Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB
1960–1963 · Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB — Grand Tourer, V12, designed by Pininfarina.
The Story
The 250 GT California Spider SWB is the open-top crown jewel of the 250 GT line. Conceived for sun-soaked American buyers at the urging of West Coast importers, the California Spider began on the long 2,600mm chassis (LWB, 1957–60), but in 1960 Ferrari moved it onto the shorter 2,400mm chassis borrowed from the competition-bred 250 GT Berlinetta SWB. The result, clothed in hand-formed Scaglietti coachwork, was tauter, more muscular and far more capable: a wider track, Koni adjustable shocks, four-wheel disc brakes and the latest short-block Colombo 3.0L V12. Just 56 SWB cars were built (1960–1963), one of the rarest and most coveted open Ferraris ever produced.
It is also one of the most valuable. The SWB California sits at the very top of the collector market — documented road-car sales from ~$5M for needier cars to $17M+ for the finest covered-headlight examples, and a stratospheric $25.3M for an alloy competition car at Pebble Beach in 2025. Two sales cemented its legend: actor James Coburn’s black car (chassis 2377 GT) sold to British broadcaster Chris Evans at RM’s 2008 Maranello auction for €7,040,000 — then the most valuable car ever sold at public auction; and the dust-caked Baillon ‘barn-find’ car (chassis 2935 GT), once Alain Delon’s, brought €16,288,000 at Artcurial in 2015.
Why it matters: the SWB California is where competition pedigree, open-air glamour, Scaglietti’s sculpture and Hollywood mythology converge. It’s the car the world pictures as a ‘Ferris Bueller Ferrari’ — even though the movie car was never a Ferrari at all.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Grand Tourer class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Pininfarina
Italy’s most storied carrozzeria and Ferrari’s principal design house 1952–~2012. Used as the credit where no individual stylist is documented (esp. 1950s GTs designed collectively in-house).
Studio Motors POV
The covered-headlight SWB California Spider is, full stop, the most seductive open car Ferrari ever built — the rare instance where racing hardware and red-carpet glamour live in the same body. If you can find one with honest provenance, it’s the bluest of blue-chip Ferraris.
The Engine
Ferrari Colombo V12
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About 250 GT California Spider SWB
Worth Knowing About the 250 GT California Spider SWB
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- • Only ~56 SWB California Spiders were built (1960–1963), and roughly 37–39 of those left the factory with the prized covered-headlight configuration.
- • The James Coburn car (chassis 2377 GT) that Chris Evans bought for €7,040,000 in 2008 was, at the time, the most valuable car ever sold at public auction — and reportedly the first to clear $10 million.
- • The famous 'Ferrari' in Ferris Bueller's Day Off was a fibreglass REPLICA (the Modena Design 'Spyder California,' on an MGB-derived body with a Ford V8) — not a real 250 GT California; Modena was later put out of business after Ferrari's litigation.
5 Fast Facts
- • ~56 SWB cars built, 1960–1963 — Scaglietti coachwork on the short 2,400mm chassis.
- • Colombo 'Tipo 168' 3.0L (2,953cc) V12, ~280 hp in SWB tune.
- • Roughly 37–39 of the 56 were covered-headlight cars — the most desirable spec.
- • Road-car values ~$5M–$17M+; an alloy competition car hit $25.3M at Pebble Beach 2025.
- • Two record sales: Coburn/Evans 2377 GT at €7.04M (2008) and the Baillon/Delon 2935 GT at €16.288M (2015).
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
James Coburn — owned chassis 2377 GT (built March 1961; acquired 1964); later sold to Chris Evans in 2008 (barchetta.cc / Petrolicious / Motor1). Chris Evans — bought 2377 GT for €7,040,000 at RM’s 2008 Maranello sale (RM Auctions). Alain Delon — documented owner of the Baillon barn-find car, chassis 2935 GT (first owned by actor Gérard Blain), sold by Artcurial in 2015 (New Atlas). (Bardot/Vadim ownership could not be verified → not asserted.)
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The SWB commands a clear premium over the LWB — competition chassis, disc brakes, more power, tauter looks. Covered-headlight cars are the connoisseur’s choice and value leaders (only ~37–39 exist); open/projecting-headlight cars are rarer in number but a tier below in desirability. The rare alloy-bodied Competizione cars are a separate, pricier universe (the $25.3M Pebble Beach 2025 sale). Expect $5M–$17M+ for road cars by condition/originality/history. Prioritise ironclad provenance, matching numbers and Ferrari Classiche; given the value, originality (as with the unrestored Baillon car) and documented chassis history are everything.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB
- Class
- Grand Tourer
- Production years
- 1960–1963
- Units built
- ~56 SWB (39 covered-headlamp)
- Variants
- Covered headlight, open headlight
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V12
- Engine family
- Ferrari Colombo V12
- Displacement
- 2953 cc (3.0 L)
- Power
- 280 hp
- Torque
- lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 6.5 s
- Top speed
- 145 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 255 hp/tonne · 8.7 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 4-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD (4-wheel disc) · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 2425 lb
Questions
250 GT California Spider SWB FAQ
What are the key specifications of the Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB?
The 250 GT California Spider SWB uses the Colombo 3.0-litre V12 producing approximately 240 hp in road specification or up to approximately 280 hp in Competizione tune, on the shorter 2,400mm SWB chassis. Ferrari produced approximately 56 examples between 1960 and 1963, all bodied by Scaglietti, in both covered-headlight and open-headlight configurations.
Why is the Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB considered more desirable than the LWB?
The SWB California Spider was built on the same shorter, stiffer platform as the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB, giving it a more dynamic driving character than the earlier LWB. It was also offered in Competizione specification with close to 280 hp, making it a genuine dual-purpose road and race car — whereas the LWB was primarily a touring machine. The SWB’s tighter proportions and competition capability place it above the LWB in most collectors’ hierarchies.
How does the Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB compare to the LWB version it succeeded?
The SWB California Spider is shorter, stiffer, and generally more valuable than the LWB, with revised bodywork on a 2,400 mm chassis (vs 2,600 mm LWB). While the SWB includes alloy Competizione examples, a small number of LWB California Spiders were also alloy-bodied competition cars — so ‘higher-output Competizione engines’ weren’t unique to SWB.
What is a Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB worth at auction?
SWB California Spider market has moved higher — Classic.com shows SWB California averages around $16.8M-$17.0M as of 2026, and a 1961 SWB California Spider Competizione sold for approximately $25M. Documented competition history and alloy bodywork drive the top-end.
Can you source a Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB through Studio Motors?
Yes. The 250 GT California Spider SWB is one of the most coveted open Ferraris ever produced — approximately 56 examples combining Scaglietti coachwork with the stiffer SWB chassis and, in Competizione form, near-race-car performance.
The Ferrari Lineup
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575M Maranello ’02Enzo ’02360 Challenge Stradale ’03612 Scaglietti ’04F430 ’04599 GTB Fiorano ’06430 Scuderia ’07California ’08458 Italia ’09
599 GTO ’10F12berlinetta ’12LaFerrari ’13458 Speciale ’13F12tdf ’15488 GTB ’15GTC4Lusso ’16812 Superfast ’17Portofino M ’17488 Pista ’18Monza SP1 / SP2 ’18F8 Tributo ’19SF90 Stradale ’19Roma ’19
812 Competizione ’21296 GTB ’21Purosangue ’22Daytona SP3 ’22SF90 XX Stradale ’2312Cilindri ’24F80 ’24296 Speciale ’25
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