Cars
One-off cars commissioned by VIP people. When originality was possible
Explore the golden age of bespoke cars in the '50s and '60s, where creativity soared without safety constraints. From King Leopold III's Ferrari 375 America Plus to the Shah of Persia's Maserati 5000 GT, delve into unique rides crafted for the elite.
Our journey through the world of bespoke one-off cars, commissioned by wealthy clients, continues this week with its second chapter. These models began to grapple with the constraints of industrial production, moving away from the completely “bare” rolling chassis of earlier times __One-off cars commissioned by VIP people. When coachbuilders were like tailors__.
We are between the ‘50s and ‘60s, and the safety regulations were certainly not those to which today’s transformations are limited, allowing for greater creative freedom.
The first car of this kind was arguably the competition-ready Ferrari 375 America Plus, introduced by Ferrari for the 1954 season and produced in just 8 examples. In this case, the engineers still started from the chassis, #0488AM to be exact, which never raced and was built according to road specifications on the precise orders of Enzo Ferrari. But who was the client? None other than King Leopold III of Belgium. Pinin Farina crafted one of his masterpieces: a special cabriolet body finished in black with an ivory leather interior.
