The Spanish government is auctioning a Ferrari 550 Maranello

As a general rule, depreciation spares no car regardless of which one it is, unless we are dealing with a special edition or a highly exclusive vehicle. However, brands such as Ferrari experience it to a greater degree, with the Ferrari 550 Maranello being a clear example of this. And we must not forget that we are dealing with an exclusive supercar with a naturally aspirated V12 of which only 3,083 units were built, all the more reason for it to catch our attention that the Spanish government is putting one of them up for auction.

To be more specific, we are dealing with a Ferrari 550 Maranello dating from 1999. In principle, it is in full working order, and its auction is being carried out through the BOE Electronic Auction Portal, a mechanism used to sell goods seized from a debtor to cover what is owed.

As for the Ferrari 550 Maranello itself, we are dealing with a unit first registered in Italy on 30 April 1999. Its bodywork is painted in navy blue, the interior is leather, and its naturally aspirated V12 is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. It is true that no photographs have been attached to the BOE listing, but there is a meticulous description of its condition.

This Ferrari has spent five years parked at the Sant Celoni Local Police municipal depot in Barcelona. It has neither keys nor documentation, so it has not been possible to verify the mileage or whether the 5.5-litre V12 still delivers, in full working order, the 485 CV 568 Nm of torque it produced when new.

On the positive side, neither the paint nor the chassis show visible damage, nor does the upholstery, which is simply dirty. The glass and the lights are in perfect condition, as are the tyres, although it will be advisable to replace them anyway given the time it has been standing. However, the battery is expected to need replacing, and both the gearbox and the engine will require a thorough inspection.

Despite its condition, the questionable state of this Ferrari 550 Maranello could scare off many bidders. But the truth is that the starting bid is extremely attractive, 27,665 euros to be precise, to which we must add an appraisal of 55,310 euros, a figure that, if reached, would still be significantly lower than that of the units currently for sale on the used market.