Chassis No. ZFFZR52A010124157

From the 250 California to the 365 GTS/4 “Daytona” Spider, Ferrari has a rich history of building glorious open tourers which trace their roots back to the firm's early sports racers of the 1940s and '50s. Many of these works of art were born from the long and fruitful partnership between Ferrari and Carrozzeria Pininfarina, the Torinese coachbuilder that, until 2012, was responsible for sculpting a majority of the marque's landmark models dating back to 1952. In 2000, the Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina joined the ranks of these exclusive, open-top, front-engine V12 tourers when it was shown for the first time at that year's Paris Motor Show. The Barchetta Pininfarina was intended to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of its coachbuilder, hence Pininfarina in its name, and was specifically designed to be reminiscent of its legendary forebears. No small feat.

Pininfarina achieved this by taking the familiar shape of the 550 Maranello and removing the greenhouse, leaving only a traditional, open-top barchetta-style windscreen nearly five inches shorter than the that of the coupe. Up front, the 550's long, artful hood and functional hood scoop remained unchanged, feeding air to the same 48-valve, 5.5-liter V12 producing 485 horsepower found in the Maranello. Other identifying exterior features of the Barchetta included its pronounced twin roll hoops behind the cockpit, an aluminum fuel cap, and Cavallino Rampante fender shields situated above its five-spoke, two-piece Speedline magnesium alloy wheels. The similarities to the Maranello continued inside, albeit with numerous exclusive touches hinting at the model's commemorative nature. Carbon fiber race seats, optional in the coupe, were standard in the Barchetta, while the dashboard was trimmed in a unique black Lorica material. Exposed carbon fiber adorning the instrument panel, center console, and shift knob, as well as a plaque bearing the signature of Sergio Pininfarina and the car's serial number rounded out the exclusive details in the cabin.

The plaque in this particular U.S.-market 2001 Ferrari Barchetta Pininfarina identifies it as the 179th built in the 448-car limited production run. Appropriately finished in the classic combination of Rosso Corsa paintwork over Nero leather-trimmed “large” carbon fiber bucket seats with optional red contrast stitching, the original window sticker also lists roll bars trimmed in matching Nero leather, a fire extinguisher, and a small spare wheel kit among its optional extras. This example additionally benefits from the all-important Fiorano Handling Package, a $3,109 option that bestowed the Barchetta with stiffer springs, red-finished brake calipers, a thicker rear anti-roll bar, and specially tuned steering and suspension ECUs.

The accompanying CARFAX Vehicle History Report shows that the car was initially delivered to Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and registered to its first owner in September 2001. Subsequent service history indicates that the car was routinely serviced at its delivery dealership before moving to the Northeast in the early 2010s, with registration history in Pennsylvania and New York. Its dutiful maintenance continued at Ferrari Maserati of Long Island in Plainview, New York, showing just over 3,000 miles in 2011 before being relocated to Connecticut under new ownership. Over the following decade, the Ferrari was driven very sparingly while visiting Wide World of Cars of Spring Valley, New York, on multiple occasions for preventative maintenance. Most recently, on 17 May 2024, the Barchetta was treated to a major-engine out service which encompassed replacing the timing belt, drive belts, and fluids. At the time of cataloging the car has traveled a single mile since the service, and shows just 3,530 original miles.

Cosmetically, this Barchetta is offered in immaculate condition. The Rosso Corsa paintwork is lustrous, complemented by its supremely clean two-piece magnesium alloy wheels mounted with Continental ExtremeContact tires. Inside, there is no evidence of “sticky buttons” or dashboard shrinkage common in Ferraris of the era, and the exclusive Alcantara-like Lorica material lining the dashboard and transmission tunnel remains soft to the touch. All of the car's original accessories are likewise present and in excellent condition, including two keys and three key fobs, books and radio codes in their leather folio, car cover, spare wheel and tire, tire inflator, jack kit, tool kit, and manual soft top in its storage bag. These items are also accompanied by the car's original window sticker, as well as a coveted Ferrari Classiche “Red Book” issued in October 2013 – the ultimate seal of approval on a highly original example such as this.

This 550 Barchetta Pininfarina is not only a celebration of Ferrari's superb open-top V12 tourers of the past, but also represents the one of last open-top, front-engine V12 production cars equipped with a six-speed manual transmission ever built by the marque. Save for the 575 Superamerica, this spectacular limited-edition Barchetta signified the last opportunity to experience the clink of the steel gearshift lever striking the aluminum shift gate while taking in the full bore of the howling V12 exhaust note from the open cabin. This Classiche-certified example, with its incredibly low original mileage, timeless color combination, and enviable cosmetic and mechanical condition, is likely the finest investment-grade example of the model currently on offer anywhere in the world.