To mark Pininfarina’s 70th anniversary, Ferrari produced the 550 Barchetta. It stopped after #448.Â
The 550 Maranello of the mid-1990s was an important car for Ferrari. Its predecessor, the Testarossa, was an automotive icon, but even after being updated and given new life as the 512 TR and F512 M, it needed to be replaced with an all-new model. The 550 was that car. It combined striking, wedge-like styling with a powerful front-mounted V12.
In 2000, fabled Ferrari coachbuilder and design house Pininfarina turned 70 years old. To commemorate the occasion, Ferrari decided to build a special model, which it based on the 550. According to Ferrari, the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, like the one we spotted on Barrett-Jackson‘s site, was an open-top throwback to classic models such as the 166 MM, 250 GT California, and 365 GTS4 Daytona. It featured unique design cues such as a chopped windshield (100 mm lower than the one on the 550 Maranello), prancing horse badges on the fenders, two-piece wheels, and an interior plaque signed by Sergio Pininfarina. It did come with a fabric roof, but it was meant to be put on only in emergencies.
A total of 448 550 Barchetta Pininfarinas left Ferrari’s Maranello factory in 2001. This is one of them. According to Barrett-Jackson, which will be auctioning it off in Scottsdale, Arizona in January, its Grigio Alloy exterior and black/blue interior recently received a “concours-level detail.” Like the 550 Maranello, it’s powered by a 5.5-liter V12 with 485 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual helps it get to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 186 mph. Other features on this particular car include remote keyless entry, special-order power seats, adjustable pedals, and automatic climate control.
The Barrett-Jackson listing for this rare and special piece of Ferrari and Pininfarina history states it doesn’t have a reserve price, but considering how exotic it is, even compared to other Ferraris, expect the gavel price to be through the (use-only-in-case-of-rain) roof.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
