Ferrari 250 Monza

The Ferrari 250 Monza Scaglietti Spyder, chassis 0442M, is a rare and historically rich example of Ferrari’s short-lived but significant attempt to marry its revered Colombo V12 engine with a lightweight racing chassis typically reserved for its four-cylinder sports racers. Completed in 1954, this right-hand-drive Spyder was bodied by Scaglietti, presenting a sleek and purposeful silhouette tailored for competition. Delivered new to Scuderia Guastalla and Franco Cornacchia, the car made an immediate impact on the Italian and international racing scene. On June 27, 1954, it debuted at the Gran Premio Supercortemaggiore at Monza, finishing third overall with Cornacchia and Gerino Gerini sharing driving duties. Just days later, Gerini piloted the car to outright victory in the Trofeo Sardo, a demanding road race from Cagliari to Sassari and back. That summer, the 250 Monza continued its competitive streak with a second place at the Bolzano-Mendola hill climb, a class win at the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti, and another strong performance at the Circuito di Senigallia. However, its run at the 10 Hours of Messina in July was cut short due to gearbox failure, followed by a remarkable fifth-place overall finish at the grueling 1954 Carrera Panamericana in Mexico, driven by Cornacchia and E. Peruchini. After the season, the car was sold to Manfredo Lippmann, a Guatemalan Mercedes agent, who had it repainted in a distinctive blue, white, and gold livery. Though it was entered in the 1955 Sebring 12 Hours, it did not start due to damage caused by a mechanic, with the co-driver instead racing a different car. Over the next few years, Lippmann raced the car extensively in Central America, recording victories at the Guatemala Lake Amatitlan race, the El Salvador Grand Prix, and participating in the 1958 Cuban Grand Prix. By 1959, the car changed hands to Iann MacArvey-Munn in Guatemala and eventually made its way to a French diplomat in New York. Through the 1960s, it passed through several American collectors and dealers, including Franco Brittanic Motors in Paris, and eventually Peter Burroughs and John Delamater, both of whom purchased it for under $3,000—a figure unthinkable by today’s standards. The car later went to Del Lee, Goldstein of Miami, and Sydney Stoldt in New Jersey. In 1971, it was offered for sale by Alberto Pedretti’s Wide World of Cars and ultimately bought by William Serri in 1974 for $15,000. Serri showed the car extensively, winning Best of Show at the Reading Ferrari Concours and a third-in-class award at the 1993 FCA National Concours. After Serri’s passing, the car was auctioned in 2002 by RM for $1.55 million and sold to John Bentley in the UK. It then went to Bruce McCaw in the U.S., and later Victor Muller in the Netherlands, who showed it at several top-tier concours including Pebble Beach and the Ferrari Days at Modena Motorsport. By 2007, the car was in Italy with Giuseppe Prevosti, who has since continued its concours and Mille Miglia presence well into the 2020s, including a recent appearance at Villa d’Este in 2025. With its rich racing pedigree, continuous history, and unique V12 configuration in a Scaglietti body, 0442M stands as one of the most compelling Ferraris of the era.