Following the 23-year absence of a front-engined, V-12 powered, rear-wheel-drive layout—last seen on the 365 GTB/4 Daytona in 1973—Ferrari launched the all-new 550 Maranello in July 1996 at the Nürburgring circuit. The 550 moniker represented the total engine displacement in decaliters, with "Maranello" paying homage to the home of Ferrari. The stunning bodywork was styled by Pininfarina, and underneath the bonnet lay a 478-horsepower, 5.5-litre V-12 mated to a six-speed manual transmission. With its good looks, eye-watering performance, and excellent handling, the 550 Maranello marked Ferrari’s triumphant return to its grand touring roots.

Four years after the launch of the 550 Maranello, Ferrari decided to honour long-term partner Pininfarina, marking the carrozzeria’s 70th anniversary with the unveiling of the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina at the 2000 Paris Motor Show. Sharing its drivetrain with the 550 Maranello, this limited edition model was a true barchetta, and had no permanent convertible top provided. A cloth soft-top was supplied by the factory, but only to be used below 110 km/h, in order to protect the cabin from the elements.

The consignor ordered this early 550 Barchetta Pininfarina on 20 December 2000, specified with the desirable “Fiorano” Handling Package. Numbered 86 of just 448 examples, chassis 124064 left the Maranello factory finished in Rosso Corsa over a Nero leather interior, and was registered on 1 August 2001. On 18 September 2001, the owner approached Koenig-Specials, placing an order for a “6 end pipes” stainless steel exhaust. Over the next 22 years, the consignor used this 550 Barchetta sparingly, with the odometer reading just 4,753 miles at the time of cataloguing. In 2015, the seller took the decision that all their open Ferraris should be yellow, and had this example resprayed in Giallo Fly by Dick Lovett Ferrari.

Religiously maintained, this 550 Barchetta has MoT history dating back to 2004, and is accompanied by a host of documentation that includes the Ferrari Certificate of Origin, Ferrari manuals, and ordering correspondence with Ferrari. Additionally, the car is accompanied by a car cover, jack, soft-top, and toolkit. The current MoT is valid until August 2023.

As an early example with just one owner from new, this 550 Barchetta Pininfarina presents a tempting opportunity to acquire a limited edition open-topped Ferrari with excellent provenance and low mileage.