Ferrari
250 GT LWB California Spider

Why it matters

The long-wheelbase California Spider was Ferrari's first purpose-built open sports car aimed at buyers who wanted to race at the weekend and drive on the road. It was closer to the competition cars than the ordinary 250 GT cabriolet and became the base for the later short-wheelbase California, one of the most valuable open Ferraris.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Photos

Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.

• Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider (Wikimedia Commons search)
  Photo: David Merrett from Daventry, England · CC BY 2.0
• Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider (Wikimedia Commons search)
  Photo: Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England · CC BY 2.0
• Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider (Wikimedia Commons search)
  Photo: Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England · CC BY 2.0

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

The car came about at the urging of North American importers John von Neumann and Luigi Chinetti, who wanted a stripped, high-performance roadster; it entered the Ferrari range in the late 1950s. The open body was styled by Pinin Farina and built by Scaglietti on the Tour de France berlinetta chassis.

Early cars were successful in GT racing, with a class win at the 1959 Sebring 12 Hours and fifth overall at Le Mans a few months later. After 50 long-wheelbase cars, Ferrari moved to the short-wheelbase platform with disc brakes.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Genuine LWB cars have an elliptical-section steel tubular frame, double-wishbone front suspension, a live rear axle and drum brakes on all four wheels. The V12 was offered in around 240 bhp standard tune or 280 bhp competition tune. Headlamps could be ordered covered or open, and bodies were either steel or lightweight aluminium; all were Scaglietti-built. Because of the car's value, replicas exist, and a Caradisiac piece warns that the dashboard gives them away.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Gooding & Company press release – 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider Level B

   • 50 LWB California Spiders (of 106 California Spiders built 1957–1963: 50 LWB + 56 SWB)

   Accessed 2026-11-12
2. 2
   1960 - 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder Level C Ultimatecarpage.com

   • the lovely V12 was good for around 240 bhp
   • In 'standard' trim, the lovely V12 was good for around 240 bhp
   • elliptical section steel tubular frame
   • Suspension was by double wishbones at the front
   • a live rear axle
   • Drum brakes were fitted on all four corners

   Accessed 2026-11-13
3. 3
   Photos du jour : Ferrari 250 GT California Level C Caradisiac, archived capture · 2009-12-05

   • V12 en alliage leger est un 2953 cm3 developpant 240 ch a 7500 t/m
   • 240 ch a 7500 t/m
   • Sa boite a 4 rapports

   Accessed 2026-11-13
4. 4
   Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder Level C Wouter Melissen · ultimatecarpage.com · 2015-01-26

   • first California Spyders were fitted with all-steel bodies
   • Scaglietti could also cloth the car in a lightweight aluminium coach-work

   Accessed 2026-11-13