Ferrari 212 Export Spider Vignale

Vehicle Overview

The Ferrari 212 Export Spyder Vignale, chassis 0090E, was a lightweight and high-performance racing machine tailored for competition. Built in 1951, it featured a right-hand-drive configuration and was finished in an elegant two-tone light and dark green over a beige interior. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti and bodied by Carrozzeria Vignale, the car exemplified the bold styling and aerodynamic efficiency that defined early Ferrari race cars. Delivered new to Italian gentleman racer Umberto Marzotto on March 12, 1951, 0090E quickly found success in motorsport. Marzotto entered the car in several notable events, including the Coppa della Toscana, the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti, and the Trieste-Opicina hillclimb, where he secured an outright victory in September 1951. The following year, Bruno Venezian took over driving duties at the same hillclimb event, finishing fourth overall and second in class. Marzotto continued competing with the car through 1952, achieving strong results in various Italian hillclimbs before Countess Gaea Pallavicini drove it to fourth overall at the Como-Lieto-Colle hillclimb in 1953. After its competitive career, the car changed hands in Italy, passing to Angelo Schirone in 1956 and later to Mario Camellini of Modena in 1959. That same year, it was exported to the United States, where it entered a new chapter of ownership and restoration. By 1964, Donald Beatty of Piedmont, California, had acquired the Ferrari, and in 1967, it was registered in New York under Thomas A. Oleson. The car remained in private collections for several years before resurfacing in 1989 under the ownership of John Ortega in Anaheim, California. Ortega actively participated in historic events, including the Mille Miglia in 1990. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, 0090E was carefully restored and frequently exhibited at prestigious concours. Reed L. Harmon of Palos Verdes, California, owned the car during this period, entering it in events such as the Cavallino Classic, Rodeo Drive Concours, and Ferrari at 50 Exhibition at the Petersen Museum. The car was also restored to its original single-carburetor configuration and repainted in dark metallic green. Jeffrey Fisher acquired the Ferrari in 2000 and continued its show career with multiple class wins and awards, including platinum honors at Cavallino Classic and first-in-class at Pebble Beach in 2002. Over the years, it remained a fixture at major concours, earning accolades at Villa d’Este, Amelia Island, and Mar-a-Lago. 0090E has been meticulously preserved as one of the finest examples of the 212 Export Spyder Vignale. With its rich racing history and concours-winning restoration, it continues to be a celebrated piece of Ferrari’s early motorsport legacy.

A second chassis was exhibited at the 1951 Geneva and Turin Auto Shows.