A mere three hours from Milan and Zurich by car, and only four hours from Munich, the drive to St. Moritz is a life-elevating experience. While some prefer to approach the legendary ski town by helicopter or jet, for those who enjoy the thrill of a mountain road, the wide-ranging vistas and dramatic altitude change of the overland passes surrounding the Engadin valley represent a bucket-list experience. In spring and summertime, once the snow recedes, the area around St. Moritz becomes a playground for powerful automobiles.

This brings us around to these three open-top cruisers. The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL is a prime specimen of mid-century motoring, and undoubtedly will have you arriving to your destination in pure style. The Ferrari 575 Superamerica HGTC manual is an ultimate, V-12 powered grand tourer, with the ability to flip the Revocromico roof when the sun emerges. The 360 Spyder is a nimble and agile V-8 supercar offering an emotionally thrilling experience from the driver’s seat. All are available at RM Sotheby’s St. Moritz auction, held in association with the Internationale St. Moritzer Automobilwochen next month:

2006 Ferrari Superamerica

Estimate: CHF700,000 - CHF850,000

The 575 Superamerica is a transformable sports car designed for a wide range of activities. With a minimal weight addition of just 60kg over the coupe version, removing the square metre above the driver’s head certainly did not take away from the visceral driving experience for which the 575 was so well known. Certainly, fitting the futuristic, rotating roof with the ability to dial up or down the opacity as desired was a worthwhile addition by Ferrari. The Maranello-based brand produced the 575 in three separate variations, the base model, the GTC, and then the top-of-the-range HGTC, which is the variant RM Sotheby’s is offering in St. Moritz.

Add to this the all-important manual gearbox option which was chosen by the first owner on this Superamerica from new and you have arguably the most desirable variant in existence. The chunky gear-lever and big, chromed gated shifter means moving up or down the gears provides a true experience for drivers. This example comes with fascinating provenance with its first owner being a member of the Kuwaiti royal family. Boasting 5,091 km on the clock, and a mere three owners from new, this example has been perfectly cared for throughout its life.

Ferrari revived the Superamerica name back from its last use in the 1960s, and certainly delivered. A coupe in one moment and open-top cruiser the next means it will be able to be enjoyed by its next custodian, no matter the state of the skies above. Thanks to the patented electrochromic roof, which was a move by Maranello following customer complaints of the canvas top on its predecessor, the 550 Barchetta, the 575 was certainly a cutting-edge machine.

1957 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL

Estimate: CHF125,000 - CHF150,000

Looking at the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL, one may be quick to regard it as a model that lived in the shadow of its older sibling, the 300 SL. But the 190 SL provides a different experience altogether to those looking for a smaller and lighter take on its elder. Still sharing many parts of the 300 SL’s advanced engineering, the 190 SL provided open-air driving in a smaller, more affordable package.

This example was, as it can be seen from the photos, bred for elegant touring. It embodies graceful styling whether with the roof up or down, making it the perfect car to suit the style of “la dolce vita.” However, this gentle nature does not take away from this example’s eligibility for historic rally events, including the Mille Miglia and the Tour Auto.

Chassis 7501537 is finished in the gorgeous combination of black with a tan leather interior and a cream-coloured hood, which complement each other perfectly. With an extensively photographed restoration that still holds up well, this Mercedes-Benz would provide 1950s flair to any adventurous drive.

2003 Ferrari 360 Spider

Estimate: CHF70,000 – CHF90,000 | Offered Without Reserve

The Ferrari 360 started development with the company’s then-president Luca di Montezemolo seeking a more advanced—and faster—successor to the F355. The 360 became a great all-around supercar, capable of satisfying both daily use as well as providing thrilling drives on a track day or on mountain passes with the roof down. Pininfarina penned an incredibly stylish design, still appearing timeless after nearly twenty years since its debut.

Ferrari’s first V-8 for the new millennium certainly hit the 2000s with a bang. With 400 hp of naturally aspirated thrust, the 360 was a truly thrilling roof-down Ferrari. As an all-aluminium monocoque production car, the first of its kind for Ferrari, in addition to featuring fly-by-wire technology, this was a real step forward. It took the 360 to an area well ahead of its competitors at the time, approaching the realm of the true supercar. A balance of beauty and horsepower.

Which open-top cruiser would be your pick to tackle the mountain passes outside St. Moritz? Register your interest today for RM Sotheby’s exclusive auction on 9 September 2022 and best of luck to all bidders!