Ferrari Sergio by Pininfarina Comes to Auction
A brilliant example of 21st century coachbuilding and Pininfarina design, offered by RM Sotheby’s Monaco.
Within the scope of automotive history, coachbuilding is considered by many to be a lost art, one confined to the early days of the automobile and the immediate post-war years, where well-heeled owners could buy a chassis and drivetrain from a given manufacturer and commission a coachbuilder to build a body to their own individual tastes and uses.
As time marched on, coachbuilding faded into oblivion due to ever-rising costs and stringent governmental regulations, leaving such cars out of the question. A handful of manufacturers and companies, however, have made an effort to bring the lost art of coachbuilding back to its glory days over the course of the last 15 years, and leading the charge was Pininfarina.
To honor Sergio Pininfarina after his passing in 2012, the Pininfarina Sergio concept first broke cover at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013. A two-seater Barchetta that was distinctly recognizable as a Ferrari but discernibly unique and forward thinking, the Sergio stunned those who attended the show and proved that Pininfarina was still capable of greatness. Although it was not intended for production at the time, the concept was underpinned by a Ferrari 458 Spider chassis and drivetrain, helping to bridge the gap between concept and production, this proving that for the privileged few, this spectacular car could come to life.
Several months later, that dream was turned into reality for a handful of lucky Ferrari clients. Pininfarina and Ferrari announced their intention to produce a half-dozen road-worthy Sergios for six lucky clients. Still underpinned by the 458 Spider, albeit with a 458 Speciale engine, the road-going Sergio differed only slightly from its road-going concept in an effort to ease registration and homologation for road use, and still kept the original concept’s flair.
The particular example offered here holds a special place in the model’s history, as it was the first road-going model unveiled to the public at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show on Pininfarina’s stand. Of the six Sergios, this one, the 2015 Geneva Motor Show car, is the most important.
Its chassis number is ZFF75VHB000205529.
Offered on Saturday, May 12, at the Grimaldi Forum, 10 Avenue Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo, Monaco 98000. Information from RM Sotheby’s. Images from Dirk de Jager, courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.
For more information, please contact: 44 (0) 20 7851 7070, or information@rmsothebys.com
