Makes › Ferrari › 250 › 250 GT SWB California Spider · Rare production · 1960–1963 Extremely Rare
Ferrari
250 GT SWB California Spider
Short-wheelbase Scaglietti spider on the 250 GT SWB chassis; 56 built (plus 50 earlier LWB California Spiders); covered vs open headlamp split documented
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Photo: MrWalkr · CC BY-SA 4.0
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 56 Built
- Years
- 1960–1963
- Engine
- Short-block V12 (Tipo 168) · 2,953 cc / 3.0 LFactory: 2,953 cc
- Power
- Not yet verified
- Top speed
- Not yet verified
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Sergio Scaglietti
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The SWB California Spider put Scaglietti open coachwork on the 2,400 mm short-wheelbase 250 GT chassis with a wider track, Koni dampers and four-wheel disc brakes, and RM Sotheby's calls it perhaps the highest-performance open car of its era. Only 56 were built, following 50 long-wheelbase California Spiders, and owners included James Coburn, Alain Delon and the Aga Khan.
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 SWB California Spider (Wikimedia Commons: 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder s/n 2591GT)
Photo: MrWalkr · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider (Wikimedia Commons: 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder s/n 2591GT)
Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionSWB California Spiders produced | 561 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
The California Spider concept was proposed by John von Neumann and backed by Ferrari's North American importer Luigi Chinetti. After 50 long-wheelbase cars, Ferrari moved the design onto the 2,400 mm SWB platform; the first SWB car, chassis 1795 GT, was shown at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show. The SWB brought a wider track, adjustable Koni telescopic dampers and disc brakes on all four wheels, while power came from the short-block Tipo 168 V12.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard 250 GT SWB California Spider.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Tipo 1682,3 Independently researched |
| Layout | Short-block V12 (Tipo 168)2 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 2,953 cc / 3.0 LFactory: 2,953 cc3 Independently researchedStated in the Gooding catalogue for chassis 2383 GT (competition-specification example). |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Three Weber 40 DCL6 carburettors3 Independently researchedStated for chassis 2383 GT. |
| Power | Not yet verified |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | 4-speed manual3 Independently researchedStated for chassis 2383 GT. |
|---|---|
| Gears | 43 Independently researched |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Independent, coil springs3 Independently researched |
| Rear suspension | Live axle with trailing arms3 Independently researched |
| Brakes | Four-wheel disc brakes (Dunlop)2,3 Independently researched |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | 2,400 mmFactory: 2,400 mm2 Independently researched |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
SWB cars sit on a 2,400 mm wheelbase, which separates them from the 50 earlier long-wheelbase California Spiders, and have four-wheel disc brakes and Koni telescopic dampers. Some cars, including the first SWB, were delivered with covered headlights; Ferrari Classiche Red Book certification confirms original engine, gearbox, rear axle and body.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
RM Sotheby's Monterey 2024 – 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider by Scaglietti Level B
- 56 SWB California Spiders produced
-
2
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider by Scaglietti (Monterey 2024) Level C RM Sotheby's
- competition-specification Tipo 168 engine
- iconic Tipo 168 V-12 engine
- four-wheel disc brakes
- 2,400-millimeter short-wheelbase platform
-
3
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider Competizione (Pebble Beach 2025) Level C Gooding Christie's (Wayback capture)
- 2,953 CC SOHC Tipo 168 V-12 Engine
- Three Weber 40 DCL6 Carburetors
- 4-Speed Manual Gearbox
- Front Independent Coil-Spring Suspension
- Rear Live Axle with Trailing Arms and Shock Absorbers
- 4-Wheel Dunlop Hydraulic Disc Brakes
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