Looking to reinvigorate its 12-cylinder offerings and give a nod to its illustrious past, Ferrari introduced the 550 Maranello to great acclaim in 1996. The factory had been without a two-seat, front-engined V-12 coupe since the Daytona, and the 550 Maranello was lauded as a wonderful, if overdue, successor to that iconic model. With grand touring once again a popular activity of Ferrari clientele, the 550 Maranello’s spectacular performance, spacious trunk, and rear parcel shelf that could carry enough luggage for two on a weekend road trip fit the bill perfectly.

Like the Daytona, the 550 Maranello’s success warranted the production of a limited-edition variant. First displayed at the 2000 Paris Motor Show, the 550 Barchetta was designed by Pininfarina. With only a rudimentary soft-top for emergency use when caught in the rain, it featured a shorter, more aggressively raked windshield, two-piece alloy wheels, racing seats, and a restyled rear deck that led to a trunk surprisingly larger than that of the coupe.

Only 448 Barchettas were built, and they have become a “core” model for any Ferrari collection, due to their provenance and acclaimed gated-manual, open-top driving experience.

Barchetta number 185, presented here, was delivered new to Ferrari of Hawaii during September 2001. Finished in the classic Ferrari color combination of Rosso Corsa over Nero leather and Nero carpets, it is one of only 127 examples of this limited-production model earmarked for the US market. Following its first 500 miles of use across two Hawaiian owners, in December 2005 this 550 Barchetta was purchased by a California-based enthusiast who enjoyed it until June 2007, at which point 1,672 miles were indicated on its odometer.

After spending time in Florida, the consignor purchased Barchetta number 185 from Ferrari of Philadelphia in July 2015, and it has enjoyed very limited road use under their care. With fewer than 80 miles travelled in the consignor’s ownership, and a grand total of just 3,482 miles shown since new at cataloguing time, one would be right to argue that this US-market 550 Barchetta Pininfarina is still waiting to be “broken in” and properly pushed. It is accompanied by manuals and warranty book in pouch, a spare key, and 2005–2007 service documentation.

As a limited-edition, open-top Ferrari powered by a V-12 mated to a six-speed gated manual shifter, the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina makes for a highly attractive purchase for any collector car enthusiast, especially when presented in a timelessly appealing color configuration such as the example offered here.