The Monterey car week is coming up and as part of the stellar lineup that sets the event apart from the rest, is the astronomically valued auction selection. Here are some of our favourite 1950s Italian classics that will be going under the hammer. 
Taking place between the 18th and 20th of August 2022, the RM Sotheby’s auction at the Monterey Conference Centre provides ample mouthwatering displays for automotive enthusiasts and purveyors of moving artwork alike. Some of the selections can tickle the fancy slightly more than others so we have decided to look at the top 3 1950s Italian classics that form part of the week’s festivities in a time where the beauty of simplicity formed an integral part of motorsport.
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1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider by Scaglietti
Starting with the oldest in the list is the 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider, handcrafted by the skilled artisans of Scaglietti, and offered from the Oscar Davis Collection. This blood-red, early Prancing Horse is estimated to find a new home for between $8 million and $10 million. This sizable sum of money gets the buyer a matching-numbers engine/chassis car restored to its 1954 Scaglietti rebodied configuration.
The Scaglietti moulded model, the fourth of twelve to originally be created, also includes a period racing history across Casablanca, Portugal, Sweden, and Finland. It is also a race winner, taking the chequered flag at the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans with Ferrari’s Lampredi long-block racing V12 engine propelling it through the gruelling endurance race.
Read more on the Ferrari 375 MM here.
1958 Maserati 450S by Fantuzzi
The newest car on this list of 1950s Italian classics also happens to be the most valuable with an estimate of between $9 million and $11 million. The 1958 Maserati 450S like the Prancing Horse mentioned above was also born in limited numbers to compete on circuits. Being the ninth of ten examples ever built, this creation came at a time when Maserati was in their motorsport zenith.
Powering the Italian classic is a V8 equipped with symmetrical side exit exhausts that end before the rear wheels while the iconic Trident of Neptune emblem sits within a low slung grille. The famous Carroll Shelby, before the icon that he is known as today, personally delivered this example to its owner when new.
Read more on the Ferrari 375 MM here.
1957 Ferrari 500 TRC Spider by Scaglietti
Sharing the same creators as the first model listed here, the 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC Spider was also bodied by the Scaglietti coachbuilders who shaped this two-toned race car with gentle precision and as such, is widely considered the most beautiful of the Testa Rossa designs. 
It wasn’t only its sleek looks that made the 500 TRC so special since this model boasts an impressive racing history too. For the estimated fee of $8 million and $10 million, the buyer will receive a successful racer that includes 30 starts and 18 podium finishes. The illustrious list also includes the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans where Richie Ginther and François Picard piloted the V12 of Enzo until a water pump failure forced a retirement.
