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VINTAGE: A Rare Showing Of Ferrari Ghia
One-off SuperAmerica coupe was the last Ferrari custom-built by Ghia coachbuilders.
Wouter Melissen  | http://www.ultimatecarpage.com  |  Posted September 06, 2010   Pebble Beach, CA
The Ferrari SuperAmerica's towering tailfins were typical of Ghia's show cars in the mid-1950s. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
One of the most extravagant cars lined up at Pebble Beach last month was this unique Ferrari 410 SuperAmerica Ghia Coupe. It was the last Ferrari ever bodied by Ghia and took nearly a year to complete.

The 340-horsepower machine sports a design typical for Ghia's mid-1950s show cars with a very aerodynamic shape and big fins on the tail. As far as we know, this was the first time the one-off Ferrari has appeared in public for at least 20 years.

The SuperAmerica's appearance at the Pebble Beach concours was apparently its first public showing in more than 20 years. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
In the 1950s while Ferrari was busy building and racing cars, the factory found time to build luxury cars, which were truly in a class all their own. This by no means was a series production; on average, only one of these was constructed each month.

The first of these was the 342 America, first shown in 1952, fitted with a Touring styled body. The long-block engine was derived from the 340 America sports racer, but the chassis was a bit longer to increase the interior space. Only six examples were produced, of which the Pinin Farina examples are the most important. They were the first Ferraris designed by the Turin-based coach builder and started a strong collaboration that continues to this day.

At the 1953 Paris Motor Show, two new road cars were displayed, both using Lampredi's long-block V12 engine. The smaller of the two was the 250 Europa and its big brother, the 375 America. It shared its 4.5-liter engine with the marque's Formula 1 and sports car racers. This extremely powerful engine made the America the fastest luxury car in the world.

With production of the chassis already limited, the coach builders made sure that every one received a custom body. About 10 were built during its two production years, with Pinin Farina bodying the majority of them.

The SuperAmerica was part of a Pebble Beach display honoring the Ghia coachbuilders. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
Two years after the 375 America's production, Ferrari again showcased a new luxury GT at the Paris show, but in chassis form only. Dubbed 410 SuperAmerica, the completed car made its debut at the Brussels Motor Show a year later. The Pinin Farina designed body resembled the 250 GT competition car. Compared with the smaller Ferrari, the 410 SuperAmerica's 2,800 mm long wheelbase was 200 mm longer.

Power came from Ferrari's largest engine to date, displacing just under 5 liters. It shared this engine with the 410 Sport, designed specifically for a number of South American road races. In competition form, the engine was good for at least 400 horsepower and the 340-360 horsepower available in the SuperAmerica was more than sufficient.

Three series of SuperAmericas were created. In 1955, the first batch of 16 cars were produced and mainly bodied as a coupe by Pinin Farina. The last examples constructed shared the 2,600 mm wheelbase with the 250 GT racing cars. Only five were assembled in 1956 and 1957, and by that time were the only Ferraris still using the Lampredi long-block engine.

A new Pinin Farina body became available in 1958 and was fitted on another 12 cars. Using one of the shorter-wheelbase chassis, Ferrari and Pinin Farina constructed the stunning 410 Superfast, which was displayed at the 1956 Paris show.

The Ferrari SuperAmerica was one of the last cars to use the 340-horsepower long-block Lampredi V12 engine. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
Production of the Lampredi engine finally ceased in 1959, so a new engine was needed for the 410's replacement. First shown in Brussels in 1960, the 400 SuperAmerica featured a four-liter version of Colombo's short-block V12. It was the upscaled version of the 3-lter V12 that had scored so many successes in Sports Car and GT races.

Four years later, a final incarnation of the limited production luxury GT was introduced in the shape of the 500 Superfast, using a 5-liter version of the short-block V12. In 1966, the model was discontinued after 15 years with just 130 cars produced. Today, the America, SuperAmerica and Superfast remain as some of the most exclusive cars ever produced by Ferrari.

Of the 12 Series 1 SuperAmericas built, only three were not bodied by Pinin Farina; Boano clothed two examples and Ghia the other. The latter was commissioned by American Robert Wilke, a longtime car enthusiast. Wilke is best known for sponsoring Indy 500 entrants with his Leader Card Company.

The extravagant design was penned by Giovanni Savonuzzi and took nearly a year to complete. It was one of the Ghia show cars that at one point received the nickname Gilda after the film noir classic by the same name in which Rita Hayworth starred.

After taking delivery in 1956, Wilke owned the car for two decades. During that time, he added several other Ferraris to his collection as well. After passing through such prominent hands as John Mecom and the Blackhawk Collection, the last Ghia-bodied Ferrari was acquired by the current owner in 1991. This noted collector has a particular interest in special coach-built Ferraris and also owns the two Boano Series SuperAmerica.

The unique Ghia Coupe is only rarely seen in public, but in 2010 an exception was made for the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where Ghia was the featured coach-builder.

For a 12-photo gallery, see Ferrari Ghia.

Read more articles like this at Ultimatecarpage.com.

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Wouter Melissen

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