2011 Ferrari Superamerica 45

The Ferrari Superamerica 45 was delivered to Peter Kalikow as an individual expression of his long relationship with the marque.

History and purpose

The Ferrari Superamerica 45 was delivered to Peter Kalikow as an individual expression of his long relationship with the marque. Ferrari’s May 2011 release, preserved with original attribution, explains the 45-year commemorative brief and the car’s forthcoming Villa d’Este appearance. F-register identifies chassis 178976 and a one-car scope. A later Ferrari owner feature also names the commission. Its story connects a personal collection with a new piece of coachwork, making the name more than a revival of an earlier badge. The reference year follows the documented 2011 presentation.

Design and engineering

The blue car in the credited photograph shows a wide bright grille, a long bonnet and body-coloured wheels. The cabin is framed by bright pillars, while the roof and rear structure form a distinctive upper silhouette. The original release explains a rotating carbon-fibre roof and a newly shaped boot designed around its open position. Visually, the roof gives the car a very different presence from a simple soft-top conversion. Blue bodywork and darker structural areas separate its surfaces without a loud racing graphic. The photograph provides an approachable view of an unusually elaborate individual design.

Identifying the original configuration

Superamerica 45 belongs to its own commission. It should not inherit the 559-car tally of the 2005 Superamerica, nor be combined with the earlier coachbuilt Superamerica families. The register’s original chassis identity and the manufacturer’s release provide the narrower one-car reference. The number 45 records the client relationship described in the brief; it is not a cylinder count or a numbered series. Exact bespoke engine output is not reconstructed from neighbouring 599 derivatives. That distinction keeps the roof, body and personal history central without attaching another model’s performance table to this unique vehicle.

Collector context and preservation

The most useful collector comparison is with the 2005 rotating-roof Superamerica. Both make roof movement part of the body’s identity, but a limited series and an individual commission answer different design questions. For this car, commission paperwork and dated photographs of both roof positions preserve the specific solution. Paint, wheels and cabin material choices should remain connected to that original record. A later Ferrari collection interview adds personal context without replacing the construction history. Read together, those sources show how a long-term owner could turn a familiar grand touring idea into a separate, carefully resolved object.

Reading the evidence for this profile

The original source links below identify the programme and the historical statements used in this article. The photograph has its own creator and licence record, separate from the manufacturer’s vehicle history. Keep both when transferring this profile into a collection catalogue. A manufacturing tally describes how many cars belong to a defined original programme; it does not measure how many survive, how many are publicly visible, or how many retain all their original components. Those individual questions require dated chassis and restoration evidence. The reference year likewise describes the programme’s introduction or named historic configuration, while the supplied caption states the photographed setting and any established individual identity. This lets future research expand the car’s history without blurring the scope of the record already assembled here.

Specifications and verified rarity

Frequently asked questions

What is the Superamerica 45?

A single 2011 Ferrari commission for Peter Kalikow, distinguished by bespoke bodywork and a rotating carbon-fibre roof. The 45 refers to the client relationship.

What engine and transmission does it use?

599-family front-mounted naturally aspirated V12. 599-family donor architecture; exact bespoke output not asserted. These entries describe the documented vehicle or explicitly named donor architecture. They should be read alongside the body and programme scope, rather than transferred to every Ferrari carrying a similar badge.

Why is 2011 the reference year?

The title follows the documented introduction, public presentation or custodial model-year record explained in the history section. An individual delivery can occur later. Original workbook titles remain identity aliases when research corrects their year.

How should an individual example be identified?

Start with its chassis record and original configuration, then compare dated photographs, factory or commission paperwork and the service history. Model-level specifications explain the design, while the individual file establishes the identity and condition of the particular car.

What rarity or archive scope is verified?

Original 2011 Superamerica 45, register chassis 178976: one commissioned vehicle. Separate from the 2005 Superamerica series.

Who took the supplied photograph?

Bryan S via Wikimedia Commons, under CC BY-SA 2.0. The original file and licence links accompany the image. Retain that credit when the photograph is uploaded, exported or reused.

Related Ferrari profiles

• 2005 Ferrari 575 Superamerica
• 2009 Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta

Sources and photo credits

• Original manufacturer, commission or custodial record
• Ferrari: documented platform architecture
• Original register: chassis 178976
• Ferrari owner feature naming the commission

Photograph: Bryan S via Wikimedia Commons original file, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source-provided photograph supplied without local cropping, retouching or text removal. A source thumbnail is used where available. Ferrari Superamerica 45 photographed from the front; blue bodywork, bright grille and roof structure identify the bespoke configuration.