferrari in April 1954 at the Coppa della Toscana, finishing 19th overall and 2nd in class. In May 1954, Cortese and Perruchini drove the Mondial to a 4th in class and 14th overall finish at the Mille Miglia. After the race, the Ferrari was re-bodied by Scaglietti. In June, the car placed 8th in the Golden Shell race at the Imola Grand Prix.
When the Ferrari returned to the Imola Grand Prix in June of 1955, it wore a white paint scheme with a tri-color stripe on its hood. It was driven by Joao Rezende Dos Santos but was unable to finish the race, retiring during the formation lap, apparently experiencing some mechanical failure. In early July, it raced at the Bolzano-Mendola hillclimb where Dos Santos drove it to 4th place overall.
Shortly after the race, Cornacchia sold the Ferrari to Angelo Benzoni of Milan, and the following month (August), it Cortese drove it at the Daily Herald International Trophy at Oulton Park. After ten laps of racing, the Ferrari was forced to retire due to a clutch failure. In March 1956, Benzoni drove 0406 MD at the Vigorelli Trofeo at Monza, finishing 6th.
In June 1956, Benzoni was joined by Naust to campaign the Targa Florio, but the grueling course got the better of the pair. In late June, Benzoni teamed up with Palermo resident Domenico Tramontana at the Gran Premio Supercortemaggiore at Monza. In July, the Ferrari was sold to Tramontana.
This Ferrari 500 Mondial was exported to the United States in 1958, and in 1962, it was sold from R.W. Devereau of San Francisco to Hal Rudow of Washington. Mr. Rudow competed with the Spider at the Evergreen Trophy race at Pacific Raceways in October 1962. In 1963, it was sold to Stanley Surridge who replaced the original engine with an American V-8. Sometime over the following two years, the Ferrari was crashed and suffered fire damage.
Entering the 1970s, the Ferrari was sold to Ed Niles, who soon sold it without an engine. It was briefly owned by a Maryland-based individual and later entered the care of Walter Medlin. The car would remain in Mr. Medlin's care for 45 years.
When the car was brought to RM's Monterey auction in 2023, it was in unrestored, rusted, burned, and crashed condition. It had its factory-issued chassis plate, matching-numbers gearbox, and a larger, 3.0-liter Tipo 119 Lampredi inline-four engine, such as would have been used in a Ferrari 750 Monza.
Despite its many shortcomings and non-original engine, this piece of history was expected to fetch as much as $1.6 million at auction. Considering that it was the second Mondial built, the limited number of examples built, and its racing history, buyers opened their wallets and bid with their hearts. At the conclusion of the auction, the lot had been sold for the sum of $1,875,000 (inclusive of the buyer's premium and fees).By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2024
2023 RM Sothebys : Monterey
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $1,200,000-USD $1,600,000
Sale Price :
USD $1,875,000
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Ferrari 500 Mondial
(Data based on Model Year 1954 sales)
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider by Pinin Farina Chassis#: 0408 MD Sold for USD$1,792,500 2024 RM Sothebys : Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1954 FERRARI 500 MONDIAL SERIES I SPIDER Chassis#: 0434 MD Sold for USD$3,995,000 2024 Gooding : Amelia Island | ![]() ![]() |
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I by Pinin Farina Chassis#: 0406 MD Sold for USD$1,875,000 2023 RM Sothebys : Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1954 FERRARI 500 MONDIAL SERIES I SPIDER Chassis#: 0430 MD Sold for USD$2,095,000 2022 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | ![]() ![]() |
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider by Pinin Farina Chassis#: 0448 MD Sold for USD$4,165,550 2019 RM Sothebys : Villa Erba | ![]() ![]() |
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series I Chassis#: 0434 MD Sold for USD$4,455,000 2018 Gooding & Company : Scottsdale, Az. | ![]() ![]() |
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series I Chassis#: 0468 MD Sold for USD$3,162,500 2017 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | ![]() ![]() |
1954 Ferrari 500/735 Mondial Spider by Pinin Farina Chassis#: 0448 MD Sold for USD$3,850,000 2017 RM Sothebys : Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I by Pinin Farina Chassis#: 0418MDEngine Sold for USD$3,520,000 2013 RM Auctions - Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Berlinetta Chassis#: 0452MD Sold for USD$1,567,500 2010 RM Auctions - Sports & Classics of Monterey | ![]() ![]() |
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series 1 Chassis#: 0418MD Sold for USD$1,540,000 2009 Pebble Beach Auction : Gooding & Company | ![]() ![]() |
Ferrari 500 Mondials That Failed To Sell At Auction
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series I Spider | 0438MD | 2019 Bonhams : Scottsdale Arizona | |||
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider | 2002 Monterey Sports and Classic Car Auction | $590,000 |
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1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial
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