Completed: 1962
Originally delivered: Italy
Original colour: Grigio Scuro
Original interior: Blu Scuro

If there is such a thing as a formula for the ultimate luxury flagship, Ferrari had certainly mastered it by late 1961. Ferrari presented at the Paris Salon an automotive jewel both powerful and elegant. It is the breathtaking example of one of Ferrari’s quintessential vintage flagship models: the 400 Superamerica SWB Coupe Aerodinamico.

The Superamerica model had been consistently developed from its inception in 1956, evolving into a short-wheelbase chassis powered by a 4.0-liter Colombo engine with the introduction of the 400 Superamerica in October 1959. A year later at the Turin Motor Show, this exceptional mechanical platform was clothed in its definitive coachwork variant, a Pininfarina design initially called the Superfast II. The new body featured a protruding tapered nose, delicate fender curves, and a sloping rear fastback, emphasising aerodynamics through groundbreaking styling.

Ferrari approved the design for a limited production, and 15 examples were ultimately built in the body style now officially known as the Coupe Aerodinamico. It is worth noting that this coachwork style was not nearly as aesthetically balanced when transferred onto the long-wheelbase Series II cars that followed, making the first-series examples not only more maneuverable, but also more attractive in the eyes of many enthusiasts. Capable of athletic performance yet appointed for the ultimate luxury touring experience with sumptuous leather-upholstered interiors, the 400 Superamerica SWB Coupe Aerodinamico was the elite flagship of its day, and it remains one of the marque’s most celebrated models.

This SWB Coupe Aerodinamico in particular is almost painfully beautiful. It is built like a Rolls Royce, but has the performance of a Ferrari... and the rarity of a Picasso. The Superamerica represents the pinnacle of what Ferrari did achieve at that time as it sought to pursue the top-tier grand tourer market - proving the marque was about more than merely the greatest competition cars.

Under the bonnet is the larget-capacity Colombo V12 engine ever fitted to a Ferrari road car, measuring 4.0 litres with its two cam layout. The 400 SA V12 engine Tipo 163 was nothing else than a short block variant which were used in the race thoroughbreds 330 GTO and 330 LMB having had a maximum power outcome of 400 bhp. The Bill Harrah car tested by Road & Track achieved in the US in a road test on a Nevada highway a 390 bhp and a top speed of 290 km/h. This in 1962.

In the early sixties the Ferrari 400 SA SWB was the most desirable, fastest and rarest automobile which aroused interest by celebrities, industrial tycoons or just wealthy car enthusiasts. Among the customers who favored these limited-production Ferraris was Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata, the Italian nobleman who founded Scuderia Serenissima, one of the top privateer racing teams of the early 1960s. He purchased the one and only alloy bodied 400 SA SWB # 2809 SA which has been auctioned not long ago being sold for 6 Mio USD by Gooding & Company in Monterey.

Under the first early owners are names like Achill Lauro, Count Somsky from Switzerland, Shah Reza Pahlavi of Iran, Emperor Bao Dai of Vietnam, Pietro Barilla and Gianni Agnelli who bought the very first special bodied 400 SA SWB # 1517 SA which was exhibited on the Torino Auto Saloon in 1959. And last but not least Enzo Ferrari received his personal 400 SA SWB # 3097 SA.

Ferrari 400 SA Aerodinamico SWB # 3621 SA

The 400 SA SWB # 3621 was delivered by Ferrari in October 1962 to the Italian Ferrari dealership Crepaldi in Milan/Italy. The colour combination was reported by Ferrari as Grigio scuro and Blu Franzi hide. It was the last 400 SA SWB built with the open headlight design. Just one of only 7 cars which were built in this layout of its areodinamic design.

The first owner was Egidio Galbani which was not only a close friend from Enzo Ferrari but as well a steady client who purchased in 1956 his first Ferrari 250 GT Boano # 0521 GT, in 1961 a 250 GTE # 2257 GT, in 1962 a 250 GT SWB # 3639 GT and later in the same year this 400 SA SWB # 3621. He kept his 400 SA SWB not too long because it was sold again in 1966 through Crepaldi to its next Australian based owner Barry Batagol Melbourne/Australia.

Barry Batagol was a marque enthusiast who had beside his 400 SA SWB a Ferrari 750 Monza, a 365 GT/4 BB, which was preferably driven by his wife Cheryl and later a 512 BB. When the Ferrari prices following the passing of Enzo Ferrari in 1988 came to its first all-time high, Barry decided to sell his beloved toy through a Coys auction in Birmingham/UK in 1989 for astonishing 715.000,- GBP. In this time the overall and original mileage has been reported at 26 000 km.

It changed hands twice with Eddie Schah, Manchester/UK and later it came into the collection of the Ferrari collector Carlos Monteverde which is known for his enthusiasm not only to collect Ferrari but as well to appear with his cars on the race tracks of this world. He owned cars like the famous 750 Monza # 568 M the so called "Ice racer" and his 250 Testarossa # 738 TR.

In 1998 Carlos sold the 400 SA SWB through John Collins’ Talacrest again to Barry Batagol who obviously couldn’t sleep well without his beloved early Ferrari which he had bought in Italy in 1966. By this the 400 SA SWB moved a second time from Europe to Australia where it received a total mechanical check and overhaul. In the following years Barry took care of his beloved toy. There are some invoices and a list of work which had been carried out indicating the mileage in 1999 at 27 000 km and later in 2002 with 30 690 km.

In 2005 Barry parted again with his 400 SA SWB and it followed another shipping back to England where it received a major engine out service by well-known and famous Bob Houghton Ltd., Gloucestershire /UK.

It changed hands a last time in 2006. Since then, it has been part of our major Ferrari collection keeping it in its original condition with its original interior and its
original and unrestored engine compartment. Over the years we had rarely driven it in order to keep its low mileage at 34 000 km. I suppose we didn’t use it for more than 3000 km in nearly twenty years.

In 2023 we decided that it would have come the time to step into a serious and deeper nut and bolt restoration which took in the end two years and an amazing amount of work hours and effort to bring it back into a new condition or even a bit better. The result is amazing, the engine compartment is detailed and like new, the frame, suspension and underneath it looks like new. We have kept the beautiful Blu Franzi interior documenting the 34 438 km which it has covered from 1962 until Summer 2025. I suppose that it is the best preserved original interior of any 400 SA SWB.

The restoration finished in July 2025 is documented by hundreds of pics and an amount of invoices totaling at 240.000,- € or appr. 300.000,- USD. The result is clearly good enough to win any major Concourse d’Elegance on the planet.

After its restoration we have carried out a number of test drives. By this we can confirm that it runs, drives and sounds exactly as it should. The 400 SA Tipo 163 engine develops an extraordinary amount of power thanks to its roots coming out of the motor sport being used for the Ferrari 330 LMB and Ferrari 330 GTO. This is a real thoroughbred not to be confused with the normal 4.0 l engine being used as the Tipo 209 in the Ferrari 330 GTC. The original Tipo 163 4-speed gearbox is shifting gears perfectly and there is no vibration or noise coming out of the original Tipo 538 differential.

This is a complete different power unit which accelerates the 400 SA SWB tremendously.

Today the 400 SA SWB is in fabulous condition and seems to be with its 34 438 km one of the lowest mileage 400 SA SWB in existence.