MonacoCarAuctions is a company based in, you guessed it, Monaco. And 2024 will be its second L’Astarossa auction in the principality. The 8 June auction is an all-Ferrari affair, with not just cars that wear the Prancing Horse but tons of memorabilia as well. That means everything from ashtrays to Enzos, but seven cars in particular caught our eye.
1981 Ferrari 208 GTB
The Ferrari 208 mostly sold in its home market, where the Italian tax man went after over-2.0-litre cars at a much higher rate. To build it, Ferrari de-bored the 308’s 3.0-litre V8 to just under 2.0 litres and fed it with four Weber carburettors. For 1982, Ferrari upgraded it with fuel injection and a single KKK turbocharger.
Because of its limited market, 208 production was limited, with about 300 naturally aspirated models and fewer than 700 208 Turbos built. This 208, done in Argento over Blu Scuro, boasts a recent belt service, and has a presale estimate of €75,000–€110,000 (£64,000–£94,000).
2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale A
The 458 was the last of Ferrari’s naturally aspirated mid-engine V8 models before being replaced by the turbocharged 488 in 2015, and the market for 458s is already strong. The higher-performing 458 Speciale is particularly desirable thanks to a thorough list of upgrades, including a bump up to 597 horsepower compared to 652 in the base “Italia” model. The 458 Speciale A (“A” for Aperta, or “open”) is at the top of the heap, because when the top goes down, the price goes up. Ferrari built just 499 Speciale As, and this Giallo Triplo Strato (“triple layer yellow”) example has a presale estimate of €625,000–€725,000 (£534,000–£619,000).
1965 ASA 1000 GT
It’s not technically a Ferrari, but this little ASA still has a deep connection with the company. By the late 1950s, Enzo Ferrari had successfully spun an automobile company out of his racing obsession, but his road cars were very expensive and he envisioned a product that would compete at lower, more accessible price points. So, Ferrari built a new 850cc engine – essentially a scaled-down, four-cylinder version of the Colombo 250 V12. Rather than place the little engine under a Prancing Horse badge, however, Ferrari sold production rights to the De Nora Electrochemical Group, which then established Autocostruzioni Societa per Azioni, a.k.a. ASA, to build the car.
Engine displacement was enlarged to 1032cc with 97 horsepower, and it was installed in a tubular chassis. The ASA also came with four-wheel disc brakes and it was a capable performer for its size, while a young Giorgetto Giugiaro penned a lovely fastback body. In part thanks to its high cost, though, the ASA was not a big seller and fewer than 100 coupes are thought to have been built. This one, which sold new in France, has a presale estimate of €75 000–€125 000 (£64,000–£107,000).
1965 Ferrari 275 GTS
Built from 1964 to ’66, the 275 GTS is mechanically almost identical to the 275 GTB coupe, but cosmetically its Pininfarina body is distinct. Ferrari built 200 examples, and this one is represented as the 29th. When 275 GTSs do pop up for sale they typically bring prices in the low-£1 million range, and this Blu Chiaro over Blu Scuro car has a presale estimate of €1,550,000–€1,800,000 (£1,323,000–£1,537,000).
1972 Ferrari 365 GTC/4 Spider
The 365 GTC/4 was both mechanically and visually quite similar to the better-known 365 GTB/4 “Daytona”. In the GTC, though, the 4.4-litre V12 was detuned and the five-speed was mounted to the engine rather than the transaxle as it was in the Daytona. It was an all-around more comfortable car as well, with softer suspension, power steering, and a longer body with two small rear seats.
And, unlike the Daytona, Ferrari never offered the GTC/4 as anything but a coupe. That didn’t stop people from wanting a little wind in their hair, and this one is reportedly one of four GTC/4s transformed into convertibles by Claudio Zampolli, who later went on to build the 16-cylinder Cizeta supercar. This one also has some musical history, as it has been owned by both Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and Maroon Five vocalist Adam Levine. It has a presale estimate of €320,000–€420,000 (£273,000–£359,000).
1990 Ferrari 348 Zagato Elaborazione
The 1989–95 Ferrari 348 was a volume seller for the company, with nearly 9000 produced. Like any Ferrari, though, there were some rare variants, and with just nine or 10 cars built, the Zagato-bodied Elaborazione is the rarest.
Compared to some other designs by Carrozzeria Zagato, which are typically outlandish, the 348 Elaborazione is a bit more restrained, but it does have Zagato’s signature double bubble roof. Other changes include different, more open side intakes, a glass engine cover, triple round taillights, a rear spoiler, OZ Racing wheels, and a revised bonnet and front bumper. This car is reportedly the third one built, and it has a presale estimate of €350,000–€400,000 (£300,000–£341,000). Normal 348 tbs typically sell for under £60,000.
2002 Ferrari Enzo
When Ferrari introduced the Enzo in 2002, the company was in the midst of its dominant period in Formula 1, winning five constructors’ championships on the back of Michael Schumacher’s five consecutive drivers’ titles, from 2000 to 2004. The well-timed Enzo reflected the latest developments in racing and was highly anticipated as the newest of Ferrari’s halo models, following the F50 of the 1990s. Just 400 were built, and this is a one-owner example showing 7704 km. Its presale estimate is €4,200,000–€4,500,000 (£3,585,000–£3,841,000), making it the most valuable lot of this sale by a long way.
