One-of-80 Ferrari SA Aperta Looks Like a Million Bucks, Should Fetch More at Auction

But what exactly is a Ferrari SA Aperta, you ask? Why, it was the roadster version of the 599. The latter preceded the F12berlinetta as the brand's front mid-engine and rear-wheel drive machine, which in turn evolved into the modern-day 812. Related to the 612 Scaglietti, of which a little over 3,000 copies saw the light of day between 2004 and 2011, the 599 was made from 2006 to 2012. Jason Castriota from Pininfarina styled it, and his work comprised the Maserati GranTurismo and Rolls-Royce Hyperion, among others.

During its six-year production run, the Ferrari 599 gave birth to additional variants, such as the 599 HGTE, 599 GTB 60F1, P540 Superfast Aperta, Superamerica 45, SP3, 599 GTO, and the SA Aperta, which was showcased at Paris in 2010. Created as an ode to Sergio Pininfarina and Andrea Pininfarina, with SA being an abbreviation of their names and aperta being Italian for open, it immediately stands out next to the 599 GTB thanks to the open-top view of the sky above. It has a removable soft top, trunk lid made of aluminum, carbon fiber C pillars, a slightly raked windscreen, larger cooling ducts up front, and lowered ride height.

Under the hood, the Ferrari SA Aperta uses a naturally aspirated 6.0-liter V12. It pumps out 661 hp (670 ps/493 kW) at 8,250 rpm and 457 lb-ft (620 Nm) of torque at 6,500 rpm. Those who are into the exotics made by Prancing Horse will tell you that this is the same lump as the one powering the 599 GTO. Back in the day, Ferrari quoted the 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) sprint in 3.6 seconds and a 202 mph (325 kph) top speed. The 599 GTO was quicker than that, with 3.35 seconds required to hit sixty-two miles an hour and a maximum speed of over 208 mph (335 kph).

Only 80 units of the SA Aperta saw the light of day, and one is about to hit the auction block next weekend. You are looking at chassis #181258, which was built to order for Sport Motor Group of Beirut, Lebanon. It was delivered in June of 2011, and on the 24th of October, the Swedish importer Autoropa supplied it to The Aurora Collection. Presented in Rosso Fuoco, a triple-layer shade popular back in the day with owners of the LaFerrari hybrid hypercar, it features Charcoal leather interior with red piping for some contrast. It has Rosso brake calipers, Giallo instruments, and the usual amount of carbon fiber.

Featuring Ferrari Classiche certification, this Ferrari SA Aperta still looks showroom fresh, even if it was made well over a decade ago. There is a good reason for that: at the time of cataloging, it had only 130 miles (209 kilometers) under its belt. This means it probably still retains some of that new car smell if you're into this stuff. Besides the SA Aperta, the winning bidder will also get the original owner's manuals, a tool kit, and a three-piece luggage set designed especially for this model.

Curious how much it might fetch? Ferrari SA Apertas have been seven-digit affairs for many years now, and there's no reason to suspect that this one will go for anything less than that. As a matter of fact, the auction house estimates that it will change hands for anywhere between €1,000,000 and €1,400,000, or ~$1,100,000-$1,500,000 at today's exchange rates. For an exotic set of wheels, that's a lot of cash to spend, but it could mean much more than that to the right collector looking to spruce up their garage with a rare Prancing Horse model that still goes like stink even when compared to the modern-day establishment.

Advertised by RMSothebys, this Ferrari SA Aperta will go under the gavel on May 20, part of their Villa Erba event. The vehicle is offered at no reserve, and it deserves a caring new owner to love and cherish it for many years. The question is, would you be the one to take care of it, assuming that money was no concern? For that ginormous sum, you could get a whole bunch of other exotics to thrash on weekends, not to mention a couple of great daily drivers, and you would still have some money left for insurance, maintenance, and gasoline. I may be no purist, so a brand-new Lamborghini Huracan, joined by a luxurious sedan and a proper 4x4, would do the job just right for me, thank you very much.