Set to cross the block at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction on August 14, this exceptional 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series I by Pinin Farina is expected to command between $4 million and $5 million. As the 18th of only 40 Series I Cabriolets produced, chassis 0809 GT is widely regarded as one of the most original and meticulously preserved examples of Ferrari’s early open-top grand tourers.
Completed in early 1958, the car was built with several highly desirable factory features, including competition-inspired covered headlights, distinctive bumperettes, the absence of front fender vents, and smaller taillights—details shared with one of the model’s final prototype configurations. Finished in its original Rosso Metallizzato over Naturale leather, it was delivered through legendary Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti Motors and served as Ferrari’s display vehicle at the 1958 New York International Automobile Show, where it appeared exactly as it remains today.
Following its debut, the Cabriolet was purchased by Pennsylvania surgeon Dr. Paul M. Riffert, an enthusiastic Ferrari collector who later added several iconic Maranello models to his garage. In 1965, the car returned to Chinetti as part of a trade for a Ferrari 275 GTB before joining the celebrated collection of Norman Silver, one of America’s pioneering Ferrari enthusiasts. Nearly two decades later, it was acquired by noted Texas oilman, racing team owner, and collector John W. Mecom Jr., whose automotive legacy includes championship-winning Ferrari race cars and ownership of numerous historically significant Ferraris.
Since 1985, the Cabriolet has remained in the hands of its current owner, making this offering the first change in ownership in more than 40 years. Throughout its life, the Ferrari has benefited from remarkably careful stewardship, requiring only a repaint in its original factory color while retaining its numbers-matching chassis, Colombo V12 engine, gearbox, and rear axle.
Its extraordinary originality earned Second in Class (Postwar Preservation) at the 2023 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, underscoring its status as one of the finest unrestored Ferraris of its type. Having passed through just four private owners since new—each recognized as respected Ferrari custodians—chassis 0809 GT represents a rare opportunity to acquire a historically significant, highly documented, and exceptionally preserved example of one of Maranello’s most elegant early road cars.
Source: RM Sotheby’s
