222.5 bhp, 2,953 cc overhead-camshaft Colombo V-12 with triple Weber carburetors, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension via A-arms, coil springs, and telescopic shocks; rear suspension via live axle, semi-elliptical springs, and hydraulic shocks; and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.

Wheelbase: 102.4 in.

If there are two words in the Ferrari vocabulary that get the blood flowing in any tifosi, surely they are “California Spider.” Considered by many to be the most beautiful car to come out of Maranello, the California Spider had the performance credentials to back up its stunning presence.

To the individual that was looking for a car that could be driven leisurely with the top down on Saturday, taken to the track and raced hard on Sunday, and with the requisite Italian style and flair only a Ferrari could deliver, there was simply no other option.

The story of the California Spider starts with Ferrari’s two United States distributors, Luigi Chinetti and John v...