Description
This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show 2024 - Cars on Saturday the 9th of November, NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT. Introduced at the Paris Salon in 2008, the Ferrari California had been conceived as a ‘Grand Tourer’ rather than an out-and-out sports car, and was intended to appeal to those who might otherwise opt for a Bentley, an Aston Martin or an SL-Class Mercedes-Benz. It was quite a radical move for the marque pioneering Maranello’s first front-mounted V8 engine, two-piece folding metal roof, dual clutch 7-speed transmission, direct fuel injection and multi-link rear suspension. Styled by Pininfarina and subject to over 1, 000 hours of wind tunnel testing, the new car utilised aluminium for both its chassis and bodywork construction. Related to that in the F430, its 4297cc 'quad cam', 32-valve V8 developed some 453bhp and 358lb/ ft of torque and was normally allied to the aforementioned dual clutch 7-speed transmission ‘as standard’.
Despite being one of the least expensive models in the range, the California boasted carbon-ceramic disc brakes and the traction control system from the marque's flagship 599 and, a ‘grand tourer’ it might have been, but 0-60mph in 3. 9 seconds and 193mph were firmly in ‘junior supercar’ territory. Less demanding to drive than its siblings and therefore more approachable during every-day, 'real world' motoring, the notional 2+2-seater more than fulfilled its brief of attracting a whole new generation of customers to the Ferrari fold.
The car presented here is a right-hand-drive, UK-supplied 2011 Ferrari California supplied new via HR Owen of London, wearing their prestigious dealership registration of ‘12 HRO’ when first registered. In Argento Nurburgring (101/ C) paintwork with a Blu Scuro (Dark Blue/ 3282) interior (and Grigio Scuro carpeting), it was ordered to a very high specification, including numerous carbon fibre parts (rear moulding, front spoiler, driver zone), plus red brake calipers, coloured (Grigio) seatbelts, and the central tunnel/ armrest in leather, there is no doubt this is a very desirable California. In January 2012 it was sold by HR Owen to its first owner, a significant Ferrari collector.
However, what really makes this particular car extra desirable and, indeed, sets it apart from most any other California examples, is not actually its very low mileage of 6, 765 but the fact that it is factory-fitted with a 6-speed manual, open-gated, gearbox – believed to be just one of a mere handful of its type (sources range from three to at most seven) and believed to be the only one ordered in the UK. This makes this car a true ‘unicorn’ as a modern-era production model (considering c17, 300 Californias were produced) – plus Ferrari ceased to offer a manual gearbox as an option after this model. It clearly explains why the French auction house Artcurial achieved 333, 760 Euros (£280, 000) for a similar example – albeit in LHD with 37, 000km – at their Saint Tropez Sale in June 2024.
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By 2012, three years after the California's release, Ferrari had only received between three and five orders for ones fitted with a manual gearbox, according to Ferrari's marketing chief Nicola Boari. How many of these orders actually went ahead, weren’t cancelled and made it as far as being initiated at the factory with the gated ‘box, is hard to ascertain.
As is the way with collectables – cars (1963 ‘split-window’ Corvette), watches (Rolex Daytona Ref. 16520 & 116520 ‘No Daytona’) and postage stamps (‘Inverted Jenny’), it's most often the mercurial, the made-in-error, or the least-desired-at-the-time examples that end up, due to their rarity, being the most prized, the most sought-after and, inevitably, the most valuable. There is no doubt about it, this manual California is in that camp, it's a very significant modern-era Ferrari that will, quite rightly, take its place amongst the rare and most coveted examples of the marque in the years ahead. In superb condition, commensurate with its super-low mileage, due to being housed in a private collection for several years, it will be offered for sale with a full Ferrari dealership inspection and service.
This might be an unrepeatable opportunity to own a car belonging to a rarefied, almost mythical, group, not just the last model of Ferrari offered with a manual gearbox, but perhaps the last ever UK-supplied example of the model – quite a cachet.
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