1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spyder

The Ferrari 500 Mondial was the company's first four-cylinder production sports car, and it was named in hnor of Alberto Ascari's back-to-back World Championships. The two-liter, twin-cam, four-cylinder engine was like Ascari's 500 F2 Monoposto and was designed by Aurelio Lampredi. Known internally as the Tipo 110, it had dry sump lubrication, gear-driven camshafts, twin-spark ignition, two Weber DCO carburetors, and hemispherical combustion chambers. The car's name, '500,' refers to each cylinder displacement size of 500 cc.

In typical Ferrari tradition, the 500 Mondial had a tubular steel chassis with independent transverse leaf-spring suspension, a De Dion rear axle, Houdaille shock absorbers, a rear-mounted, four-speed transaxle, and aluminum drum brakes.

Ferrari built 22 examples of the Series I 500 Mondial for the 1954 season, and most were clothed by Pinin Farina in styles similar to the contemporary 375 MM. A few examples were given coachwork by Scaglietti to a design by Dino Ferrari.

The nimble, four-cylinder powered 500 Mondial scored class victories at Barcelona, Casablanca, Imola, and the Mille Miglia.

This 500 Mondial Series I Pinin Farina Spider was sent to Jacques Swaters' Garage Francorchamps in Ixelles, Belgium, on May 17, 1954. It was acquired by Herman Roosdorp, a Dutch racing driver, who promptly began campaigning the new Ferrari in local events, first at the Grand Prix of Sports Cars at Spa-Francorchamps on May 23, 1954, where he placed 5th in Class. The following month, the Ferrari was brought to Zandvoort where Roosdorp drove the Mondial to a 2nd Overall finish. In July, he scored a pair of class victories.

Near the close of 1954, Roosdorp sold the Ferrari to another Dutch individual, Simon Maasland. His son, Hans Maasland and Dries Van der Lof drove the Mondial to a 1st in Class result at Zandvoort's International Whitsunday Sports Car Race in May 1955. A year later, it won another Class victory at Zandvoort with Maasland.

The car's next owner, Chuck Fee, imported the Ferrari to the United States in 1964 and then sold it to Asa Clark of Los Angeles. Ed Niles of Los Angeles became its next owner in September 1965. Over the next decade, he would sell and re-acquire the Ferrari multiple times. Ultimately, Mr. Niles had the Mondial restored for exhibition at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August 1978 before finally selling it for good in June 1979.

Erich Traber, Peter Sachs, Bill Jacobs, and David Sydorick owned the 500 Mondial throughout the 1980s and 1990s. During that time, it participated in vintage races, prominent international rallies, and Ferrari club concours. In 1990, Mr. Traber loaned the Mondial to Swiss racing driver Fredy Lienhard for that year's running of the 1000 Miglia, while Mr. Sydorick drove it in the same event in 1994.

Around 2000, Mr. Jacobs reacquired the car from Mr. Sydorick and remained in his care throughout the next decade. After Mr. Jacobs' passing in 2010, the Ferrari joined a private collection. Since 2018, it has resided in a Los Angeles-based Ferrari collection.

This Ferrari 500 Mondial remains the only example known to have survived with its original chassis, Pinin Farina coachwork, engine (internal no. 17 MD), and transaxle (internal no. 14 MD) intact. The only notable deviations from factory-correct specification are its updated Weber carburetors and tubular shock absorbers.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2024