Upon the 1996 introduction of their Pininfarina-designed 550 Maranello, Ferrari sensed customer demand for an open-top example, something which had been missing from Maranello’s lineup since the hallowed Daytona Spider. Though customers were thrilled with the resulting 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, many felt limited by the lack of a conventional convertible top and only used their cars for quick out-and-back jaunts in the summertime. Ferrari, of course, responded in dramatic fashion and created a brand-new convertible top system which offered the freedom of the Barchetta with the practicality and security of the coupe.

Based on the upgraded 575M Maranello, the resulting Superamerica was immediately set apart by its Revocromico rotating hardtop, the first of its kind ever fitted to a production car. It was constructed using a carbon fiber frame integrated with electrochromic glass; when the top was closed, the opacity of the glass could be adjusted via a dial in the cabin, allowing the driver and passenger to experience the full brightness of a conventional sunroof at its lightest setting or just 1% of available light at its darkest. Further, the Superamerica could be transformed into a convertible at the touch of a button, with the roof rotating back to rest flush with the rear deck in just 10 seconds.

Of the 559 Superamericas constructed, the example offered here is one of just a handful of North American-specified examples to have been factory-equipped with the desirable six-speed gated manual transmission. Clad in the consummate Ferrari livery of Rosso Corsa over Beige leather upholstery, this Superamerica was completed at Maranello in July 2005 and soon made its way to North American shores. Beyond its gearbox and Revocromico rotating roof, this example is adorned with matching Scuderia fender shields and Becker Silverstone six-disc CD changer while an accompanying tool kit, jack, and air pump complete the sale. At the time of cataloguing, its odometer displayed 6,551 miles.

Combining the potent drivetrain of the 575M Maranello with a revolutionary advancement in open-air motoring, the Superamerica is a formidable sports car for all occasions and climates—one certain to be appreciated in fine collections in the years ahead, and a worthy successor to the storied Superamerica name.