DRESSED TO KILL

At the Paris Salon in October 1959 Ferrari introduced its second-series 250 GT Cabriolet, now built on the company’s new 2,400-millimetre short wheelbase. Pininfarina’s updated coachwork was a breathtaking revision in formalism, using more conservative proportions and fewer finishing details to result in a model that was more easily distinguishable from the concurrent 250 GT California Spider.

Despite the outward guise of a staid luxury grand touring automobile, the new 250 GT Cabriolet still delivered characteristic Ferrari gusto, with disc brakes at all four corners and the latest iteration of the Colombo-designed three-litre V-12 engine. This motor, designated as the type 128E (and later the 128F), featured individual cylinder porting and outside-V spark plugs, developments undertaken with the Testa Rossa racecars that contributed to more ferocious performance, greater reliability, and improved convenience.

Just 200 examples of the Series II Cabriolet were built, and in recent years they have evolved into one of the more collectible 250 GT iterations, offering performance and styling roughly equivalent to the California Spider at a fraction of the investment—a veritable wolf in sheep’s clothing.

ONE OF ONE, IN SPRUCE GREEN

Boasting a world-class restoration to its rare original one-off paint colour, this exquisite Series II Cabriolet is surely one of the finest examples ever publicly offered. According to the research of marque expert Marcel Massini, chassis number 2381 GT is the 112th example built. It entered the Pininfarina plant in December 1960, destined to receive a one-off paint finish in the striking shade of Verde Abete Savid, a metallic spruce green.

Trimmed with an interior in Naturale vaumol leather and vinyl, the Ferrari was distributed through MG Crepaldi Automobili, the well-known official dealer in Milan. From there it was sold in May 1961 to the first owner, a local resident named Mr Lamfranconi. While the 250 GT’s interim history is currently unknown, it is clear the Cabriolet was exported to the United States and repainted in Rosso. By the mid-2000s the car was owned by Bruce Robertson, an Italian sports car enthusiast based in Lake Forest, Illinois.

In January 2006, the Cabriolet was sold by Mr Robertson to Bruce Lustman of Colorado, a major Ferrari collector who also owned vintage stalwarts such as a 166 MM, a 340 Mexico, and a 500 TRC, not to mention a 288 GTO. In need of some restorative attention by this time, chassis 2381 GT was submitted for complete refurbishment to Farland Classic Restoration in Englewood, Colorado, including a refinish in Nero paint over a matching Nero interior. In tandem with the restoration, the Cabriolet was certified with a Ferrari Classiche “Red Book” in March 2008. At this point the presence was noted of the car’s matching-numbers engine, gearbox, rear axle, and coachwork.

Soon sold to a respected dealer in Southern California, the Ferrari was next offered in May 2008 at RM Auctions’ “Leggenda e Passione” sale held at Maranello in concert with the Ferrari factory. The 250 GT was acquired there by an Austrian diplomat working in Monaco who retained possession for an impressive period of 15 years. The owner bolstered the 250 GT’s documentation with the issuance of a FIVA Identity Card in November 2011, and he treated the car to expert maintenance with service from G Cavallari-Monaco Motors in July 2013, as demonstrated by an invoice on file.

Following a decade and a half of doting care, the then-owner consigned the Ferrari to RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba auction in May 2023. It was then purchased by the Italian restoration company Bacchelli & Villa, one of the most respected names in Ferrari refurbishment. Recognising chassis 2381 GT’s somewhat obscured identity as the only such cabriolet originally finished in Verde Abete Savid, the craftsmen at Bacchelli & Villa fastidiously restored the car to authentic factory standards, including a return to the beautiful original colour combination. This work included attention by some of Italy’s most respected automotive artisans, including mechanical refurbishment by Sport Auto di Diena & Silingardi, wiring and instrument reconditioning by Elettrauto Gatti, and interior re-trimming by Tappezzeria Luppi.

On the back of the expert restoration, the Ferrari was presented at the Cavallino Classic in January 2025. It won a Platinum Award and the Best of Show: Gran Turismo, an exceptional endorsement that clarifies just how special the car truly is. The 250 GT is currently in the process of having its Ferrari Classiche certification renewed to reflect the update in cosmetics to the correct factory-original colours, although it should be noted that the car continues to be equipped with the matching-numbers components as certified by the 2008 Ferrari Classiche “Red Book”.

This exquisitely presented 250 GT boasts exceptional build provenance, being the only Series II Cabriolet finished in the magnificent colour of Verde Abete Savid. With its extraordinary state of presentation confirmed by the 2025 Cavallino Best of Show win, chassis 2381 GT is quite simply one of the most desirable examples one might hope to find, bar none. It would make a crowning addition to any sporting collection, ideal for further exhibition or touring event enjoyment, as a brilliant gem from the legendary workshops of Maranello and Grugliasco.