After the 550 Maranello was introduced in 1996 as the spiritual successor to the 365 GTB/4 Daytona, it quickly became clear that Ferrari’s clients would be interested in an open-top variant of the new car. Like the Daytona Spider, this would be a limited-production car only available to Ferrari’s best clients, a car that retained the coupe’s personality but with the added flair of open-top motoring. The car that resulted was the 550 Barchetta, and although it was identical in nearly every way to the 550 Maranello, it was indeed to be a pure roadster and harken back to Ferrari’s earliest models. Offered with only a temporary soft-top for emergencies when caught in the rain, many customers felt limited by the car’s lack of a conventional soft-top and would only use their cars for quick out-and-back trips rather than on extended drives.

Ferrari was aware of this for the introduction of the 575M Maranello, and for its open-top sibling, they aimed to produce a more well-rounded convertible, albeit one that would not lose its sense of occasion with the top up. For this, they devised a brand-new convertible-top system, offering their clients all the freedom of a convertible coupled with the security of a coupe.

What made the Superamerica unique and much more usable than its predecessor was this unique Revochromico rotating hardtop. Constructed using a carbon-fiber frame integrated with electrochromic glass, it was the first roof of its kind to be fitted to a production car. When closed, the opacity of the roof could be adjusted via a dial in the cabin, turning the glass from fully transparent like a conventional sunroof to only allowing in 1% of available light. With just the press of a button, the roof easily rotates back to rest flush with the boot lid, leaving the rear window to function as a wind deflector. Another major plus of this design was that as the roof rests on the rear deck it does not obstruct luggage capacity, and the boot is more than spacious enough for a weekend getaway for two.

Ferrari only built 559 Superamericas, and all were spoken for by the time it was announced, as they had more or less been designated for Ferrari’s favorite customers. Like the 275 GTB/4 N.A.R.T. Spider, 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider, or the 550 Barchetta before it, the 575 Superamerica was a very special car and destined to become a future collectible from the moment it was announced.

As with the 575M Maranello coupe, the majority of 575 Superamericas delivered new were equipped with Ferrari’s popular optional F1-style six-speed transmission. However, Superamericas could also have a gated six-speed manual, and only a handful of owners elected to have their Superamerica equipped as such. Saying that this Superamerica, which is finished in Grigio Silverstone over a Natural leather interior, is “well equipped” would be an understatement. Further to its manual transmission, the car is equipped with Scuderia shields, Daytona-style seats, a matching dashboard in Natural leather, color-upon-request piping for the seats, leather upholstery behind the seats, the Hifi stereo with a six-disc CD change, and all stitching in color. Further separating it from the crowd, it is also equipped with the hugely desirable Fiorano handling package, as-equipped from the factory. The Fiorano handling package gives the car a slightly sportier edge with a more aggressive steering calibration and suspension with revised springs, upgraded brake pads, a thicker rear roll bar, and red painted brake calipers, adding more performance to an already capable supercar.

Allegedly delivered new to its first owner in California, it was purchased by its current and second Californian owner in 2008 and currently shows just under 3,700 miles from new. Needless to say, it remains in spectacular condition, clearly having been well preserved and maintained throughout its whole life. With the current owner, the car has been regularly serviced by The Auto Gallery in Los Angeles, and service receipts, along with the car’s full set of manuals, a factory tool kit, and a car cover, will accompany the sale. However, it should be noted that the roof panels are beginning to delaminate and appear cloudy, a common issue with many Superamericas.

Already proving to be highly collectable, the 575 Superamerica represents the modern, open-top V-12 Ferrari at its best. Comfortable and versatile enough to be used on extended road trips, it boasts incredible performance with beautiful yet subtle bodywork. As Montezemolo-era six-speed manual transmission cars begin to become desirable to collectors, the Superamerica stands out from its siblings as a limited-production convertible and the most desirable iteration of the vaunted 575M Maranello, a car regarded by many to be one of the finest Ferraris built thus far in the 21st century. In Grigio Silverstone with a Natural interior and coupled with a six-speed manual transmission, this is not only an incredible, rare automobile but also a true gentleman’s Ferrari in every sense.