Broad Arrow Auctions – part of Hagerty – has released a video of the revered 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione, chassis no. 1451 GT, at speed ahead of its offering at the Amelia Auction later this week.
The short film features Broad Arrow’s Barney Ruprecht walking through the finer competition history and features of the car before he jumps behind the wheel, providing driving impressions of the Competizione variant over a standard California Spider.
Estimated at $10,m- $14m, the Ferrari is the undisputed feature car of Broad Arrow’s Amelia Auction.
Ruprecht said, “One of only 10 Competiziones, this is the full fat version, so to speak, with all of the features: competition motor, [aluminum body], stiffer suspension, outside filler tank, 36-gallon long-range fuel tank. Everything about it is optimized for racing, and racing it did, finishing a 5th overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
The second of only eight aluminium-bodied Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competiziones (10 Competizione examples total), chassis no. 1451 GT achieved a remarkable 5th overall, capturing a GT class podium at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans with its first owner, Bob Grossman.
Extensive racing success followed the pair to the United States throughout 1959 and 1960.
Presented in its original silver metallic Le Mans livery, it is the first California Spider equipped from the factory with the competition-specification, outside-plug Type 128 F engine, among numerous other competition features.
Offered with Ferrari Classiche certification and as a three-time Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance participant, it is arguably the most significant 250 GT California Spider inexistence.
Behind the wheel for a spirited drive, Ruprecht said, “So what is it like to drive one of 10 Competizione California Spiders?
“Initial impressions are, it’s dominated by one thing and one thing only — the engine. Dramatically different to a standard California—the noise, the smell, the handling, the brakes even, everything here is set up for competition.”