First Ferrari 458 Speciale A sells for $900k in Beverly Hills

Mon, 13 Oct 2014

The prospect of buying a new Ferrari convertible is by no means an affordable one, but prices can vary greatly. The California T, for example, sells for under $200k. The 458 Spider fetches over $250k. The new F60 America is said to have sold out at around ten times that much. But what about the 458 Speciale A?

We may have yet to receive official pricing, but one customer has paid a whopping $900,000 for the privilege of owning the very first one. Ferrari 458 Speciale A #1/499 was auctioned off at Beverly Hills City Hall on the occasion of Ferrari's 60th anniversary in America. The event, where the F60 America was also unveiled, was held in the presence of Fiat chairman John Elkann, Fiat CEO and Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne, Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa and vice-chairman Piero Ferrari.

Proceeds from the sale will benefit the American chapter of Daybreak, an Italian charity that has worked for the past 25 years to cure rare genetic diseases. The high bid tops that which recently won the first Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat – another extreme eight-cylinder performance machine from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles – although the Challenger itself sells for far less than any Ferrari does.

Ferrari Celebrates 60 Years In The USA With A Gala In Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills, 11 October – Ferrari celebrated its 60th anniversary in the USA with a lineup of musical performances, a thrilling auction, limited-edition car reveal, and a boisterous spectacle of fireworks behind a scenic Beverly Hills backdrop.

The Beverly Hills City Hall was bathed in rosso Ferrari with the emblem of the Prancing Horse displayed in grandeur on the building's façade. Mayor Lili Bosse opened the evening with a proclamation declaring the commencement of the festivities for Ferrari's 60th anniversary in Beverly Hills. The event was presided by John Elkann, Chairman of FCA, Sergio Marchionne, CEO of FCA and Chairman of Ferrari, Amedeo Felisa, CEO of Ferrari, and Piero Ferrari, Vice Chairman of Ferrari.

Auctioneer David Gooding brought the guests to their feet as he auctioned the first of 499 examples of the newest 458 Speciale A. The car sold for $900,000 with proceeds benefitting "Daybreak," the American branch of the Italian charity whose mission for nearly 25 years has been to advance research towards a cure for rare genetic diseases.

The 458 Speciale A wasn't the only Prancing Horse on display. In honor of the Ferrari's era in the USA, the limited-edition F60 America was unveiled to private guests of the black-tie event.

The evening commenced with a star-studded lineup of musical performances, including Italian conductor Carlo Ponti Jr. leading the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra, renowned violinist Caroline Campbell and Grammy-award winner Mary J. Blige. Notable guests were actress Megan Fox, TV presenter Mario Lopez, polo player Nacho Figueras and wife Delfina Blaquier, entrepreneur Robert Herjavec, director Michael Mann, and racecar drivers Derek Hill and Dan Gurney.

A lavish display of fireworks concluded the evening's celebration.

The festivities continue tomorrow with an exhibition of 60 of the most iconic Ferraris ever created on the famed Rodeo Drive. Highlights of the Ferraris to be displayed include the Ferrari 308 GTS ("Magnum, P.I"), Testarossa ("Miami Vice"), and Steve McQueen's Ferrari 275 GTB/4, the 2014 Pebble Beach "Best of Show" winner 375 MM, and the newest limited-edition F60 America.

By Noah Joseph