Ferrari honored its past in 2000 when it took to the Paris Motor Show floor with its eye-catching 550 Barchetta roadster. In a nod to boulevardiers, the Barchetta’s flimsy cloth top was basic at best, an emergency-only unit designed to protect the car’s interior should rain clouds begin to form. To illustrate this, Ferrari put a 70-mph maximum top speed warning on the top. Instead, the 550 Barchetta was designed to entice the company’s clients to enjoy a sunny day behind the wheel.

Compared to the 550 Maranello, the 550 Barchetta featured a more aggressively raked windshield with pillars that disappeared toward the top of the windshield to improve its aerodynamics. Its tail was reshaped to complete the look, and the long trunk lid gave way to a pair of rollover hoops behind each seat. Curiously, the 550 Barchetta actually had more cargo capacity than its coupe sibling, even if it was hardly the most practical version. Modular alloy wheels, an aluminum fuel-filler door, and racing seats were all standard equipment. The performance attitude of the car was further emphasized by its being available solely with a six-speed manual transmission.

Ferrari initially planned to build 444 examples of the 550 Barchetta, but four more were added to the initial production run to appease an increasingly important Japanese market superstitious about the number four.

The example offered here was, according to the owner, sold new on June 6, 2001, to Gunther Drees of Wiesbaden, Germany. In May 2002 it was imported to the U.S. by Keuylian Orange County Lamborghini and underwent federalization. With 1,256 miles, it was then sold to the legendary rock-and-roll performer, Rod Stewart, well-known as a lifelong enthusiast of Italian performance cars. The current owner acquired the car in June 2008.

The Barchetta is beautifully appointed in Argento Nürburgring over Nero, with a carbon fiber steering wheel, shift knob, seat backs, and door sills, as well as an Alcantara dashboard and Scuderia shields on the fenders. Currently part of a prominent Ferrari collection in the American South, at the time of cataloguing it had recorded fewer than 8,620 miles. In August 2020 it received a full belt service in the world-recognized service department of Ferrari of Atlanta, and is accompanied by additional recent service records, including early records in Rod Stewart’s name and later invoices for interior and exterior improvements in 2015. In addition, it is still complete with all of its books and tools, as well as the pair of helmets supplied new with each Barchetta!

As Rod himself might say, “tonight’s the night” to find yourself behind the wheel of a beautifully presented 550 Barchetta. Some guys have all the luck!