Undoubtedly the most fascinating front-engined V-12 Ferrari convertible of recent times, the Superamerica sought to bring ease of use and added practicality to Ferrari’s open-top 575 Maranello as the successor to the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina. Although the 550 Barchetta was widely considered to be a fabulous car, its lack of a conventional top limited use for many clients, and Ferrari sought to rectify this with the next model.

Ferrari’s innovative solution was the “Revocromico” rotating hardtop. This convertible hardtop was constructed using a carbon fiber frame that was integrated with electrochromic glass, the first of its kind ever fitted to a production car. When the top was closed, the opacity of the glass in the roof could be adjusted via a dial in the cabin. The driver and passenger could experience the full brightness of a conventional sunroof at its lightest setting or one percent of available light at its darkest. Furthermore, the Superamerica could be transformed into a convertible at just the press of a button, with the roof rotating back to rest flush with the boot lid in just 10 seconds, leaving the rear window in place to function as a wind deflector. Ferrari chose to produce just 559 examples, with every car spoken for within weeks of its announcement, and it is said that fewer than 200 found their way to North American clients.

Originally finished in Bianco Avus over Sabbia with Nero Daytona inserts, this Superamerica is the only car delivered new to the US in this striking color combination. Equipped with over $41,000 in optional extras, undoubtedly the most significant option for this car is the coveted GTC package. This added carbon ceramic brakes, a more performance-oriented suspension, free-flowing exhaust, and modular 19-inch wheels. Inside, the car boasts the interior carbon fiber trim package, alongside Daytona-style seats trimmed in Nero piping and stitching throughout, and the rear firewall trimmed in Sabbia leather, as well as the hifi stereo system with a six-disc CD player.

Delivered new to Boardwalk Ferrari of Plano, Texas, the Superamerica was registered in California with its first owner, who retained ownership until 2008, accruing approximately 2,000 miles in his ownership. Thereafter, the car moved to the East Coast and was acquired by the most recent previous owner in 2018, who relocated the Superamerica to Florida, where it has remained ever since. According to recent service records on file, the car’s last major service was carried out in February of 2022 by Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale, and the car has been driven less than 200 miles since. At the same time, the car was fitted with four new Bridgestone tires.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, the color palette at Ferrari was still fairly limited, with the majority of roadgoing GT cars in a fairly limited selection of red, black, silver, grey, or yellow colors. As time has gone on, it has been the visual pop and customer demand for more unique and striking color combinations, such as the one found on this Superamerica,eventually led Ferrari to create their Atelier and Tailor Made programs. Sourcing original examples in rare colors has become very difficult in the current market. As a result, these are now rising from the rest of the pack, a trend that is likely to continue to be a key value differentiator going into the future.

With Ferrari hypercars now valued well into the millions, some even approaching or exceeding $10,000,000, the limited-production Ferrari models of the same eras have received a significant boost in interest. Among those handful of models, open-top V-12 examples are extremely sought after, with well-cared-for examples in rare colors rising to the top of the pile. This Superamerica fits right into that sweet spot, as a special one-off US-spec color combination, it would sit proudly in any Ferrari collection as a car to be cherished and used as Ferrari intended it.