Ferrari 225 Sport Spider Vignale

Vehicle Overview

In the early 1950s, Ferrari was making a name for itself on the world’s racing circuits, and among the cars that carried its banner were the 225 Sport Vignale Spider. Two such machines, chassis 0192ET and 0214ED, would go on to have storied careers, spanning continents, decades, and generations of passionate owners. Chassis 0192ET emerged from the Ferrari factory on April 22, 1952. Painted in dark red, with a flat grille, three chromed port holes, and distinctive air inlets, the car was delivered to Scuderia Ferrari. It made its debut at the Mille Miglia in May, driven by Mario and Franco Bornigia, but failed to complete the third stage. By August, the car had changed hands, passing to Pietro Palmieri in Rome. He would go on to claim victory at the Bologna-Raticosa hillclimb in October. Later that year, the car was sold to Giuseppe Viannini, a dealer based in Milan and Buenos Aires, who exported it to Argentina. Now repainted yellow, the car found a new home with José Maria Ibanez in Buenos Aires. In February 1953, Ibanez took it to third place in the Gran Premio Ciudad de Buenos Aires and went on to win the Premio Verano at Mar del Plata. Over the following months, the car changed colors again, now sporting a red finish, and continued racing, frequently finishing on the podium in events across Argentina. By 1954, Ibanez had teamed up with Rafael Sedano Acosta, and the car received a striking two-tone red-and-white livery. It remained a fixture on the Argentine racing scene, with Acosta behind the wheel, until it was acquired in 1956 by Juan Manuel Bordeu. Bordeu entered the car in several races, but by the late 1950s, it had passed into the hands of Luis Tula Molina, who repainted it green with a black hood, before selling it to Luis Escoda. Under Escoda’s ownership, the car returned to its red color with a white interior. Through the end of the decade, the car continued to race in Argentina, now piloted by Rafael Sedano Acosta, who competed in events such as the 1959 race at Parque de la Independencia in Rosario. In 1959, it was acquired by Alberto Luis Depego, who entered the car in endurance races, including the 1000km Buenos Aires in 1960. Over the next decade, it passed through several Argentine owners before being stored in Venado Tuerto from 1966 to 1980. In 1980, Hector Mendizabal brought the car out of storage, now repainted red with a central yellow stripe. Over the next few years, it changed hands within Italy, undergoing a full restoration by Carrozzeria Casella in 1983. The car made its return to competition at the Mille Miglia in 1986, driven by Giuseppe Bianchini. Over the next decade, it remained active in historic racing events, passing to Olivier Cazalieres in 1996, who continued to race it in events such as the Tour Auto, Le Mans Classic, and the Ferrari Shell Historic Challenge. By 2003, the car belonged to Emilio Gnutti in Brescia, who entered it in the Mille Miglia multiple times. In 2012, it was sold at RM Sotheby’s Monaco auction for €2.52 million to Leslie Wexner in the United States, where it continued to make appearances at events like the Cavallino Classic. Meanwhile, chassis 0214ED began its life in 1952, painted red with a flat grille and three chromed port holes. It was initially owned by Giovanni Caprara in Italy, but soon found its way to Ulster, where Bobbie Baird raced it, repainting it green and registering it under “165 XI.” The car had a successful run, finishing first in the Knockagh Hillclimb and Craigantlet Hillclimb and competing in the 9 Hours of Goodwood alongside Roy Salvadori. Later that year, the car was sold to Giuseppe Viannini, who exported it to Argentina, where it was driven by Carlos Lostaló. Under his ownership, the car achieved success, winning the Premio Gobernador Evans in Mendoza and competing in numerous other events. By 1953, it had passed to Horacio Durado, who entered it in the Buenos Aires-Mar del Plata race, where it suffered an accident. The car reappeared in the late 1960s, now driven by Carlos Secchi Murro at the Autódromo de Buenos Aires. By the early 1970s, it was owned by Lorenzo Barra in Argentina, before being acquired by Luciano Bollaert in 1986. Bollaert had the car restored by Mirabella Racing in Brescia and began entering it in the Mille Miglia. Despite an unsuccessful attempt to sell the car at Christie’s Monaco auction in 1988, it was soon acquired by Lynn Larson in the United States. Over the next decade, the car continued to change hands, undergoing an engine swap with a 212 Inter motor and eventually being restored by Symbolic in La Jolla. By the early 2000s, it was stored near New York City before being offered at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction in 2019, with an estimated value of $4 to $5 million. The two Ferrari 225 Spider Vignale, born in the same year and following parallel paths, experienced decades of racing, restoration, and rediscovery. From the streets of Buenos Aires to the hills of Italy and the circuits of Europe, they became symbols of Ferrari’s rich racing heritage. Their legacy continues, cherished by collectors and celebrated on the world’s greatest automotive stages.