Lot 153

Arizona 2020

2017 Ferrari 488 Spider 70th Anniversary

{{lr.item.text}}

$362,500 USD | Sold

United States | Phoenix, Arizona

{{internetCurrentBid}}

{{internetTimeLeft}}


language
Chassis No.
ZFF80AMA4H0226129
  • Livery no. 50: The Magnum P.I.
  • Inspired by the 308 GTS driven by Thomas Magnum
  • The only 488 Spider finished in this livery to celebrate Ferrari’s 70th anniversary
  • Displayed at Casa Ferrari at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
  • Highly optioned example; only 1,500 miles
Addendum: Please note that the title is in transit. Please note the title for this lot is in transit. A 4-6 week delay is expected.

To mark the occasion of 70 years of sports car production, Ferrari didn’t simply introduce a special paint color or put on a few “limited edition” badges on its cars. Instead, Ferrari dug into its archives to celebrate 70 of its greatest hits with unique liveries to represent storied models and important cars from its prodigious history.

The 488 GTB offered here is a playful reminder that Ferrari is as much a cultural icon as it is a creator of high-performance machines. This example is finished in Rosso Corsa over a tan leather interior, and its open top offers endless views of the sky above. While that sporty shade has long been a recognized Ferrari hue, the tan interior and open-top configuration that is so emblematic is thanks to a particular Hollywood hero.

The 1980s television series Magnum, P.I. brought viewers to Hawaii, where fun-loving Thomas Magnum worked as a private investigator to solve a new case one night a week on CBS. Magnum, played of course by Tom Selleck with his trademark mustache, had almost free run of a luxurious Hawaiian estate, including use of a bright red Ferrari 308 GTS with a tan leather interior. Initially, the TV car was an early GTS, but it was later replaced with a GTSi and eventually a quattrovalvole. Regardless of which 308 flashed onto viewers’ screens decades ago, its reputation was quickly cemented. For many, the 308 remains the quintessential Ferrari thanks to the more than 160 Magnum, P.I. episodes.

This special 70th Anniversary 488 spider’s link to the past goes beyond appearances, however. It is easy to draw parallels between the 308 and the 488. The 308 began the tradition of a mid-engined Ferrari V-8 configuration, an update of the earlier Dino experiment that proved so successful. Of course, the 488 is an entirely different beast that made use of a turbocharged 3.9-liter dry-sump V-8 to rocket 661 horsepower to the rear wheels through the rapid-fire shifts of a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 488 vaulted to 60 mph in just three seconds and could reach 205 mph on a closed course—incredible performance that Thomas Magnum would certainly appreciate.

Now showing about 1,500 miles, this 70th Anniversary Ferrari is the only 488 spider finished in the 50th commemorative livery. Its factory optional specification made extensive use of carbon fiber for its air ducts, splitters, diffusers, and interior and exterior trim, as well as leather upholstery on its central tunnel. Practical options unfathomable in Magnum’s day include a parking camera, parking sensors, and adaptive lighting. Not included is a proper mustache or Detroit Tigers baseball hat, though either can be acquired by the next owner at their discretion.

Furthermore, this very example was presented on display at Casa Ferrari at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and was subsequently driven on the 70th Anniversary rally.