1960 Riva Tritone ‘Speciale’ Cadillac Powerboat At RM Auction

During the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on Lake Como, Italy, on the 25 May RM Auctions will offer to the collectors and connoisseurs world’s most exotic and exclusive vehicles. Besides Ferrari, Bugatti, Rolls-Royce and others, the exclusive evening sale will include 1960 Riva Tritone ‘Speciale’ Cadillac Powerboat.

Wooden powerboats built by Carlo Riva from his yard on Lake Iseo reflects the spirit of la dolce vita in the 1950s and 1960s. Riva’s sumptuous, hand crafted wooden sports machines very quickly established themselves among the world’s elite, from royalty to movie stars, including the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Peter Sellers and Sofia Loren.

Achille Roncoroni was an industrialist from Como requested from Riva to build him a unique example of its range-topping Tritone model to be the largest and fastest Riva ever seen and that he should never build another custom boat thereafter. The Tritone ‘Speciale’ Cadillac, named Ribot III by its owner, lived up to Roncoroni’s expectations in every way. Her 8.3 metre hull remained the biggest for many years, and the 325 horsepower Cadillac Crusader Marine V-8 was the most powerful engine available at the time. New lettering was forged for the hull and dashboard, while the bespoke interior of blue, red, and white was specially crafted. The engines were finished in red rather than blue, and the inside of the hull was painted white, as opposed to the usual grey.

The boat was reaching a remarkable top speed of 96 km/h, establishing a new record for a Riva runabout powered by stock engines and propellers. This wonderful powerboat represents a unique opportunity for enthusiasts, investors, and Riva aficionados to acquire a truly unique piece of boating history. It is expected to fetch between $720,000 and $980,000 when it goes under the hammer at the May auction.

In addition to Ribot III, RM’s upcoming sale during the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este weekend will also feature a powerful 1956 Riva Ariston Cadillac. Named ‘Slughi’, it is one of just six Aristons fitted with the powerful 250hp Cadillac engine in 1956. Additionally, it was the second of just 19 boats built, of which it is today the only surviving example from that year. Having spent its entire life in Italy, it is freshly restored and estimated between $235,000 – $290,000.