Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet Vignale

The Ferrari 212 Inter 0227EL Cabriolet by Vignale, designed by Giovanni Michelotti, is a rare and remarkable example of Ferrari’s post-war grand touring philosophy. This car was unique not only because of its stunning design but also due to a fascinating case of swapped chassis identities. The car’s story begins in 1952, when John McFadden, an Englishman residing in Paris, ordered a left-hand-drive version of the 212 Inter Cabriolet specifically for continental driving. Ferrari initially offered him a right-hand-drive model, which McFadden refused. As a result, Ferrari delivered another car to him that was originally stamped with chassis number 0255EU but restamped to 0227EL, the chassis number of the car Ferrari had intended for him originally. The car featured a striking black and red color combination and offered seating for two passengers plus an additional rear seat, making it a 2 + 1 configuration. It was the first left-hand-drive Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet to be built, which made it a significant milestone in the model’s production. After McFadden’s ownership, the car passed through several owners and changed hands multiple times. In 1955, Luigi Chinetti, the well-known Ferrari importer in the United States, took possession of the car and later sold it to the World Sports Car Center in Detroit, Michigan, in 1958. By the 1960s, the car was owned by J.H. Thompson of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, who advertised it for sale in Road & Track magazine in July of 1959. Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, the 212 Inter was passed on to various owners, including James Kafalas of Bedford, Massachusetts, and Gerald Jackson of Amherst, Massachusetts. In 1966, the car was sold to Ed Waterman of Thorobred Motorcars in Arlington, Virginia, and eventually found its way to Stephen Barney in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1976. In 1978, the car was repainted dark grey with a red interior and carpets by its owner at the time, David G. Seibert, of Atlanta, Georgia. Seibert offered the car for sale in 1979 for $30,000. Over the next few years, the 212 Inter exchanged hands once more, with owners such as Jim Francis of Roanoke, Virginia, and Allen M. Woodall of Columbus, Ohio. By 1981, the car was offered for sale by Woodall for $45,000, and later for $42,000 in 1982. In 1984, the car was sold through FAF Motorcars in Tucker, Georgia, for $31,500, before being offered for sale again in 1985 by Mike Sheehan’s EAS in Costa Mesa, California. By 1987, the car was again on the market, and in 1989, its engine was replaced with that of another 212 Inter, chassis 0225EL. This was a noteworthy change that would affect the car’s authenticity and provenance later in its history. In September 1990, the 212 Inter was sold at the Legende Monaco auction for $513,000, a considerable sum at the time, and purchased by Frits Kroymans, a prominent Dutch Ferrari collector. The car’s journey continued, with Tom Price of San Francisco acquiring it in January 2010. Price had the car certified by Ferrari Classiche in 2012, confirming its authenticity and historical significance. In April 2013, the car was offered by Artcurial at Techno Classica in Essen, Germany. In May 2016, it was again auctioned at RM Monaco, where it sold for €1,176,000, falling within its estimated value range of €1,250,000 to €1,500,000.