Florida man excited to find a beat-up Ferrari he could actually afford... then he saw the real price
Published on Aug 10, 2025 at 11:21 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Aug 07, 2025 at 1:59 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
A Florida man was excited to find a beat-up Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider sports car he could afford, until he realized what the full price was.
Instagram user Ryan of South Florida Cars managed to get a look at the Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider, and thought it would go for cheap.
The car was a complete wreck, having been burned out and rusted. It had been effectively destroyed in a fire, hence the state of the sports car.
However, as one of just 13 ever made and as only a handful still exist, that burnout wreck was actually pretty expensive.
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How expensive was the beat-up Ferrari?
The sports car was sold at an RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey in 2023.
It’s easy to see why Ryan thought it would be cheap.
Very little remained of the car, with the shell burned out and battered due to all sorts of crash damage.
The car also had a handful of accidents during its life.
This was because it was a race car that took part in famous races in the 1950s.
Factory driver Franco Cortese drove it in the iconic Mille Miglia, and it changed hands a few times over the years.
Ryan had a look at the car before the auction and saw it estimated to go for at least $1.2 million at a minimum.
This firmly put what was left of the car out of his budget.
Why the Ferrari 500 Mondial was so badly beaten up
During its racing career, this 500 Mondial had a tough life.
Over time, it changed owners and was involved in several accidents.
A US collector bought the car in 1978, and it was kept in its current condition in a barn with 19 other Ferraris.
It took several decades before it and its fellow Ferraris were found once again.
At the Monterey auction, this amazing car sold for $1.9 million in total.
Ferrari only made 13 of these Mondial Spider Series 1 sports cars in 1954, making them incredibly rare.
The car was designed by Pinin Farina and rebodied by Scaglietti.
That means, despite its beaten-up and burned-out condition, this Ferrari probably sold for the right price.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
