Why auto lovers are celebrating a new kind of old Ferrari

Among the classic cars to be featured at the annual event will be a rare 400 Superamerica Ferrari, believed to be the only such Ferrari built with an aluminum-alloy body. And perhaps most interestingly, it remains largely unrestored.

“The Ferrari is a dazzling example of an emerging kind of vintage car, where original condition, even with flaws in paint and upholstery, is valued over pristine restoration,” writes The New York Times.

This preservationist mentality is growing among auto aficionados, resulting in the creation of a new “preservation” class at Concours D’Elegance this year.

“Because this preservation class is happening at Pebble — and because these are Ferraris — the significance is huge,” David Gooding, president of automotive auction house Gooding & Company, told the Times. “It shows how much our ideas are changing about what a classic car should look like, how it should be maintained and repaired, and what it is worth.”