by Mike Gulett –
The Ferrari 375 MM was produced from 1953 to 1955 with a total of 26 being made. The most famous 375 MM is this Pinin Farina custom commissioned in 1954 by director Roberto Rossellini for his wife, actress Ingrid Bergman. Rossellini also owned another 375 MM spyder, which sustained a crash and was rebodied into a coupe by Scaglietti.
The color of this custom Ferrari was also custom. Years later this color, “Grigio Ingrid”, became available for production Ferraris. Not only did Ingrid Bergman get a custom Ferrari she also has a Ferrari color named for her!
Roberto Rossellini, Giuseppe “Nino” Farina,
Ingrid Bergman and Enzo Ferrari
Ingrid Bergman’s 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta Coupé Special Pinin Farina parked outside the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Lake Como, Italy.
It must be great to have been able to buy a custom designed Ferrari for your wife. I’m sure Rossellini had no trouble selling this one-off Ferrari when Ingrid wanted something new, which apparently was right away. According to Supercar Nostalgia Ingrid Bergman did not like her husbands Ferraris nor his racing habit, she said;
Earlier I went to see his new Ferrari. It is a monster that does over three hundred kilometres an hour. I told him it looked like a flying saucer and it does. I sat in it for a moment and I put my fingers on the wheel in the sign of the cross like we do on the forehead of the children when they go to bed. I am sure Roberto does not know the effect it has on me when he roars off in one of these monsters.
This sentiment must have been discouraging for Rossellini but I am sure he persevered.
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
This was Best of show at Pebble Beach one year (mistakenly, I think). Basically it’s Pinin Farina’s interpretation of the 300SL, having little or nothing to do with his usual Ferraris. It is neither beautiful nor innovative and led to no further PF designs. It did give Harley Earl the “cove” side treatment detail used on the first Corvette C1 restyling in 1956.
its so lovely.
its everything i want in a vehicle.
big..easy..comfortable and gets stuff in and out.
and no body else has one.
i wonder if it ever was rock bottom price like most.
Perhaps not the prettiest Enzo era Ferrari, but very cool nonetheless and with a unique history. The hidden headlights were special for that time and the flying buttress rear roofline was a design cue that some cars, such as the ‘68-‘77 Corvette (and some other cars) had years later. Really, any Ferrari of this era is pretty incredible so this would be a wonderful car to own.
@Robert It did actually lead to a “Homage” to Scaglietti by PF from 2004-2010. With only about 3600 globally, it was a bespoke model. The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. Its a GREAT GT car. You can see all of the above mentioned design cue’s in this car.
Not seeing too much resemblance to the original…still very nice though.