With the exclusivity and limited production totals of various Ferrari models, finding a limited edition version is rare. However, the company produced eighty examples of its 2011 599 SA Asperta as a tribute to legendary design house and coachbuilders Pininfarina. Our feature car has a known ownership history and has a genuine 8,670 miles showing on its odometer. It requires a new home, with the owner listing it here at RM Sotheby’s in London, United Kingdom. It will go under the hammer on Saturday, November 5th, with a guide price of £1,100,000 – £1,400,000 (US$1,260,000 – US$1,610,000). I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Araknid78 for spotting this rare Italian supercar.

Ferrari introduced the 599 in 2006 and classified the new model as a Grand Tourer rather than an outright supercar. Sale totals were respectable, but many enthusiasts didn’t immediately warm to its styling. The company has a long history of utilizing the legendary design house Pininfarina to devise vehicle styling. It felt that it was only fitting to produce a new 599 variant to celebrate the collaboration and mark Pininfarina’s eightieth anniversary in 2010. Ferrari desired to go beyond simply adding badges and other automotive “tinsel” to an existing model, producing a car with marked styling changes. These included reducing the windshield rake and removing the 599’s distinctive flying buttresses in favor of fins integrated with the roll hoops. Our feature car wears distinctive Giallo Triplo Strato paint, which is dazzling and provides a refreshing change to the traditional Red worn by many of the company’s offerings. It presents superbly, which is unsurprising considering it is a one-owner vehicle with a genuine 8,600 miles on the clock. The paint and panels are flawless, the glass is crystal clear, and the beautiful 20″ wheels allow plenty of cooling air to find its way to the enormous carbon/ceramic disc brakes.

Lifting the 599’s hood reveals what makes this classic a genuine supercar. Its engine bay houses a 5,999cc V12 powerhouse producing a staggering 661hp. The power feeds to the rear wheels via a six-speed semi-automatic transmission. Performance figures are all you would expect from a classic of this caliber. Although it tips the scales at what is considered (for a vehicle of this type) a hefty 3,538lbs, it can storm the ¼ mile in 11.1 seconds before winding its way to 208mph. Those figures eclipsed the “regular” 599’s thanks to the company’s decision to include a modified version of the 599XX exhaust and the faster-shifting transmission from the 599 GTO. Helping keep the car firmly planted on Planet Earth are upgraded shocks and a larger rear anti-roll bar. That brings me to a fascinating point about the 599’s engine and why these cars command stratospheric prices. A few years ago, I watched an excellent National Geographic documentary on the development and production of the 599. The part that captured my attention revolved around the engine construction. The engine block, cylinder heads, and many other components are cast from a unique aluminum alloy that is poured into hand-finished sand molds. Every part produced is x-rayed to ensure no flaws, and any rejected parts return to the furnace as raw material for later casting. Once the parts pass inspection, they are handed to a specialist who hand-assembles each engine after meticulously measuring part dimensions. The company allows a week for the assembly of each motor before dyno-testing to ensure it produces the specified power and torque and that there are no assembly issues. So, if you’ve ever wondered why Ferraris cost so much, that provides part of the answer. This 599 is in excellent mechanical health, having covered a genuine 8,600 miles. It has been appropriately maintained and is a turnkey classic ready to provide a new owner with a rapid motoring experience.

Considering its ownership history, the 599’s interior condition is unsurprising. It includes lashings of leather and carbon fiber, with both materials extending to the steering wheel. A tachometer dominates the gauge cluster, although shift lights integrated into the wheel tell the driver when to flip the paddles to change gears. This interior is as-new, with no evidence of wear or other problems. Ferrari produced several bare-bones models to maximize potential performance, but the 599 SA Aperta is a genuine Grand Tourer. Therefore, occupants receive air conditioning, power windows, power seats, a tilt/telescopic wheel, and a premium multi-media stereo.

Like all classic cars, Ferraris don’t appeal to everyone. Ownership is akin to gaining access to an exclusive club, and that exclusivity is heightened when it is a vehicle like this 2011 599 SA Aperta. Considering its condition, odometer reading, and rarity, I won’t be surprised if bidding passes the upper auction estimate before the hammer falls. The current sales record is $1,485,000, but could it surpass that figure?