• Part of The Aurora Collection
• The third of 17 examples built
• Three podium finishes and two class wins among 23 race starts from 1956 to 1961
• First owned by Prince Gaetano Starrabba di Giardinelli before several years of Swedish ownership
• Chosen by the factory to promote Ferrari Classiche, and for exhibition at Ferrari’s 60th Anniversary Concours d’Elegance in Maranello
• One of the earliest Testa Rossas built, and the cornerstone of a legend

The progenitor of Ferrari’s legendary Testa Rossa variants, the high-revving four-cylinder 500 TR achieved its first major international victory at the 1956 Grand Prix Supercortemaggiore at Monza. Success continued throughout 1956 with more than 30 class and overall victories across North America and Europe.

Chassis number 0610 MD-TR is the third of 17 examples built, and in March 1956 the car was sold new to Italian nobleman and gentleman racer, Prince Gaetano Starrabba di Giardinelli. In just one year of ownership, Starrabba entered the 500 TR in no fewer than 10 races, finishing 3rd overall on two occasions, at the Giro di Sicilia and the Circuito di Sassari, and 2nd overall at the Circuito di Caserta.

In early 1957, Starrabba returned the TR to the factory and the car was updated to meet the new Appendix C regulations, including the addition of a wider windscreen and fixing points for a passenger-area cover. The Ferrari was then sold to Swedish importer Tore Bjurström, who loaned it to several local privateers over the following two years, achieving class wins at the Eläintarhanajo in May 1957 and the Midnight Sun race two months later.

After being leased to Carl-Johan Askolin’s eponymous scuderia, the Ferrari suffered an accident in May 1958 during practice for the Helsinki Grand Prix. A large portion of the coachwork was replaced, including the fitment of an aluminium nose in the style of the newer 500 TRC, created by a local craftsman under the supervision of factory mechanic Aldo Bertani.

In 1959 the Ferrari was sold to Holger Norrman, and he continued to campaign it in Swedish racing events before the car was parked indefinitely at a garage in Stockholm in around 1962. The 500 TR passed through the hands of at least two more Swedish owners by 1970, when it was acquired by Rétromobile co-founder Marc Nicolosi, who overhauled the mechanical components and began attending vintage events.

After being purchased by a second French owner in 1974, the 500 TR Spider was sold in 1978 to respected collector Maurice Sauzay, who regularly entered the car at vintage events such as the Mille Miglia Storica, the Targa Florio Storica, and the Monaco Historic Grand Prix. Passing to a final France-based caretaker in 1989, the Ferrari was sold in January 1994 to an Italian collector who retained possession for 17 years while regularly attending Shell Historic Ferrari Challenges at legendary racing locales such as Spa-Francorchamps, Le Mans, Mugello, the Nürburgring, and Pau.

Since being acquired by the consignor in 2011, the car has been driven sparingly while being dutifully maintained in a climate-controlled facility. Given its rarity, early build date, and importance as one of Ferrari’s most significant sports-racing models, this sensational Testa Rossa is eligible for some of the most exclusive vintage motoring events worldwide, and it should encounter a warm welcome at top-shelf concours d’elegance and marque gatherings. The visceral thrill of driving one of Maranello’s four-cylinder racing spiders is an experience shared only by a chosen few, making the rare public availability of this exquisite TR an unparalleled opportunity for serious marque collectors.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/ve23.