550 Barchetta or 575M Superamerica?

Superamerica. Hood on 550 is pointless.

 

There were 39 three pedal Superamericas out of 559 total, 33 of which were LHD. Odds of finding one very slim. SA is more up to date and powerful and useful if the weather is bad, Barchetta is more traditional and all are three pedals. Personal choice. The SA comes with F1A, an updated F1 system shared with early 612s, with min shift time of 180 ms. 575M, except HGTC, min shift time is 220 ms.

 

Many threads on this subject (I am not good at "linking", sorry), I went thru same process Jan '12 when searching, finding and buying B #37 nart blue/creama....at that time B was 140-220K and SA 190-260k......you are correct that pricing has equalized with respective movements of each car: B up, SA down. From here who knows? My car does have fhp and all other "options" (fire ext., lrg race seats, two-tone steering wheel/dash/stitching, luggage). Fast, gorgeous looks (imo) etc. and somewhat more rare than the "other" Barchettas b/c of the FHP package.....maybe 10% had fhp? Car is a keeper and I feel will always be in demand and appreciated.

For the SA, the Holy Grail is the gated 6sp (rare) w/ HGTC package (super super rare when combined with gated shift SA). We have seen three or four come to market with associated premium ($ mark-up) to more regular cars.

I would concentrate on an FHP Barchetta but be ready to pull the trigger if another gated 6sp/hgtc SA became available. Just one man's opinion,

Jack

 

On HGTC, somewhere between 30% and 40% is my WAG from limited data, so ~165-225 in rounded off numbers.

FHP was an option on the Barchetta, but I do not have any feel on the numbers. There were not that many 550s with the FHP option, but it seems to have been more popular with the Barchetta. Probably not really required with the more limber chassis and body, where more compliance might be useful.

The Barchetta was by far the most expensive Ferrari in 2001. The 575Ms that came out later that year and the 456M were ~$30K less expensive.
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Here in the States, there has not been that much, if any, of a price premium for three pedals on the 575M and Superamerica. Probably because many of the three pedals have minimal options. The few three pedal HGTCs are an exception now that everybody understands how rare they are.

 

F-chatters (Dom/Taz) may recall the blk/blk 6pd gated hgtc SA on offer approx 2010 by Steve Harris (dealer, Utah)....asking at time was 200- 210k or so, this was when I was starting my "quest".....I stumbled across this car early-on, did call the dealer to discuss and yet passed!! I knew it to be a "special" car, yet did not FULLY realize what had slipped thru my fingers......until several more months of searching. "...three pedal HGTC's are an exception.....how rare they are." Thus the SA 3-pedal/hgtc is "the one"......

Jack

 

I'd rather have the 550 Barchetta by a mile. They are all sticks, and they don't need a handling package to work right. Plus, the SA top is very complicated, which has lead to many owner gripes. If you GAVE me an SA, I'd sell it for a Barchetta.

Cheers,

George

 

Barchetta is a great car, one which I feel will continue to show favor among an ever-widening audience. But, the most rare front-engined v-12 open-top Ferrari (other than the NART 275....but close!!) is the SA gated 6-sp w/hgtc. I am NOT suggesting that in 40 yrs. such a configured SA will be worth anything close to a NART 275, but if rarity equates to price appreciation, it will have a shot at "greatness" (imo).

Jack

 

Yes, if I had the fiduciary responsibility to make a Ferrari investment with the money, I'd choose the stick SA with the handling package, but since I'd want to drive the heck out of it on sunny spring and fall days, I'll take the Barchetta.

Cheers,

George

 

Barchetta looks so much sexier imo.

 

I think it depends on your intended usage, the SA being clearly a more practical day to day proposition. I am biased, as I own a Barchetta and my reasons for buying it were simple, it is the last of the manual generation only V12 cars, is clearly a very special version of the standard car, and is very much a proper convertible open top. The like of which I doubt we will see again (458 Spider, 599 SA, 575 SA are more like targa/GTS than convertible.) But the SA is as I say more modern, maybe a risk with the complex roof judging by comment on here, but will feel more current maybe. Personally F1 changes , unless of the final GTO/Scuderia type will age cars quickly, and longer term that maybe a negative, so if a SA is your car, as others suggested, searching out a manual one will for sure pay big dividends

 

I bought my SA F1 a month ago with 2400 miles on the odometer. It now has 3000. I enjoy the car immensely.

What's all the fuss about Manual vs F1 tranny? I haven't had an opportunity to drive a 550/575 manual. That said, the Maranello is a Grand Touring car and don't see the need nor desire want to floor shift when driving it. To each their own I suppose.

 

The car you speak of went to Canada. It has since been sold privately for considerably more than 2X the 2010 asking price. I guess somebody HAD to have it...

 

Unfortunately, folks are getting educated on the the HGTC option for the 575s, but I have seen a couple of bargains. Last one I remember was an HGTC 575M that sold for $113K. Owner received, reported here, several offers soon afterwards for more than he paid.

 

For me it would be the 550B if you lived somewhere the climate allowed for some days driving a year with limited chance of getting rained on.

What would scare me a bit with the SA is the roof and if anything had to go wrong with it, I remember a thread here years ago where high dollar figures were quoted for a replacement of the roof.

I like to look at car from historical points of view, with the SA you buying in a legacy of some of the grandest touring cars ever built by Ferrari, with the 550 B you buy into the heritage of the 275 Nart and Daytona Spider.

Both are glorious.

 

I went through the same decision process two years ago and chose the Barchetta.

What really scared me about the Superamerica was not the 20-30k required to replace a delaminating roof, but the fact that in 10 or 20 years Superamerica roofs might no longer be available.

 

It would seem that of the several 'chatters on this thread that went "thru the process" B v SA, 90% arrived to the same conclusion....we all bought the Barchetta.....this car (imo) is truly the model that carries the DNA of the great spiders of yesterday.

Jack

 

wow.....as mentioned, this car has the potential to be REALLY expensive.....just not as "related" to the wonderful spiders of history, thanks for the info.

Jack

 

I too went through the 550B V 575SA process. Heart was with the B but tried a SA for good measure.
Visually I preferred the B and when driving the two I much preferred the B. SA felt more closed in and did not like the turrets. I do however get a bit peed off when it rains. After cleaning the car I am reassured that I made the right choice with the B. No I won't put the roof up.
Who knows what will happen with pricing, I have mine now so I don't really care and will not be in the market for a SA or any "non manual" Ferrari.
Just my thoughts.

 

I would think both possibilities would be damned scary.

 

I considered both the Barchetta and the SA and purchased the Barchetta. I love it. It feels light and incredibly responsive. Plus it has all the right Ferrari traits: V12, topless, stick, air scoop, numbered car and is red-black.

The SA's roof scared me off (I can't imagine the hassles of replacing the roof) and the look of the roof just didn't do it for me, although the hoops on the Bachetta are goofy too. To me the SA just had an old man's look to it that wasn't appealing (I am 62 myself!)

I had a Dino and sold it to get the Barchetta and have never regretted the decision. The build quality of the Dino didn't come anything close to the Barchetta. I realize Dino's are hot now but I simply don't understand the hype over them because to me it was ok but not like the Barchetta in ride and "soul."

While I hope the Barchetta appreciates in value in the future I simply am not worried about it because I do love to drive it and at the end of the day that is what it is all about anyway.