Ferrari Icons

All posts in “Ferrari Icons”

More than you can afford … Ferrari

Who doesn’t remember those glorious words from the 2001 movie The Fast and the Furious when Brian and Dom take the bright orange 1995 Toyota Supra for a test drive and they encounter a black Ferrari F355 Spider, and Brian asks about the retail on the Prancing Horse … to which the driver replies ‘More than you can afford pall … Ferrari’?

I must have watched all of the FF movies several times, but personally, I still feel the first one is among the best of the series, and while at the time this clip was recorded, that reply was accurate, things have changed considerably since then, and today that Supra is multiple times more valuable than the Ferrari F355, especially one of the orange movie cars that was actually driven by Paul Walker, as one of those sold at auction recently for $550,000 … and that wasn’t even the hero car.

Chassis JT2JA82J3R0009030, the 1994 Toyota Supra, was built by Eddie Paul at The Shark Shop in El Segundo, CA, for the first movie, but it was this very car that was repainted gold to be used in FF2, later the original setup of Lamborghini’s pearl metallic orange was redone, but it didn’t get the engine mods like the real hero car, this specific car had a factory original 2JZ-GTE 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 with a 4-speed automatic.

Back to the famous drag race scene from FAST and FURIOUS, at the time this was a 19950 Ferrari F355 Spider, and she was driven by Neal H. Moritz, the co-producer of “The Fast and the Furious” franchise, initial MSRP was $137,000, considerably more than the customized Supra MkIV, even with all the modifications like a 2JZ 3.1 engine swap, a large Turbonetics T-66 ball-bearing turbo & Delta II wastegate, custom headers, a NOS system.

While obtaining a 1995 period correct Toyota Supra MkIV is already getting expensive, making her into an FF look-alike will be next to impossible as the aero kit and wheels will be extremely difficult to source, but with a listing on BringATrailer for a 1997 Ferrari F355 Spider, you might be able to own the ‘other’ famous car from the first movie, the black Ferrari.

It might not be the real car from the movie itself, but it is a perfect look-alike nonetheless, so it might be interesting to look into, with just two more days of the auction the bid is at $73,000, so that number might still go up before the virtual hammer comes down, let’s take a look at what you get for that kind of money in today’s market:

The Ferrari F355 Spider comes with a 3.5-Liter V8 engine powering the rear wheels only, with a six-speed manual transmission capable to spin those large 18-inch, five-spoke original Ferrari wheels. And this car is a so-called triple black one, a black body over a black leather interior with a black canvas top, aside from red on tan probably the most interesting color combination out there.

The Ferrari F355 is a Pininfarina design, and while the predecessor, the 348 came with the side intake streaks inspired by the flagship V12 Testarossa, the F355 returned to twin round taillights and a large side air intake almost carved out of the door skin, a very beautiful car, even almost 25 years later, after this model Ferrari came up with the 360 Modena, which for me personally just didn’t look as good as the F355.

The all-black, leather interior inside this specific car features sport seats and leather upholstery on the dashboard and door cards, while color-coded black carpets are protected by floor mats, there is even a period-correct Sony radio/cassette player … probably without Bluetooth, but this is a classic, and let’s face it, the music from that V8 just inches behind your ears is all the sound you need driving this lady with the top down, the moment you wrap your left hand on the thick leather steering wheel and put your right hand on the chrome gearshift lever … nothing else matters.

If you are interested in obtaining this movie car lookalike, head over to the auction at BringATrailer and possibly put in your bid, so you can make that famous statement “More than you can afford pall … Ferrari”, just make sure you’re not next to an actual FF movie car …

December 7, 2021 / Comments Off

413

The new Ferrari Icona: Daytona SP3

February 6, 1967, will forever be a date in Ferrari’s history that nobody could ever forget, it’s the first round of the 1967 International World Sports Car Championship, the legendary 24 Hours of Daytona, right at the heart of Ford’s racing team, Ferrari takes all three leading positions, a 330 P3/4 took home the victory, second place was secured by a 330 P4 while the third position was secured by a 412 P … the Prancing horse obliterated the competition during a time that is now considered as being the golden era of closed wheel endurance racing, those cars would become a reference for the next generation of engineers and designers.

In 2018 Ferrari created the first of their Icona series to pay tribute to this amazing feat in 1967, to celebrate the 1-2-3 finish these were called the Monza SP1 and SP2, but today, November 20, 2021, Ferrari unveiled the Daytona SP3, a limited-edition Targa model that was presented on the famous Mugello Circuit during the 2021 Ferrari Finali Mondiali.

The new Daytona SP3 design is clearly inspired by the legendary 330 P4 racers, while the Targa hardtop was taken from the sports prototype world, as an homage to cars from the sixties, the choice of using a naturally-aspirated V12 was obvious, mid-rear mounted, this beauty comes with 840 cv and a torque number of 679 Nm at 9,500 rpm, this is the most powerful engine Ferrari ever made for a road car.

And while the new Daytona SP3 has no active aero, they created the design in such a way this is the most aerodynamically efficient car ever made at Maranello, the chassis is completely made from composite material taken from Formula One technology, unseen since the LaFerrari, to keep the weight down as much as possible, the seats are an integral part of the chassis on this new limited-edition beauty, and she’s fast too, 2.85 seconds to reach 100 km/h from a standstill, just 7.4 seconds before 200 km/h flies by.

The engine chosen for the Daytona SP3 comes from the magnificent 812 Competizione, but for this model, the V12 was moved to the mid-rear position, at a 6.5-liter capacity this new engine is called the F140C and puts her power through a 7-speed transmission and comes with a host of improvements over the F140B unit in the 812 Competizione, polluting emissions and particulate formation have been reduced by 30% (WLTC cycle) compared to the 812 Superfast.

The Ferrari Icona series was launched in 2018 with the Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2, inspired by the competition barchettas of the 1950s while the Daytona SP3 takes inspiration from the endurance car from the 1960s, the Icona series celebrates Ferrari history by reinterpreting the timeless styling of the marque’s most iconic cars into the 21st century, these all boast exclusive solutions not seen in the rest of the range and are aimed solely at Ferrari’s top clients and collectors, proud ambassadors for the Prancing Horse marque.

November 20, 2021 / Comments Off

434

What does a white Ferrari Testarossa remind you of?

If I see a white Ferrari Testarossa, one TV show comes to mind, the hit series Miami Vice where after his black Ferrari Daytona (a replica based on a Corvette by the way) was blown up and Crocket received a confiscated black Ferrari Testarossa as a replacement, because the black car might have been recognized by thugs, the Miami Police Department decided to repaint the car to white on a tan leather interior, making this specific combination very popular next to the classic Ferrari red.

So when I spotted this BringATrailer auction for a 1987 Ferrari Testarossa, I immediately went back decades and remembered watching Miami Vice on the television one day a week, before I actually bought the entire DVD box with all seasons combined … yep, DVD was the best of the best at that time, I even had a VHS player at one point and several Lamborghini Countach posters on my bedroom walls, the counterpart for the Ferrari Testarossa that was built between 1984 and 1991.

One of the typical features on the white Ferrari Testarossa used for the Miami Vice show was the ‘flying mirror’, the single exterior rearview mirror that was mounted high up on the windshield sill, and only on the driver side … this mirror design was only used on very early production models of the Testarossa, in 1986 Ferrari switched to a more normal position and added a passenger-side mirror too, the car on auction right now is a 1987 model, so she comes with the two mirror setup, but she does have the tan interior too.

Remember we are looking at a car that is 34 years old now, chassis ZFFSG17A8H0072019 now shows about 47,000 miles on the counter and comes with a clean California title, styled by Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti, the Ferrari Testarossa comes with the massive side intake with ‘streaks’ that made this car instantly recognizable, and as we are looking at a supercar from the Eighties, we still get popup headlights with four lamps in total.

Naturally, we are looking at a five-speed manual gearbox delivering power to the center-lock Cromodora wheels in a mere 16-inch tall version, covered with Dunlop SP Sport tires at 225/50 and 255/50 to the front and rear respectively, a power which comes from the famous 4.9-Liter flat-12 engine with Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection, good for 380 hp to the rear wheels only, note that Ferrari already had a four-valve per cylinder setup on the Testarossa from the start, Lamborghini answered with the Countach Quattrovalvole in 1985, now with 455 hp.

On the inside of this Bianco Ferrari Testarossa, we find a natural tan leather interior, the seat bolsters have been redone so they look amazing again, this car comes with power windows, air conditioning, and that stunning gated shifter with the satisfying ‘clunk’ when changing gears while you admire the Veglia Borletti tachometer with her redline at 6,800 rpm, the speedometer inside this Testarossa goes all the way up to 200 mph.

When you open the front hood on the Testarossa you actually gain access to a rather large luggage compartment, trimmed in tan carpet, it can hold quite some material, with the engine behind the occupants, the front made for a nice space to fit bags or other paraphernalia, in style naturally.

This car is now listed at auction by a dealer who bought the car in 2020, the main service has been performed in 2018 by the previous owner that had the car located in California and Georgia before selling it to New Jersey, the Ferrari Testarossa is a classic supercar from a bygone era, together with the Lamborghini Countach and the G-Series Porsche Turbo, these three cars left a mark in the life of an entire generation, and those side streaks became a trademark for Ferrari at that time, using them on the 348 models too.

At the time of writing the bids went up to $95,000 at the BringATrailer auction, which does sound like an interesting deal on such an iconic car, if you are interested in adding this classic to your collection, you should head over to the listing now, as it will end in a matter of hours … good luck.

October 19, 2021 / Comments Off

1222

Rare Ferrari F40 up for auction

Imagine you are a wealthy individual back in the late Eighties, you’ve got some money to spend on cars, and you already have a nice collection of Prancing Horses in your garage you’ve all bought brand new since the Seventies when Ferrari unveils their F40 in 1988, the top of the line V8, a stripped-down, street-legal race car almost. So you think about it for a while, not too long, and you head over to your local Ferrari dealership to put your name on an order sheet … which is exactly what happened in Belgium back in June 1989, at the famous Garage Francorchamps, where this specific F40 got ordered, albeit with some creature comforts, the client requested the optional airconditioning and regular, wind-down side windows for practicality.

To make it even more interesting, business-wise, the car was put into a lease agreement for the owner’s company in mid-December 1989, making this a very late 89 model, but the story gets a lot more interesting when the lease is canceled in 1992 and the car is stored in a heated facility, never to be registered nor driven for the next 29 years, with just 1,790 km on the odometer, barely broken-in I guess.

Now we are talking about a ‘non-cat, non-adjust’ model of the rare Ferrari F40, one the most sought-after, pure versions of this legendary supercar from the Eighties, this was the car that came with a top speed in excess of 320 km/h, in 1988! Powered by a 3-Liter V8 four-valve per cylinder engine with dual IHI turbochargers, the F40 delivered 478 bhp in standard trim, while another 200 bhp could be added with a factory tune.

The Ferrari F40 took Formula One experience onto the road by using composite technology, the body was a single-piece molding that would be bonded onto a tubular steel chassis while the doors, front hood, engine cover, and various add-on panels were made from lightweight carbon fiber styled by the legendary Pininfarina with the entire front section tilting upward (much like the current Lamborghini Huracan STO) while most part of the rear section, including that massive, integrated rear wing, is also hinged at the back of the roof, and you didn’t even have to open the engine cover to admire that impressive V8 because the F40 came with a transparent cover so you could admire the engine ‘as-is’.

The Ferrari F40 was built up to 1992 as production reached 1,315 units, and apart from some special order models, all of them were left-hand drive and came in red, just like chassis ZFFGJ34B000083620 we now see listed for auction by Bonhams during their The Zoute Sale in Knokke-Heist, Belgium, where this very special Ferrari F40 has been hiding for so long, because this is such an important, early production car, the estimate on this specific car is set at €1,000,000 to €1,500,000 (US$ 1,155,000 to $1,734,000).

What makes these early Ferrari F40 even more interesting compared to the later production versions is the fact these are still the pure performance models Ferrari intended the F40 to be, uncompromising with a focus on speed and performance, without too much comfort and without electronics to watch your back when your experience can’t keep up with the car, these F40 were rather unforgiving. Later during production, the F40 got a little more refined, Ferrari added ABS, catalytic converters, and adjustable suspension.

Keep in mind this Ferrari F40 has been sitting in a garage for almost 30 years, the maintenance records even show the car was expected for her second visit in the Garage Francorchamps workshop when she reached 6,000 km, which they estimated would be 1993 … that didn’t happen as the car was unregistered since 1992, this probably means this is not a driver at this point in time. A major overhaul will be required, including some new tires for this beauty, but in return, you will be able to obtain a car so close to new the red seats show virtually no wear at all, neither does the entire interior, as matter of fact the entire car, both inside and outside, looks like she was just delivered a few weeks ago, this is a time-capsule Ferrari F40 and I’m sure the next owner will enjoy adding this beauty to the collection.

October 6, 2021 / Comments Off

480

The Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider

I’ve always been a fan of the Eighties TV Series, Miami Vice, and while the black convertible from the early seasons was only a kit car, it was intended to look like the stunning Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider from the Seventies, in the end, when Miami Vice became too popular they had to swap out that car for a real Ferrari, and the Vice cop received an impounded Testarossa, that was black when the ‘criminal’ owned it, but it was repainted to white because the good guys don’t drive black cars.

But back to the Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider, in the Seventies, the Spider was a Scaglietti build, and initially, only 121 of these Daytona spiders were built, many Coupe would later be converted into a convertible, which could make a Coupe the rarer car eventually, but this 1971, yellow Spider we’re admiring here was the 36th built of the original 121 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti, and to make her even more interesting, chassis 14863 was the actual 1972 New York International Automobile Show car, and she’s coming up for auction later this month.

That’s right, at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction in Florida to be held on 22 May 2021, this yellow over black classic Ferrari will pass the block, with an estimate between $2,250,000 and $2,750,000, adding this Prancing Horse to your collection will not come cheap, to put this evaluation into perspective, there is a 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta finished in the classic red over tan combination enlisted at the same auction, presented in her restored and carefully maintained condition, that’s only estimated between $500,000 and $600,000!

The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 was launched, and initially, there weren’t any plans to create anything else than a closed coupe GT, but Scaglietti and Pininfarina put their minds together to create an open-top design, the prototype was approved by Ferrari and the 1969 Frankfurt Auto Show the official Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider production model was unveiled.

In December 1971 this Giallo Fly (20-Y-191) over Pelle Nera (VM 8500) finished Spider left the factory in Maranello, this car was built for the US market, complete with instrumentation in miles and air conditioning, and in early 1972 it would be shown at the New York International Automobile Show, after which the car was sold to a long-time Ferrari client, Alfredo Ducato of Hillsborough, California. By 1990 the car was sold to to Herb Boyer of Burlingame, California who had it repainted in the original shade in 1997, at the same time the black leather interior was redone too.

This rare Ferrari would change hands several times more over the next years, on 26 January 2008, when Mr. Yassky owned the car, he showed her at the Cavallino Classic Concours d’Elegance in Palm Beach, Florida where she received the coveted Platinum Award, today, the car shows just 13,442 miles from new, and such a low, original mileage Ferrari Daytona Spider, that is also Classiche Certified, and a Platinum award-winning example, will not go cheap when the hammer comes down at the end of this month, but this might be the chance of a lifetime to acquire such an amazing car from Maranello.

May 3, 2021 / Comments Off

527

One-of-a-kind 1962 Ferrari 250 GT ‘Breadvan Hommage’

Remember the 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB that was built specifically to attack the factory 250 GTO race cars at Le Mans? Oh wait, you might know it better by its nickname: ‘Breadvan’ … a little offensive as this was one of the fastest race cars in the early Sixties. Read about this amazing car in detail in our earlier article: ‘1962 Ferrari 250 GT Breadvan’.

Back in 1961, there was a bit of trouble at the Ferrari headquarters, Enzo’s wife had a dispute with several high placed employees, and it caused many of them to leave the company altogether, among them Giotto Bizzarrini and Carlo Chiti. Both of them joined the largest Ferrari race team of the time: Scuderia Serenissima, owned by Count Giovanni Volpi of Misurata.

Scuderia SSS had two Ferrari 250 GTO on order for their 1962 racing season, a car that was developed with the help of Bizzarrini when he still worked at Ferrari … Enzo was zo angry with the latter going to work for Scuderia SSS that he canceled the order, so no race cars for the team … now what?

Giotto Bizzarrini and Carlo Chiti managed to get hold of a competition built Ferrari 250 GT SWB, chassis 2819GT, and set to work on creating a masterpiece. Adding dry-sump lubrication, lowering the engine into the chassis, and moving it 12cm to the back … but more importantly, they created a totally unique design for the body of this ‘Breadvan’.

Breadvan Hommage – photo copyright Niels van Roij Design

Piero Drogo and his coachbuilders modified the original 250 GT SWB body completely, a longer nose with aggressive air intakes, a transparent dome over the intakes, and the most distinctive feature: a roof that went all the way to the back, only to be finished in a vertical panel to the bottom of the car, taking the aerodynamic theory of Dr. Kamm to the rear of this car.

It turned out the ‘Breadvan’ would outperform the other Ferrari GTO at Le Mans consistently in 1962, rumored to be 7 km/h faster on the Le Hunaudières straight, beating not only the 250 GTO’s but also the 250 Testarossa models … sadly the ‘Breadvan’ wasn’t entered into the GT class at Le Mans, and even more unfortunate, it has to retire after four hours due to a broken driveshaft.

The ‘Breadvan’ would be entered in more races during the 1962 season, secured two GT wins and even set a track record, but Count Volpi couldn’t afford further development and ended up using her as a daily driver … all the time this car didn’t have any Ferrari badges mind you. The car would change hands several times over the next years, repainted in black at one time, restored multiple times during which the body shape got altered.

But in 2007, Dutch Coachbuilder Alwin Hietbrink took it onto himself to fully restore chassis 2819GT to her former, original glory, just the way she was made for the 1962 Le Mans race, complete with the V12 engine nr. 942/62E and refinished in original Rosso Corsa over a black interior with racing seats and multi-point seatbelt harness … today this unique car is valued at over $20,000,000.

But there is another option now … a customer of Niels van Roij Design loves this Italian one-off so much, he requested to have his very own coachbuilding project created, taking a Ferrari 550 Maranello and convert it into the Breadvan Hommage, at whatever cost … but trust me, it’s bound to be cheaper than getting the real deal into your garage.

The Ferrari 550 Maranello was built between 1996 and 2002, and little over 3,000 were built, but more importantly, the 550 was the first Ferrari V12 with the engine at the front after the 365 GTB/4 from the Seventies … every new Ferrari V12 would be a mid-engine model before the 550 was unveiled, so this was the perfect candidate for the Breadvan Hommage.

But the task of creating a modern interpretation of the 1962 race car wasn’t easy for Niels van Roij, as it involved restyling the entire donor car from front to back, including the interior, in the end, we’ve been told only the windshield remained of the original 550, and this mainly for practical reasoning in case a replacement would be needed, as the owner of this one-off intends to drive it regularly.

The entire project starts with sketches, various designs to show the customer, and goes back and forth until a final decision is made, after which that sketch gets turned into a clay model … on top of the actual donor car, that had been stripped completely by now and got a space frame skeleton to hold the clay.

Van Roij: “A car is a complex, three-dimensional sculpture, which has to look right from all angles and under different light circumstances. Like sketching, the clay modeling process is iterative and the Breadvan Hommage was reshaped many times, to get it spot on. After establishing the correct proportions the search for sophistication in the surfacing, or skin, started: finding the right subtleties for transitions from one element to another. It includes exterior graphics like the richly sculpted air vents on the front fenders. The body of the Breadvan Hommage was hand-beaten by coachbuilder Bas van Roomen. Bas also worked on the clay model of the Breadvan Hommage. Only the windscreen of that car remained OEM and it was painted in one of the eight specially designed reds.”

For the interior Van Roij just couldn’t leave the original 550 Maranello seats and dashboard in place, he did keep the base of the seats, as the donor 550 came with the rare, lightweight, carbon-fiber seats, but Van Roij replaced the upholstery with stunning blue Alcantara, as seen in many Ferrari 250 GTO of that era (little detail, the original Breadvan had a black leather interior…).

But he didn’t stop there … the dials were restyled with a font reminiscent of the one used on the Sixties, and the central tunnel, the lower parts of the door, and the entire headliner from the windshield down to the rear was made of black, quilted leather to recall that feeling you get in a true classic car.

That attention to detail continues on the door cards, you pull them close with a small, blue Alcantara section, but there is also a large, aluminum part on the door, left bare … no topcoat, no fine finishing, you can still see the hammer strikes to give you that raw, race car feeling … the same aluminum was used to shape the exterior by the way. Opening the door involves pulling a red cord inside this aluminum surround … back to basics for sure.

There is no word on pricing for this one-off, bespoke build, and Niels van Roij confirms there will not be a second Breadvan Hommage built, this car will remain a unique car on the road and on the track …

January 27, 2021 / Comments Off

430

Ferrari LaFerrari: Price, Specs, Videos, Images, Performance & More

Introduction

What happens when quite possibly the world’s greatest supercar and hypercar maker sets out to create its greatest model ever?

The Ferrari LaFerrari – that’s what.

Described at launch by company president Luca Di Montezemolo as “the maximum expression of what defines our company,” the LaFerrari was revealed at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

Limited to just 499 examples (although since an additional 210 Aperta open-top LaFerraris have been produced), the LaFerrari featured a Formula-One derived HY-KERS system – an electric motor teamed to a 6.3-litre V12. Some would shirk at the concept of a hybrid Ferrari, but while enhanced efficiency is a by-product of the LaFerrari’s powertrain, this was by no means Ferrari’s motivation with the system.

Following in the footsteps of legendary Ferrari halo cars as the 288 GTO, the F40, F50 and Enzo, the LaFerrari had its work cut out from the start. Add to that competition – yes, at this insane level of performance and prestige – from Porsche and McLaren with their hybrid hypercars, the 918 and P1, and this ultimate Ferrari model had a lot to deliver in order to stand out.

Design, Styling & Interior

The overall shape of the LaFerrari – inside and out – is dictated mainly by the car’s carbon fibre tub chassis. Up front, surfaces are kept to a minimum and what is there is minimised to aid aerodynamics, with every strafe and slice in the car’s bodywork having been optimised in the F1 Wind Tunnel. Ferrari sought to produce a shape with the highest degree its efforts have granted the hypercar with a drag coefficient of just 3.

Underneath the car, active aerodynamic features including diffusers and a guide vane team up with the rear spoiler to generate downforce, gluing the LaFerrari to the road or track. These active features are automatically controlled by the car’s computer brain, which analyses various parameters to adjust the systems to work optimally to the conditions.

Inside the LaFerrari, carbon fibre detailing dominates, with the two seats bolted directly to the tub. A bulky squared-off steering wheel greets the driver, with Formula-One inspired LEDs to indicate when to change gear and Ferrari’s now-familiar Mannetino drive mode selector nestled among the various controls on the wheel.

An in-house design team headed up by Flavio Manzoni handled styling for the Ferrari LaFerrari. Inspiration was gathered from the engineering team to ensure a form that reflected the functional elements of the car, as well as taking inspiration from various Ferrari racecars from over the years.

Performance

LaFerrari’s 6.3-litre V12 hybrid power plant produces 950hp (788hp at 6750rpm from the V12 and 160hp courtesy of the electric motor, which delivers the power to the differential). The car’s dry weight is a meagre 1255kg, and on a charge 0-60 is dispatched in under three seconds. Top speed is rated by Ferrari as somewhere north of 217mph.

Figures only tell a part of the story with this car, with the sensations and usability involved in that performance having been prioritised by Ferrari during the car’s development. Despite its obvious track potential the LaFerrari is reputedly fairly comfortable and compliant on the road. Ambling about town, the car’s double clutch automatic gearbox takes the onus of shifting away from the driver, while a surprisingly supple ride cossets the driver, despite the perceived harshness often brought on in vehicles fitted with carbon fibre tubs.

Get it to a track, however, and the LaFerrari will do its thing better than almost any other road car on the planet. Those who questioned the addition of the hybrid powertrain may be surprised to find out its fitment is mainly to help out on the racetrack – with lowered emissions just a byproduct of that.

The HY-KERS system ensures on-demand torque across the rev range, improving throttle response for the driver and making chasing that 9250rpm redline even more addictive.

Ride & Handling

Performance and track capability are almost a given in a car of this caliber, and those the LaFerrari has in cartfuls. Its really surprising party piece are its manners on the road.

Ferrari wanted the car to be usable on the road and its automatic gearbox is sedate and easy to live with around town as these systems go, according to reviews of this scarlet missile.

Visibility is good around the front three-quarters, while the ride quality is as good as you can expect in a hypercar with seats bolted directly to a super-stiff carbon fibre chassis.

Take things up a notch and the LaFerrari provides an involving experience, with the active aero and stability control system working in tandem to flatter the driver. Steering response is smooth and communicative; giving an enjoyable response on the road that also translates well to track driving. Many of the videos we have brought together include footage of LaFerraris in acrobatic tail slides, which the system allows to flourish – to a point.

On track, the LaFerrari impresses further with the full fury of the V12 and HY-KERS systems available to be exploited in a chassis that is more than up to the task. Gearshifts are reputedly so quick as to almost be seamless, and the balance of the package allows the car to simply erupt along straights and flow through corners.

Prices & Specs

If you’re looking for a LaFerrari, it will have to be used as the limited run of 499 hardtops and 210 Aperta open-tops all sold out, despite an initial asking price of around $1,420,000 for the coupe and no official price confirmed for the convertible.

Thanks to the exclusivity of this “ultimate Ferrari” prices have quickly skyrocketed to hilarious levels on the auction circuit, so if considering one then deep pockets and a chequebook long enough to fit at least six zeroes and a digit or two in front are a must.

Ferrari auctioned off the final “new” examples of the Aperta and coupe LaFerrari to benefit charity. The final coupe (car number 500) went for $7 million, in aid of reconstruction in Italy following 2016’s earthquakes.

More recently, the last of the run (210th) Aperta convertible broke records when it went under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s, fetching almost $10 million, with the proceeds of the sale going to Save the Children.

Ferrari LaFerrari Performance & Specs >
< Back To The Beginning

July 17, 2018 / Comments Off

730

The 18 Best Limited Edition & One Off Specials Ferrari Ever Made

The Greatest Limited Edition & One Off Ferraris

Let’s start with the obvious. All Ferrari models are special. Ferrari is already one of the most exclusive carmakers in the world and just about everything that Ferrari builds can be considered limited and unique relative to other carmakers. If you own a Ferrari or want to buy one, you are in good hands so don’t freak out if you don’t see your car on this list.

However, there is a group of Ferrari cars that are extra rare and so limited that they are often a production run of one. When it comes to Ferrari, some models are more special than others. A one-off Ferrari has distinctive aura about it. It is untouchable.

To date we have counted almost fifty special edition Ferrari’s, which we define as being very limited edition or one-off Ferrari car that was built purposely as a limited edition model. If we had to pick we would say that production is no more than a few dozen cars max. Ferrari has offered numerous limited or one-off editions of its vehicles over the years. Some limited editions were built with a production run of as low as five units while the one-off models were built for some of the company’s most exclusive clients or as prototypes to gauge feedback. We don’t count early Ferrari cars that were made in low production numbers because Ferrari was just starting out. We also don’t count the supercar and hypercars that Ferrari builds because they are all made in greater than 100 units volumes and were never designed to be one offs.

Often Ferrari would commission a special edition to commemorate an anniversary (they are doing that more often these days too). Sometimes the cars are designer and built in-house while other times Ferrari relies on its long time design and coach-building partners to take the lead. In the 80s Ferrari one offs became very secretive. Many of the one off Ferrari cars were made for people like the Sultan of Brunei and even today it is unclear how many were made. In recent years the custom and ultra rare Ferrari model has become a part of the official Ferrari offering. In 2007, Ferrari announced its Special Projects program that gave their most prized and wealthy collectors the chance to create their own projects. Before that custom made Ferrari’s were very secretive.

If you want to see the full list of one-off and very limited edition Ferrari cars then you can check them out here. If you want to learn about the greatest very limited edition Ferraris then continue reading because we rank the top eighteen below:

18. Ferrari F60 America

The Ferrari F60 America is effectively an open-top version of the insane F12. Designed to celebrate Ferrari’s 60th anniversary in North America the soft-top is based on the 6.3-litre V12-engined F12 Berlinetta and Ferrari says that all 10 were sold before it was even announced. The F60 trades in the F12’s hardtop for a lightweight fabric roof useable at speeds of up to 80mph. But the F60 America is actually rather more than just a de-roofed F12. There’s fresh aluminum bodywork, too, with deeper side strakes, extra bonnet holes and more pronounced winglets. Ferrari’s gave no hint on price so you can safely assume it to fall into the ‘eye-watering’ category.

Learn more about the F60 America

17. Ferrari SP12 EC

The EC in the Ferrari SP12 EC stands for Eric Clapton, as the legendary guitarist allegedly spent £3 million on this one-off creation. For a Ferrari enthusiast and great musician like Eric Clapton a one-off car seems totally appropriate. Designed to pay homage to the Ferrari 512 BB – of which Clapton has owned three – the SP12 EC was based on the 458 Italia.

Designed by the Centro Stile Ferrari in collaboration with Pininfarina and the engineers from Maranello, the SP12 EC was created as homage to Clapton’s career and his long lasting experience as a Ferrari owner.

Learn more about the Ferrari SP12 EC

16. Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe Vignale

Arguably one of the prettiest Ferraris ever created, the 250 Europa Coupe Vignale was presented at the 1954 New York Motor Show. Designed by Michelotti and built by Vignale, the one-off beauty is gorgeous.

In late 1953 Ferrari commissioned Vignale to create bodies for two of the early 250 Europa chassis as a bid for eventual series production. Vignale used a design with sloping fastback profile that was typical of their coupes at the time. After Paris, both of Vignale’s show cars were sold new to the United States.

Learn more about the Ferrari 250 Europa Coupé Vignale

15. Ferrari F12 TRS

Taking inspiration from the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa of the 1950s, the F12 TRS is the F12 Berlinetta’s extreme cousin. The one-off special edition retains the standard car’s V12 engine, but the car is stripped back to the bare essentials. Look, even the roof has gone.

The F12 TRS was developed at a client’s request as an extreme, two-seater, open-top sports barchetta. The F12 TRS is Flavio Manzoni and the Ferrari Style Centre team’s modern, innovative take on the legendary 250 Testa Rossa spirit and pays homage to it in its moniker. Like all one-off Ferraris, the F12 TRS is the product of Ferrari’s now-classic approach of creating a truly integrated design. From the leading edge of the typically sharp Ferrari nose, aggressively sculpted forms flow back over the bonnet, while a low, wrap around windscreen forms a long dark band of glass in contrast to the car’s body.

Learn more about the Ferrari F12 TRS

14. Ferrari Pininfarina Sergio

Originally designed by Pininfarina as a tribute to the late and great Sergio Pininfarina, Ferrari recently announced that it would be building six Pininfarina Sergios. If you’re reading this and you haven’t placed your order, you’re too late. Designed by Pininfarina, just six of this incredibly limited edition roadster are being built. The car was created to celebrate the spirit and core values of the historic Cambiano company in the 60th anniversary year of its collaboration with the Prancing Horse. Needless to say, Sergio was the only possible choice of name for the model, in homage to great Sergio Pininfarina, who sealed the unique, longstanding partnership with Ferrari.

Learn more about the Ferrari Pininfarina Sergio

13. Ferrari Superamerica 45

You know you’ve made it in life when you’re able to commission Ferrari to build a special edition commemorating the 45th anniversary of your first Ferrari purchase. But that’s exactly what a New York collector did in 2011 with the Superamerica 45. Highlights include a rotating one-piece carbon fiber roof.

Ferrari has revealed a one-off version of the 599 commissioned by New York-based art collector and property developer Peter Kalikow. Called the Superamerica 45, the new open-top car was created to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Kalikow’s first Ferrari purchase, a secondhand 400 Superamerica convertible. The design is bespoke, featuring a carbon-fibre rotating hard-top which incorporates a rear screen. The boot is entirely new to house the roof when open, and is now in carbon-fibre with a design optimized to reduce drag and increase rear downforce.

Learn more about the Ferrari Superamerica 45

12. Ferrari GG50

Technically this was a concept but we’re counting it as a one off special because it is so cool. Built to celebrate Giorgetto Giugiaro’s 50th year as a car designer, the Ferrari GG50 was based on the 612 Scaglietti.

“After fifty years and some hundreds of cars, just one was missing”, said Giorgetto Giugiaro to explain the GG50, the Ferrari he presented at the Tokyo Show after a half century in the design business. The name of the car is significant: GG50, where GG stands for Giorgetto Giugiaro, 50 the career goal he has reached.

All the mechanicals stayed the same but the body is all new and has been modified to a sleeker and sexier look. The other element that largely determines the new image is the decided tapering of the four corners that soften the contours of the car from above and that offer in three-quarter view a more compact feeling. The interior, which retains the same instrumentation but not the same dashboard as the 612 Scaglietti has been re-arranged ergonomically by working on a full-sized dummy. Amazingly, the concept – which was sketched by the great man himself – featured a hatchback and flat-folding rear seats. How very practical.

Learn more about the 2005 Ferrari GG50 Concept

11. Ferrari 575 GTZ Zagato

Only six Ferrari 575 Maranellos were treated to a Zagato body, but each one was unique and tailored to the individual needs of the first owner. For Zagato, the project represented an opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 250 GTZ of 1956.

The 575 GTZ has an all-aluminium body, and, as a tribute to Ferrari and to two-seater Italian sports cars, it has joined the exclusive group of cars that are the fruit of the tradition of custom-built cars. It sports two-tone paintwork with styling cues and volumes that explicitly refer back to the 1950s. The model is a sublime synthesis of prestige and performance, elegance and sportiness, to the point that it can boast the highest value of any car in the luxury period sports car market. The 250 GTZ has won numerous competitions and concours d’Elegance.

Learn more about the Ferrari 575 GTZ

10. Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta

Do not adjust your computer screen, this is indeed a gold Ferrari. The Pininfarina-designed P540 Superfast Aperta was commissioned by the son of the chap who invented cable TV. According to Edward Watson, it was “the most special Christmas present of my life”.

Edward Walson approached Ferrari in 2008 to produce a modern reinterpretation of the gold-coloured car he had seen in an obscure Fellini film. “I had always dreamed of designing sports cars,” Walson explains, “and when I saw this film the decision came of its own accord: one day I would have ‘my’ Ferrari.” In accordance with the Special Project’s approach to producing such individual one-offs, the P540 Superfast Aperta respects all existing international safety and homologation requirements and is thus road legal. The car was designed by Pininfarina and built in Maranello, and the client was directly involved in each stage of its development.

Learn more about the Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta

9. Ferrari SA Aperta

Ah, that’s better. Announced at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, the SA Aperta was a drop-top version of the Ferrari 599, with all 80 cars sold before it was unveiled. Is 80 too many for this car to be considered in our extra special limited edition list? Perhaps, but when it looks this good, who’s complaining?

Ferrari chose to build 80 SA APERTAs in celebration of Pininfarina’s 80th anniversary. The SA nomenclature also pays homage to both Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina whose company and work have been linked to the most successful road-going cars ever built at Maranello. The SA APERTA is a true roadster which allows its occupants to enjoy the superlative emotions afforded by our signature front-engined V12 architecture in a completely open-top setting.

Learn more about the Ferrari 599 SA APERTA

8. Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta by Zagato

You have to hand it to Zagato, for it knows a thing or two about creating Ferrari-based masterpieces. Using the 250 GT Tour de France chassis, Zagato transformed the race car into a more opulent affair. Five were built – a Berlinetta (seen here), Coupe Corsa, Competizione, Lusso and Prototipo.

Learn more about the Ferrari 250 GT Zagato

7. Ferrari SP38

The SP38 – which uses the chassis and running-gear from a 488 GTB – was built for “one of Ferrari’s most dedicated customers” who has a “deep passion for racing”. The SP38 is a modified Ferrari 488 GTB, with a cool louvered cover for the twin-turbo V8 engine and a much more dialed-back, daggerlike front fascia. We sampled the 488 a few years back and were monumentally impressed.

Learn more about the Ferrari SP38

6. Ferrari FX

The FX was like many of the Sultan specials in that it used then current production car underpinnings to support newer and sometimes better bodies, interiors and drive trains. In the case of our feature car, it was modified so extensively, a new name was needed to distinguish it from the 512M it started life as. Not only is this an interesting vehicle in detail, but it is the fourth in a series of seven nearly identical cars. Each car started life at Pininfarina where the new body was fitted to the 512 superstructure. It was fabricated out of aluminum and, where possible, carbon fibre was used for panels such as the hood, doors and wheel wells.

Learn more about the Ferrari FX

5. Ferrari F90

After almost 18 years, Ferrari acknowledged that the F90 existed and six were made for the Sultan of Brunei in 1988. The project was managed by Enrico Fumia, the head of the Research and Development department at Pininfarina. At the time, the project was top secret, so much so, Ferrari didn’t know of the project. Fumia styled the car and said the F90 name reffed to it being a “Ferrari of the ’90s.”

Learn more about the 1988 Ferrari F90

4. Ferrari J50

Ferrari does really know how to surprise us. Their introduction of a brand-new ultra-limited-edition targa version of the 488 named Ferrari J50 definitely came out as a big surprise to everyone in the automobile industry. This is a more powerful version of the 488 and in addition to that, the J50 comes with more style and exclusivity to immediately make a good impression out of everyone.

The company decided to give the J50 a power boost although in our opinion the Ferrari 488 don’t really need such kind of improvement but they still did it anyway. The Ferrari J50 is a special limited-edition car that it completely based on the 488 but packs with more power thanks to the 3.9-litre V8 cranked up to 681bhp – 20bhp.

And you say special limited-edition, it definitely is a limited-edition car with only 10 production units being built to honor the Ferrari’s 50th anniversary in Japan. This means that this is car is going to be sold at a considerably high price tag and that it will be sold out before it can even come out of the factory.

Learn more about the Ferrari J50

3. Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale

Two recovered 365 P chassis received special bodywork and this white supercar, built on chassis 8971 was one of Sergio Pininfarina’s first designs. It was built in a pair of cars ordered by Fiat Boss Gianni Agnelli, and one was prematurely displayed at the 1966 Paris Motor Show without its full running gear on Pininfarina’s stand. The 365 P was a radical platform for a new design study as it was intended as a Le Mans contender. Located midship, the 4.4 liter V12 which powered this car, produced 380 horsepower, and that was in detuned form.

Internally at Pininfarina the car was known as Coupe Ferrari 3 Posti for its unique three seat design. Much like the modern day McLaren, it has a central driver’s position with two seats at each side of the driver. This layout is advantageous because it gives a high level of visibility to the driver and maximizes interior space. Pininfarina’s exterior design lent many traits from the Dino prototypes which were shown in 1965. Because of its numerous similaries, and hefty engine, the 365P Speciale can be seen as one of the father cars to the 206/246 production cars.

Learn more about the Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale

2. Ferrari 458 MM Speciale

Designed in-house by the Ferrari Styling Centre, the 458 MM Speciale was built on the chassis and running gear of the 458 Speciale. The special client was looking for extremely sporty lines and specified a ‘visor’ effect for the glasshouse: a black-painted A-pillar, very much in the style of the 1984 Ferrari GTO, helps provide a wraparound solution between the windscreen and side windows which thus meld into single, seamless glass surface.

Finished in Bianco Italia and complete with a livery that pays homage to the Italian flag, this unique coupé features all-new bodywork, handcrafted in aluminium with composite carbon-fibre bumpers front and rear. The 458 MM Speciale also boasts a new side air scoop, one of the most distinctive elements in an extensive revision of the aerodynamic package. The radically modified aerodynamic solutions are already evident on the front of the car, where the bodywork hugs the coolant radiators which are more steeply inclined and mounted closer together than on the 458 Speciale.

1. Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina

The Ferrari P4/5 (officially known as the Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina) is a one-off sports car made by Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari but redesigned by Pininfarina for film director and stock exchange magnate James Glickenhaus. The so-called ‘Beast of Turin’ has an incredible backstory. James Glickenhaus was approached by Pininfarina to commission a one-off car. Glickenhaus agreed and demanded the car should be based on the last unregistered Ferrari Enzo. The car was initially an Enzo Ferrari but Glickenhaus preferred the styling of Ferrari’s 1960s race cars, the P Series.

The project cost Glickenhaus US$ 4 million and was officially presented to the public in August 2006 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elégance. Several websites were allowed to publish images of the clay model in July 2006. So impressed was he with the results, the then Ferrari chairman, Luca di Montezemolo agreed to have the Ferrari badge on the front.

Learn more about the Ferrari P4/5 By Pininfarina

June 28, 2018 / Comments Off

1157

Ferrari ‘Holy Grail’ Sold For Many Monies

They probably didn’t use Craigslist for this one, but a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO was sold privately for $70 million USD.

Sky News reported that one of the only 36 250 GTO’s in existence was rumored to have been sold to a classic Ferrari collector, David MacNeil. The founder of WeatherTech, those great custom-made floor mats for your car, purchased the vehicle which has a 3.0L race-proven Tipo 168/62 Comp V12 engine with six Weber carburetors and 300 horsepower.

This recent sale made this the most expensive car ever sold, beating the previous record set by another 250 GTO in 2013.

Meanwhile, I have issues trying to get a Best Offer on eBay… Such is life.

June 7, 2018 / Comments Off

666