There was a time in the not too distant past that Ferrari was the dominant force in Formula 1. Michael Schumacher and the Prancing Horse were winning seemingly everything, and it would be years before they became the butt of internet jokes and memes.
And back in those glory days, not only were they celebrating on track, they commissioned a special edition road car to celebrate those feats.
"Resale Red"...."Perfection"....no matter what you consider it, Rosso Corsa is THE Ferrari color.
Enter the 2009 Ferrari F430 Scuderia 16M. A one year only model, the 16M started life as a base F430 Spider, and was upgraded in just about every way: engine, suspension, interior, with optional carbon fiber bits available inside and out.
Home Simpson voice: Mmmmmm......carbon fiber....!
The engine received a 20hp boost while weight was reduced by about 200 pounds. The car also received enhanced aero dynamics thanks to different bodywork, which further sets it apart from the base street car it started from.
Now normally in the Ferrari world, an "M" in the model name stands for "Modificata" (Modified). In this case, it's "Manufacturer", with the "16" being the number of F1 World Championships the Prancing Horse had won, and to date, is their most recent. Sorry Tifosi (myself included), but let's be honest, it's been a while.
Only 499 of these wonderful machines were made, with about 120 making it to the United States.
Today, we look at one those 120, which is currently up for grabs on BringATrailer.
2008.....It's been a hot minute!
Immediately, we find it's a primo example. Finished in the iconic Rosso Corsa over a black cloth and Alcantara interior. A timeless combination, I like the fact the interior lacks leather. I find this extremely fitting to the car's higher performance nature, over the more street oriented F430 Spider.
Absolutely fabulous interior. Carbon fiber and Alcantara everywhere, yellow rev counter that matches the emblem on the steering wheel. Screen free controls. Some surprising wear on the HVAC knobs, but nothing that can't be made right.
The condition of that interior looks fantastic, reflecting the 3,800 miles on the clock. The contrasting red stitching fits perfectly with the red Engine Start and Manettino traction control switches, while also lifting the otherwise monochromatic interior color.
The front of the bumper appears to have kissed a driveway or two.
Outside, the car looks great, with the only real issue being the front bumper showing some driveway scrapes on the bottom. In the back, the rear carbon diffuser appears to be damage free, which is good, because I can only imagine how eye wateringly expensive one of those would cost to replace!
Such a good looking car. Who WOULDN'T want to own this?!?
What will be expensive to replace are those lovely Brembo Carbon Ceramic Brakes. They look the business and are proper race car stuff. Thankfully, carbon ceramic brakes have a long lifespan and since they only have 3,800 miles on them, that should leave plenty of time and mileage before they require attention.
Annual service completed. Car is good to go.
Speaking of service, it appears an annual service was completed last month to the tune of $2,719.26, a tiny fraction of the anticipated hammer price.
And what will that hammer price be? Well this is where you should probably sit up and take note, because the prices on these 16Ms are moving.
On BringaTrailer alone, a 3,000 mile example sold in 2022 for $390,000. In 2024, another for $441,000. And in August of this year.......$825,000! Yes, these cars are rapidly gaining price? But why?
Well, I think it's because the 16M is one of the last of it's kind and people have recognized it:
This primarily comes down to the drivetrain: a naturally aspirated V8 mated to a single clutch transmission. Ferrari is fully on board with turbocharging and hybridization, so you're never going to see these again. That high revving V8 is pure Ferrari and while the transmission is a tad clunky compared to a double clutch, I argue it just makes it more visceral.
Secondly, it's a relatively simple car. Yes, it has computers and such, but it lacks the giant screens of today's supercars. Mechanical dials and gauges are what you get. I look at Ferraris current lineup and yearn for something a tad simpler.
Lastly, it's rare: as mentioned earlier with only 499 were made, and approximately 120 coming to the United States, you're not going to see one very often. I acknowledge that rarity doesn't automatically guarantee desirability, but with the combination of all the above, it's easy to see why these are gaining value so rapidly.
My prediction is this particular one hammers around the same price as the one in August, as they're similar colors, condition, and mileage. It's pretty clear to me these are on their way to break the $1,000,000 mark pretty soon.
What do you think? Furthermore, would you buy one? Or does something else catch your eye at that price point?
