1955 550 Spyder Was Once Owned by Picasso's Son

Rolling Art

The Porsche 550 Spyder was an appealing machine to a number of famous folks in its heyday, including (most famously) Hollywood actor James Dean. But aside from its outstanding performance, the 550 Spyder was a beautiful thing, so it should really come as no surprise that this one, which is up for sale at Auxietre & Schmidt, was once owned by the iconic artist Picasso's son.

Photos: Auxietre & Schmidt

Trading Hands

This particular 1955 550 Spyder is chassis number 550-0050, and is one of just 90 examples produced. It was delivered new to the West Coast to its first owner, Jim Cook. Cook raced the car with C. Pitt Browne until 1965. By the mid-'80s the car had moved on to a new owner - Frank C. Cook of Las Vegas, who later sold it to European Auto Sales Los Angeles. By the late 1980s, the car was commissioned to receive a full and rather meticulous restoration.

Photos: Auxietre & Schmidt

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Famous Owners

In the late 1990s, French-based dealer Benoit Couturier purchased the car and sold it shortly after to famous Porsche collector and enthusiast Claude Picasso, son of Pablo Picasso. Picasso entered the car in the historic Targa Florio race and the first Le Mans Classic edition. He then sold the car to classic car enthusiast and collector Jean Guittard, who only kept it for 8 months. He later sold it to famous french singer Florent Pagny, and the 550 has changed hands a few times in the years since.

Photos: Auxietre & Schmidt

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Bit More Special

Despite its brief time on the track in the years since its restoration was completed in 1992, this 550 Spyder remains in immaculate condition. Remarkably rare, any 550 Spyder is notable in any kind of condition, but given this one's notable ownership history, it's just a bit more special than most.

Photos: Auxietre & Schmidt

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Perfect Combination

The tiny mid-engine speedster earned its nickname "Giant Killer" on the track by beating much more powerful foes. It accomplished that by combining a 1.5-liter air-cooled, all-alloy, "Four-Cam" engine with a supremely lightweight package that weighed in at around 590 kilograms, or 1,300 pounds. The result was an extremely spry vehicle that could still top out at 140 miles-per-hour.

Photos: Auxietre & Schmidt

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Joy to Drive

The 550 Spyder utilizes a mild steel tube frame construction fitted with double trailing arms and transverse-leaf torsion bars, and in this case, trailing arms with swing axles and tubular transverse torsion bars in the rear. With its high-revving, dry sump-lubricated powerplant, the 550 Spyder was a true joy to drive.

Photos: Auxietre & Schmidt

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If You Have to Ask

Thus, it's really no surprise that a car like this would endear itself to so many collectors, racers, and famous folks drawn in by its beautiful lines and supreme performance. But as one might imagine, the price of entry isn't cheap. Pricing for this special example is available by request, which means that it's not going to represent any sort of bargain. But given its many qualities, we certainly wouldn't expect it to.

Photos: Auxietre & Schmidt

>>Join the conversation about this famous 550 Spyder right here in the Rennlist forum!

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