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TV and radio presenter Chris Evans turned up
at Goodwood last Sunday with his collection
of seven historic Ferraris that surprised
onlookers when they took to the "hill" as he
had resprayed six of these cars in matching
dazzling white as well as retrimmed each of
the interiors. Photos: Jonny White. |
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TV and radio presenter Chris Evans turned up at Goodwood
last Sunday with his collection of seven historic Ferraris
that surprised onlookers when they took to the "hill" as he
had resprayed six of these cars in matching dazzling white
as well as retrimmed each of the interiors. The BBC
presenter's cars in recent weeks have been taking part in a
tour around the UK dubbed the The Magnificent Seven
as part of a fundraising campaign for the BBC Children In
Need charity.
While six of the Ferraris showed up painted white, the
result of Evans' always questionable tastes, the seventh
car, which led the small cavalcade, was in its original
black, it being the
1961 Ferrari California Spyder formerly owned by actor James
Coburn. Ferrari enthusiast and collector Evans famously
bought in auction last year. This very rare car
exceeded all
expectations by selling for a world record auction price, at
the time, for
a vintage car at auction in the amount of 7,040,000 euros,
surpassing the previous record set at
Sotheby's Monaco in 1990 for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO at
US$10,756,000.
Many Ferrari aficionados consider the 250
GT SWB California
Spyder one of the most beautiful and functional cars ever
made, and at Goodwood last weekend where Evans' collection
was laid out in the Cartier Style et Luxe paddock on
the asphalt driveway that leads up to Goodwood House's
stables allowing for closer inspection, visitors to the
Festival of Speed were able to admire its lines, something
former owner the actor James Coburn certainly did. With body work
designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti, the car was
a collaboration between the very best.
This Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder,
chassis number
2377 GT is the thirteenth of just fifty-six built. It was
completed on March 5th 1961 and sold new through official
Ferrari importer Jacques Swaters’ Garage Francorchamps in
Brussels to first owner Fredy Damman. In 1964 it was sold,
again via Swaters, to actor James Coburn of Hollywood,
California. This would have been shortly after the end of
filming “The Great Escape.” Coburn had this car tuned up by
Max Balchowsky at his Hollywood Motors. Balchowsky was a
successful racing driver famous for his homebuilt Old Yeller
racing cars. His garage was a popular hangout for
Hollywood’s “genuine car guys” as McQueen, Garner and Coburn
were known and James Dean before them. Coburn would go on to
own other Ferraris including a 1967 412P. 2377 GT is in
wonderful condition, finished in nero (black).
In the
Cartier Style et Luxe paddock at Goodwood this year the
judging was as frantic as ever in this annual
automotive design concours, with Will Young, Jasmin Le Bon,
James Martin and many other star judges finally declaring
the stunning 1934 Hispano-Suiza H6C Xenia the Best of Show
against some very stiff competition. The fabulous Museo
Storico Alfa Romeo-owned Bertone-crafted Alfa Romeo Carabo
concept also emerged with outrights honours in its class.
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