Most rare collector cars sit still in a garage, with the even rarer occasion of being transported via trailer, only to end up motionless in someone else’s collection again. This process repeats as the car gains monetary value over time. And we understand the logic behind it, but as petrolheads, we have a strong belief that cars are meant to be driven. That’s how you keep them alive. This Prancing Horse, featured by Jay Leno, is a good example.
This 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder is owned by David Lee, a luxury jeweler and avid car collector. This is his 15th appearance on Leno’s channel, with multiple Ferraris in his collection featured before. For those familiar with pop culture and ’80s films, you might also recognize this car from its replica in the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
The 250 GT California features a 3.0-liter V12 triple-carbureted engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission. The car was designed by Pininfarina and handbuilt by Scaglietti after American importers wanted an open-top version of the 250 GT Berlinetta.
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Other charming stock features include the analog gauges outlined in chrome, a vintage three-spoke steering wheel, a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror, metal interior bits everywhere, and wire wheels. Of course, as expected of a car from this decade, the modern driver-assist systems and safety features we see in new vehicles today aren’t present in the 250 GT California, but that gives it a raw driving experience that’s hard to replicate.
As for the price, this one was mentioned to be at $18 million (around P1.112 billion). Huge amounts of respect to the owner for driving and keeping it on the road. If you want to see Leno and Lee cruise around the sunny streets of Southern California in this special roadster, you can watch the full video below.
