Ferraris, BMW M1 Procar in Sotheby’s Aug. 14-15 Shift/Monterey Auction

By Cyndi Paceley | 7.28.20 4:19 AM

Blenheim, Ontario, CANADA — Among the approximately 200 exceptional vehicles from across automotive history that will part of RM Sotheby’s online-only Shift/Monterey auction are two of the most sensational Pininfarina-designed Ferrari models of all time.

The 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast by Pininfarina was the undisputed flagship of the Maranello marque. Derived from the sleek Ferrari 400 Superamerica that preceded it, the 500 Superfast made its debut at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show, with a total of only 36 examples of the five-liter V-12 engined GT produced over a period of two years.

This spectacular example — the 11th of the 36 produced — was ordered by the late Lord James E. Hanson, a prominent British businessman and friend of Sergio Pininfarina. It’s finished in specially-ordered Verde Scuro with other factory special order features made by Lord Hanson intact: a longer and lower passenger seat for greater comfort and re-designed seatbelts. Further changes include the installation of Blaupunkt Koln stereo with electric aerial, an odometer that read in miles, padded footrest and seat cover for the passenger and the deletion of the ‘Superfast’ script, which Lord Hanson deemed ‘too flashy’.

A Ferrari Classiche-certified 1991 Ferrari F40 is a beautiful example of the supercar that broke the boundaries of speed, handling and on-track performance. Developed as a pure racing car for the road with an application in the ill-fated Group B rally series in mind, the F40 is powered by a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 mated to a five-speed gated-shift transaxle.

Also on the docket is the 1980 BMW M1 Procar, offered without reserve and boasting competition heritage throughout its life with period IMSA history. The car entered the 2010 Le Mans Classic and has spent time on the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in the hands of British racing driver Sam Hancock.