550: future collectible?

Yes. look at this months opinion in "Octane" .Even though lots were made,arguably one of Ferraris best.

 

Although the 12s depreciate faster, they rebound well. Take a look at Boxer prices. The 550 will do well because the cost of maintenance is lower than the TR or 355.

 

I was lucky enough to attend the reception at the Petersen Automobile Museum in Beverly Hills that opened its Ferrari at 50 exhibition at which the 550 Maranello was introduced to the U.S. The car simply blew me away. From every perspective there was not a line that was not flawless and I said to the friend who was with me that it was the most beautiful road Ferrari I'd ever seen, the clear successor to the Daytona. My mind hasn't changed.

Also lucky at the reception to meet Sergio Pininfarina and Piero Ferrari who was so gracious as to permit the photo below with my prototype 365GTC and me.

It may be some years but I rather agree with you that the Maranellos, 550 and 575, will at some point become true collectibles.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

P.S. I have a 575
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Totally share your views. I am Italian, had a 1990 F40 and 2000 black Maranello and I believe these are the two most beautiful modern era Ferraris made. The 550/575 is all about pure elegance and classic lines, with aggressive stylish details like the air scoop and side air vents. The center air intake reminds me of early racing Ferraris. The side air vents have a shark look. Also in my opinion, Ferrari with 4 tail lights look more classic than the new ones with 2. Finally, the new F12 is clearly inspired by some core proportions of the Maranello. This makes the Maranello look even more classic and connected to the original GTO flowing lines.

How many 550 and how many 575 were made? Based on your observations, will the original design 550 or later refinement/variation 575 become more desirable? Usually is the early version, like the Jaguar E type Mark 1. By the way, the reason I always loved the Maranello is that it reminds me of the E type which was my dream when I was 5 years old.Yes at 5 my dad's friend had one and I already was imagining myself driving it.

(Now negotiatinwg to buy a 575 in Bellevue or a 550 in SF. Keep u posted on the one I get)

 

What I like most about the 575 is the headlight's

 

The Barchetta definitely will be, followed by the SuperAmerica.

 

What I like most about the 575 are the optional modular wheels (that's why I bought a set of them for my 550! )

I agree that the Maranellos will become collectable classics in the future.
.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Problem is: the future can be a long time. The 250 Boano coupes were often referred to as the "Ford Falcon of Ferraris", and the 250PF coupes were not great investments either. I had a 330 GTC, a great, well balanced all-around Ferrari, but the prices of those in constant dollars hasn't done nearly as well as their contemporaries, the 275GTBs. It is a rare car that can beat the S&P500 (even excluding the maintenance and insurance costs), over the long haul. Now, the 4 cylinder Monza for $5300 I let get away in 1976, that's another and very sad story.

 

I cannot but believe this to be true....limited numbers, gated 6-sp front engined v-12 spyder with drop-dead georgeous lines from any angle but especially from rear and rear 1/4. pics do not do the car justice, in person is exponentially more beautiful. not only is the car a looker, it is a GOER too! imho, of course!!

 

I drive this old 1998 and it is a ton of fun. But, I don't ever think of it as any kind of investment. Art I do. But even there, I buy what I like, and some big names to fill gaps just playing around with art since 1968. In the $130,000 range or less I would get the 365 GTC 4
or the 330 in or below $130,000 before I would get a 430, 360, or even move up to the 599, 612, The boxer was $60,000 in 1987, in 1989-1990 before the crash the were pushing $250,000 now back down to $140,000. And the dino has blasted off, and the 365 Coupe is amazing it was $125,000 all day long in 2004-2005 now seems that they will hit $400,000

Free advice is worth what you pay.

Buy them and drive them, let the future take care of it's own bad self.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

+1

 

They will most definitely go up. The 550 will most probably be worth more than a 575 as well in 15 years time.

The financial part or the fact that it'll become a collectible is not why I want one though...it's a lust for one of the best, most beautiful cars to have rolled out of any factory since the 90s.

 

Which month and where des it say this in the Mag??

 

The very latest,this month,in auction opinions.

 

Guys and gals, these are production cars; FML reports 550 production numbers as either 3600 or 3707 and for the 575, 1,777 units. My old 1967 365GTC #10581 was only road Ferrari number 5,291 ever built in the entire 20-year history of the Company! That's fewer Ferraris than the entire nine-year (1997-2006) production run of Maranellos.

If either becomes collectible - and I believe they will, a good many years from now - the 575, having half the production numbers and being an improved and more powerful version, may be slightly more valuable.

But Patek has it exactly right. You might buy what was a production car as a collectible many years later when they are beginning to be "collectibles" but right now don't even think about the Maranellos as collectible. Just drive them and enjoy them.

Recall Napoli's (Jim Glickenhaus') epigram: Not putting miles on your Ferrari is like not having sex with your Girl Friend so she'll be more desirable to her next Boy Friend.

 

Well, I am a firm believer that the only "modern" Ferrari that will still look good in 50 years is the 550 (and possibly the 355). Design is for me very dependant on clean and simple lines, and the new cars from Maranello seem to try too hard. Which is why I've started looking for a good one to sit next to the Dino.

In addition, I have trouble seeing any car with digital displays / sat nav screens etc becoming classic - they simply do not age well.

 

Assuming you are including the 575, I agree with you entirely, phat. Both the 599 and the 612 just look too long, the new F12 a bit shorter, but in the effort to place so much more weight on the rear axle in an effort to achieve race-car handling, the cars have a distorted appearance - and we won't even talk about the FF. As to the 355, it is the only one of the later mid-engine cars whose appearance I like. The subsequent 360 and 430 both look much too bulky for my taste; they have monster wide back ends. The 458 seems a bit less wide in the stern. Perhaps it is the fact that we almost always see them in rosso corsa, a bold color that makes them seem bigger. I just acquired a 355 last summer, perfectly beautiful car in a color I'd never heard of before, let alone seen: blu scuro micalizzato.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Beautiful.

 

lord, that car is drop dead gorgeous, ain't it, Ron? TdF blu and could be my 575 'cept I've got the shields that I probably wouldn't have ordered had I bought the car new. You might be able to tell the driving difference between a 550 and a 575 but I bet you'd have to be on a track and be a really skilled track driver to do so. I used to race many years ago and Judith and I had the Maranello on the track at Watkins Glen for the FCA Labor Day weekend event last month, but it was only for six or so 'parade' laps; still great fun.

 

Seth, that is a beautiful car. Love the color combination as well!

 

Thanks! My tdf 550 is kind of a "plain jane" one - no shields, black brake calipers, and carpeted rear shelf.
I have the original wheels stored in the garage, but like the car with the 575 modulars on it.

My car also has a nice rumble to it - I have the Braden straight dual mid-pipes and Tubi exhausts on it.

People have no idea how nice a 550 (or 575M) is to drive!
It is one of the better secrets in the world of Ferraris.
.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Same Bradan straight pipes with a nice Tubi finish in my Barchetta; NART Blue/Crema w/FHP
what a blast to drive AND listen to.

Interestingly, the limited production number of Barchettas (448 worldwide) never seems to get much mention nor attention. Always soft-top discussion though! (Similiar with SA and its perception of being "top-challenged".)

Thus, while I really do drive the snot out of my car, I maintain her lavishly--like any fine woman, attention must be paid!!

Barchetta's really have a lot going-on and for the so-called "future collectibility quotient"--with the here and now bonus of being a tremendously enjoyable car to drive.

 

Yes, a Blu NART Barchetta would be one of the best looking cars on the planet.
They are truly special cars.

I don't own one (yet?) but I do have the matching luggage for one! (we use the Barchetta luggage in my 550).

BTW, please post a few pictures of your Barchetta some time.
.