One-Off Ferraris: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake. Photo by Dom Romney / Gooding & Co.

I long to play Caesar. Not on stage, but in real life, extending my thumb to the crowd to signal my approval or disgust over any number of things. Today, I’m mercilessly judging the world of one-off and super-limited Ferraris, from concept cars to Special Projects. Spoiler alert: most of them get fed to the lions.

Concept Cars vs. Special Projects

First, let’s draw a line between concepts and SPs. Concept cars are inherently experimental – a sandbox where designers, coachbuilders and engineers try out ideas that may or may not make it to production. Special Projects, though, are when Ferrari collaborates with an esteemed collector on an eye-wateringly expensive one-off, with generous input from the buyer. That’s where a lot of them go wrong.

The Winning Gladiator

2012 Ferrari SP12 EC – Absolute perfection. There just isn’t a line on this car that doesn’t make me smile. It’s an elegant, sophisticated and stunning modern tribute to a classic Ferrari, the iconic 512BB, and a fitting reward for an ardent celebrity collector. Guitarist Eric Clapton is said to have spent $4.7 million on developing and manufacturing this retro-modern V8 masterpiece, which sits on the chassis of a 458 Italia.

Caesar Approves

1966 Ferrari 365P Tre Posti Berlinetta Speciale

An epic name for an epic ride that still looks space-age. This car combined relatively subdued bodywork, some of which later ended up on the Dino, with a novel three-seat, driver-in-the-middle layout that debuted 26 years before McLaren “thought” of it.

1969 Ferrari 512S Berlinetta

Alfa Romeo Carabo. Lancia Stratos Zero. Lamborghini Countach. Between the end of the ’60s and early ’70s, everyone in Motor Valley tried to build the perfect pancake. Ferrari stepped in with the 512S, showed them all how it was done, and then got back to business.

2011 Ferrari Superamerica 45

Built for American collector Peter Kalikow and based on the 2010 599 SA Aperta, this one-off Ferrari is basically an approved limited-edition car with that cool flippy glass roof from the original 575 Superamerica. And it’s super sharp!

2014 Ferrari F60 America

Like the 2010 599 SA Aperta, the F60 America is essentially a limited edition open-top version of an approved production model – in this case, the F12 Berlinetta. And both are absolutely stunning, wildly expensive vehicles.

2015 Ferrari Sergio

I love the Ferrari J50 but felt I should give the real nod to its father, the 2015 Sergio. This beautifully designed targa-top looks compact and aggressive, yet deeply refined. I think it should have been a full-blown production model.

2016 Ferrari 458 MM Speciale

Like the Superamerica 45, the one-off 458 MM Speciale wins because the collector who commissioned it didn’t reinvent the wheel. With just a few pinches and cuts, the MM Speciale actually improves on the 458’s design.

The Superamerica 45, F60 America and 458 MM Speciale win because they gently iterate on approved road cars that already had a ton of R&D. The SP12 EC is basically the only ground-up Special Project that I wholeheartedly approve.

Food for the Lions

It’s hard to know who to blame when concepts and SPs go sideways: the designer throwing caution to the wind or the demanding collector who says, “I want this.” Either way, here’s my list of misses. There are many, so I won’t go too in-depth. Just a quick roast for each…

1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake

God, why? Just…no. Rule of thumb: If it will make an ugly Chevy, or hearse for that matter, then it will make a terrible Ferrari.

1969 Ferrari 365 GT Nart Spyder

Covered back wheels? Square headlamps? Surely this is a Ferrari in name only. I find this car to be an irredeemable mess and invite any and all counterarguments.

1988 Ferrari F90

One of the Sultan of Brunei’s many crimes again automotive humanity. So bad it was kept secret! It’s all swoops and ovals – not a straight line on the thing. And remember, his patronage also gave us the Mythos.

1989 Ferrari 328 Conciso

An amphibious Miata? I’d rather have a frog. This weird creation is actually from a German design shop and based very vaguely on the 1989 328 GTS. It’s unclear if the shop is still in business.

1992 Ferrari 348 Barchetta Competizione

It takes some skill to turn a track version of Ferrari’s least exciting modern road car into an even less exciting boy racer.

1993 Ferrari FZ93

Possibly a rejected design for the Pontiac Fiero?

1995 Ferrari FX

The Sultan is back for more. His secretly built FX looked like a Bugatti EB10 up front and God-knows-what in the back, with that hole-punched engine cover and tapered rear. The only good to come out of this experiment was an F1-style paddle-shift transmission, which made it to production four years later in the 355 F1.

1996 Ferrari F50 Bolide

I keep a file called “Bad ’90s Bodywork” for things like the 348 Barchetta and this, the F50 Bolide – a bulbous Italian NASCAR.

2000 Ferrari Rossa & 2005 Ferrari GG50

I’m putting these together because they have basically the same front-end, with weird slits for headlights. Thankfully they opened them up a bit for the 599.

2006 Ferrari 575 GTZ Zagato

I’m noticing a trend here. Maybe I just don’t like Zagato.

2006 Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina

Lots of people love this car, but James Glickenhaus is, for me, one of those collectors with more money than taste. His one-off P4/5, based on the 1967 330 P4 endurance racer, looks like a prop from Minority Report. He is, after all, a former film executive. Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus is now coachbuilding its own track cars and – surprise – I’m not a fan.

2008 Ferrari F430 SP1

This was the first time Ferrari invited an esteemed collector to its Special Projects program. Shockingly, the car was designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, the mind behind so many legendary Ferraris. It’s a rare miss for such a talent, but I find the SP1’s back third to be awkward and off balance.

Undecided

2014 Ferrari F12TRS

Sam Li (@mwvmnw on Instagram) is the son of a Chinese billionaire and has – at last count – infinity cars. Actually, two infinity, since he reportedly buys two of everything, including his one-off (two-off?) F12TRS inspired by the 1957 Testa Rossa and based on the F12. It has some cool design moves, like the exposed engine, and one of the two is painted liquid silver, but ultimately there’s something cartoonish about them that I don’t love.

2018 Ferrari SP38 Deborah

Built for Swiss collector and Corse Clienti racer Deborah Mayer, the SP38 made a splash at the 2018 Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este. Based on the 488, it features some sharp design cues from the J50/Sergio but I think its boxy backend and slatted engine cover could have been refined into something less busy, like the SP12 EC.

Join the conversation on Instagram at @drvnbydesign

Is The Ferrari 812 Superfast Too Powerful?

The Ferrari 812 Superfast is the latest creation of the Ferrari front-V12 GT cars. Those GT cars go all the way back to the 1940s when Ferrari revealed their first proper road car, the 166 Inter.

Words and Photography: Max Lammers

Silver exterior, Bordeaux interior

I met up with the founder of AARK Racing to take some pictures of their new 812 Superfast, which they acquired through HR Owen Ferrari and configured with salesman Garry O’Dea. The outside is finished in Grigio Ferro, a stunning shade of silver. The wheels are in black and most carbon options were ticked.

The inside, finished in Bordeaux, is a bit bolder: ‘’I really wanted something different, and when Garry told me I could, we went for it! I love the contrast with the rather plain exterior. I used to own an F12tdf which I bought in silver with black wheels and a full red interior. We had to pull some strings, but this interior is one of the first tailor made parts you can find in any 812 Superfast.’’

Is the 812 Superfast too powerful?

The Ferrari 166 Inter was intended as a luxurious way of driving from A to B. The ride was comfortable and it wasn’t as focused on performance as the GT cars of today. The V12 in the 166 Inter produced around 90 bhp and the car could reach a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph). The latest successor of that 166 Inter is the 812 Superfast, a proper supercar that packs 789 bhp and is capable of going 340 km/h (212 mph).

But did Ferrari went a bit nuts? In my opinion, no. Although the car lives up to its name, it really knows how to put the power down. I asked the owner to accelerate at a stoplight and was impressed by how well the car gripped the road. Both the engine and the tires were cold – we definitely left some tire marks – but we reached 108 km/h (67 mph) in under 4.5 seconds. In Central London.

Daily driveable exotic?

I asked the owner about his view on my statement: ”I think the 812 Superfast is very powerful but a person who buys an 812 expects that power, otherwise they coud buy a 488. I had the chance to take the 812 Superfast around Brno [Czech Republic] after I finished testing my 488 Challenge and it is really direct and well-balanced, especially when the tyres warm up.”

Like I mentioned in this article about the F12berlinetta, the 812 Superfast is no exception to the rule. You could drive this car to the track, drive it hard on the track and then grab some milk at the grocery store on your way home. I would need to spend more time in one to give a proper answer, but in the few minutes I sat in the passenger seat, the car felt like it had tons of performance potential, but couldjust as easily turn into a Grand Tourer with the switch of a button.

Thanks to AARK Racing for allowing me to spend time around this magnificent piece of engineering.

These Two Ferrari Collections Will Blow Your Mind

If you’re a frequent reader of our website, you’re aware that I divided my day with Ferrari 488 GTB owner Toby in two articles. This one is part two, so if you haven’t checked out the first part, click here and make sure to come back after reading it. This part will be about our visit to Simon Furlonger Cars and a private car collection in Kent.

Words and Photography: Max Lammers, Simon Furlonger Cars

The dream workshop

When we drove from VVS UK to Simon Furlonger Cars the weather was horrendous. Toby is a very good driver and performed some impressive accelerations along the way, but as you can see on the pictures it was almost impossible to get any good outside shots. When we arrived at Furlonger, the weather still hadn’t cleared up so we couldn’t take any cars out for a ride. There are some plans to collaborate with Simon Furlonger Cars in the future, so no worries!

We were welcomed by salesman Matthew Honeysett and after a drink, he showed us around the workshop and happily provided more information about the various cars. The yellow F48, for example is – disrespectfully said – a poor man’s F40. The Munich-based car tuner, Koenig, modified a stock Ferrari 348 TS with extensive bodywork and an upgraded engine. We wandered through the workshop and stumbled upon a 250 GT Lusso in for a service and Matthew showed us the roof mechanism of their 575 Superamerica. I always found the roof mechanism of this car impressive; it doesn’t fold in, the whole roof just flips 180° and rests on the luggage area.

Supercharged Ferrari 275 GTB/2

We then walked towards the proper showroom. And with proper, I mean real serious stuff. What to think about a Classische Certificated Enzo, a Classische Certificated F50 and the ‘’Colonel’’ 275 GTB/2. Although Furlonger is mainly focused on Ferraris, they also had the third Countach imported into the U.K., a Bugatti EB110 and a super rare Jaguar XJR 16. The latter was the more successful one of the two XJR 16’s Jaguar used in the IMSA Championships in the early 1990s. It managed to win four races in 1991 which resulted in a 3rd place in the Championship. The car also finished third in the 1992 24 hours of Daytona.

Back to the Ferraris.. the 275 GTB/2 mentioned earlier was first owned by Mr Ronnie Hoare, also called the ‘’Colonel’’. Ronnie Hoare is widely known as the Colonel. Thanks to his efforts, Ferrari became an established brand in the United Kingdom. He sold this Celeste Chiaro Metallizzato 275 GTB/2 to Mr. Raymond Thompson of Sussex after meeting him in Paris the week before. In February 1968, the car changed hands once again. Thompson sold the car to a Mr. David Griffith-Hughes for £3750.

Autocar author Ronald Barker (1920 – 2015) wrote an article called ‘’FERRARISSIMO!’’ and described the journey of Griffith-Hughes fitting a supercharging to the V12. He always dreamt of owning a Ferrari, but also wanted to know how smooth a 12-cylinder would run with a turbo. Click here to give the original article a read.

Private collections don’t get any better

After leaving Simon Furlonger Cars, Toby and I were craving for some food. After a pizza and a burger we were off to see a private collection in the Kent area. We were shown around by Ollie Streek, son of the owner of the collection. The collection is spread out over three garages. The first one had some of the highlights of the whole collection: an newly acquired F40, a pristine condition F355 Berlinetta, Dino 246 GTS and a few more Ferraris. None-Ferraris worth mentioning were a Jaguar Project 7, a low mileage Ford GT40 and a Lamborghini Diablo and Countach, both finished in black.

Toby mentioned the collection in earlier conversations and said there was a blue 365 GTB/4 as well. I asked Ollie about the car and he told it was in the second garage. This garage had the 365, but also contained a few Datsun’s, Bentley’s and proper war machines such as a tank that served in the Afghanistan war. The 365 GTB/4 Daytona sat on a service bank because it was used at the Le Mans Classics in June earlier this year and needed a little check-up.

To my surprise, both these garages were just half of the whole collection. At first glance, the third garage was pretty regular, but when Ollie opened all the doors I was speechless. Among all the memorabilia, an Aston Martin DB4, DB9 and DBS were parked in the first section. The second door went up and we were welcomed by a TVR, Lotus Esprit, a proper Formula 1 car, a Porsche 911, a classic Mustang and the first ever Lotus 7 produced. While wandering through the garages, I noticed two Jaguar E-types: a coupe and roadster. Just like Enzo Ferrari, I have to admit the coupe is certainly among the most beautiful cars ever made.

I’d like to thank Toby for the great day, Matthew at Furlonger for kindly showing us around the cars and Ollie for his hospitality.

Can an F1 car break in two? Let’s find out!

In 2004, the Ferrari F399 used for the 1999 F1 World Championship snatched in two pieces mid-lap during the Monterey Historics race. To this date, nobody really knows what went down. Let’s see if we can find out together!

The dynamics of the incident

While performing a decent lap on the Laguna Seca circuit, the entrepreneur and Ferrari collector Frits Kroymans (then 65 years old) engaged Turn 6 at low speed. Witnesses present at the scene claim that Kroymans got on the throttle too early while exiting the corner, spun and hit the tyre wall at approximately 80 mph. Accounts report of an oil leak in Turn 6, which apparently cause Kroymans to spin. However, nobody really understood why and at which point did the front of his car break in such a neat way. His legs ended up being completely exposed on track, and only some serious luck got him out of the track completely uninjured and already walking.

Trivia and speculation

Many people, including experts at the scene, did not understand the reason behind this kind of damage: in theory, the chassis of an F1 car is built and designed in such a way that the whole body is made out of one piece, with no evident welding. The majority of experts now agree in believing that Kroymans did not in fact race with an actual F1 car, but with a demo model, which is not necessarily built exactly like a racing car.

A bit of research on Frits Kroymans’s figure also led us to discover that the entrepreneur, whose company Kroymans Corporation declared bankruptcy in 2009, was not actually the direct owner of his many Ferrari models. The property was, in fact, more like a very intricate leasing operation carried out by an holding affiliated with Kroymans Corporation. We still have to appreciate the sportsmanship of this man, though: after his awful accident, he decided to carry on with the next race just a few hours later in his Ferrari 250 GTO. That’s what we call dedication!

If Batman Was Italian, This Ferrari 488 GTB Would Be His Daily Driver

Nero Daytona Ferrari 488 GTB

Toby (@TbyDriver) has always been a big Ferrari fan, so when he purchased his first Ferrari, a 458 Italia, three years ago, his dream came true. Last year he added a Tailor Made 488 GTB to his garage, and recently sold his 458 for his upcoming 812 Superfast. Exciting times to say the least, but why is he such a big fan of the prancing horse?

Words and photography: Max Lammers

Why Ferrari?

Like every other young kid, Toby also dreamt of one day owning a super car. He set a goal when he was 15: to own a Ferrari before the age of 30 (he only missed it at 31!). I asked Toby about his passion for Ferrari and he explained there’s basically nothing better on the market. ‘’Porsches may drive extremely well, but don’t have the same style as a Ferrari. Lamborghinis are extravagant and wild, while Ferraris are elegant and precise. Nothing engages the driver as Ferraris do. And driving is my main pleasure.”

The reason why Toby bought a 488 GTB in Nero Daytona with yellow details is pretty funny as well. He explained, “When people first hear I have a Ferrari, they always sigh and say, “I bet it’s red! So I always say NO…. it’s black of course!” Toby went on to explain he loves them in red but loves people’s reactions to other colours more. Toby’s 488 was a tailor made to his exact spec with custom black additions and yellow details. As a product designer himself he has a eye for details. It’s not overdone, but could still be the personal car of Batman’s Italian cousin.

Toby’s current goal is to one-day park a LaFerrari in his garage. Although he loved spending time around the Enzo at Simon Furlonger (more on that soon), his heart goes out to the LaFerrari. It’s the current pinnacle of the brand and a real turning point in their history.

Rare Lamborghinis and photographing a 458 Speciale

The reason I met up with Toby, apart from spending the whole day in a 488 GTB, was to visit some local collections and dealerships. Sadly it was pouring down with rain, so we couldn’t take out any of the cars we would visit.

Our first stop was VVS, which is a Lamborghini specialist based in Cranbook. Bear with me before we take a look at their 458 Speciale, it’s definitely worth mentioning some of their current Lamborghini’s. They had four Murcielago SV’s, special edition Gallardo’s such as the Super Trofeo and three Perfomante’s, various special editions of the Huracán such as the Avio and Spyder. Among the modern cars, a Countach and Diablo were parked at the back of the showroom.

After wandering around the showroom for an hour, Toby managed to get the guys replace the Gallardo Performante for the 458 Speciale. This example is finished in the magnificent Rosso Corsa complemented by black racing strips and grey wheels. As one would expect with the Speciale, the interior was totally stripped out. Who needs floor mats during a track day anyway? What you definitely need are the seats that seem the fit everyone and the racing harnesses that will keep you in place. Can’t imagine what a blast it would be to drive one of these around the track.

Part two of our day will be posted in two days’ time. Make sure to stay tuned. Thanks to VVS for their hospitality and showing us around the showroom.

The 800 vs 800 Challenge: Will The 812 Superfast Beat A Tuned German?

The average power output of sports car massively increased the past few years. TopGear Nederland confirmed just that, in a 1 minute and 37 seconds video.

Photography: Eric van Vuuren, TopGear Nederland

The main creative mind behind the video you are about to watch is Eric van Vuuren. Van Vuuren is a Dutch-based commercial photographer and videographer who worked with some of the biggest automotive brands you can think of. He teamed up with TopGear Nederland, Thijs Timmermans and Circuit Park Zandvoort to answer the one question we all need answered.

I was an intern at TopGear Nederland earlier this year. I spent around 5 and a half months writing articles and learning all about journalism, so the magazine is close to my heart. And to be honest, who didn’t grew up watching Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May driving around in ultimate dream cars?

Is the 812 Superfast faster than a tuned German?

For that, you have to watch the video, but let’s take a look at the numbers first. The Ferrari 812 Superfast features a 789 bhp 6.5-L V12. The engine is naturally aspirated, produces 718 Nm at 8500 rpm and sends it all to the rear wheels. Just like the 812 Superfast, the Brabus 800 E 63 S Estate also has around 800 bhp. Upfront, the German tuner placed an upgraded twin-turbo-charged V8 with 1000 Nm and four-wheel drive. The only benefit the 812 Superfast has in this comparison, is its weight.. To be honest, I was quite intrigued by the numbers of the Brabus before watching the video…

California Meets London: Join Us In A Blu Pozzi Ferrari 488 Spider

Ferrari 488 Spider

Londoner Rajin Mehta managed to find a gap in his busy schedule to show photographer Khalid Bari and myself around his classy 488 Spider. We met up in a garage with some other cool cars and when we all arrived, Rajin started the car, but then, this happened…

Photography: Khalid Bari and Max Lammers
Words: Max Lammers

Fixing a flat battery in the middle of London

When he pressed the infamous START ENGINE button on the Blu Carbon steering wheel, nothing happened, you just heard a quiet beeping sound. The sound you don’t want to hear when you’re about to take out one of the most unique 488 Spiders to come out of Maranello. It was the sound of a flat battery..

Rajin immediately jumped in his other car to get a portable car charger from HR Owen Ferrari. When he came back and tried to jump-start the car, nothing happened. We tried a few more times, but the car kept beeping and showing all sorts of warnings. At some point, we even got a warning the airbags weren’t activated. He then called the road service, but they took around three hours before showing up. Luckily, the guy who eventually arrived knew what he was doing, the turbocharged V8 came to life when Rajin pressed the button once again. The rainy weather cleared up as well, so after a quick shoot in the garage, we drove to some other locations.

Typical British scenes

I then jumped in the passenger seat and we followed Khalid in his car towards the first outside location. The location was rather sketchy, but pictures turned out great. Blu Pozzi is one of the hardest colours to capture, especially when the surroundings aren’t letting any light coming through.

Unfortunately, it was still raining but we managed to find a very nice looking mew. Mews are basically a row of houses that were built in the 17th and 18th centuries and had their carriages houses (turned into garage spaces later on) below. Rajin parked up the car and the shots I took are definitely among my favourite ones of the whole trip. It’s a very recognizable London atmosphere, with a one-of-a-kind 488 Spider in the middle of it. You can find more pictures over here. Pictures shown below are taken by commercial photographer Khalid Bari.

Although we didn’t spent a lot of time outside, the power of the car was noticeable whenever Rajin put his foot down. The turbocharged engine is still debatable among diehard Ferrari fans, but it does sound really good. Ferrari did a great job with the sound of the engine. It was a shame it was pouring down with rain, otherwise he could have done some more accelerations. The potential of this car is incredible, I cannot wait to get in a 488 Pista to see what that monster is all about.

Two-tone exterior and blue carbon

Let’s talk about the configuration of the car. Rajin is the first owner of the car which he directly acquired from HR Owen Ferrari. Mainstream colours like red, yellow or black aren’t really his thing, so he knew it had to be something special. He had always been a big fan of two-tone cars, but it persuade him to actually get a two-tone 488 Spider when he saw a picture of a dark blue 250 GT California Spider (pictured above).

The main body colour is Blu Pozzi and the roof is finished in Argento Nurburgring. He knew Blu Pozzi was one of the cheaper colours, so he could go crazy with the other colour. And he did, because it cost him around 7.000 pounds to get the roof finished in this beautiful shade of silver. Parts such as the front splitter and both air-intake-dividers are made out of carbon. Although it’s a real unique car, it wasn’t enough for Rajin, so he added a coloured variant of the interiors’ carbon package. He went with blue, an option that set him back around 16.000 pounds. I have to say, it’s a bold choice but it looks incredible in daylight.

Thanks to Rajin Mehta for bringing his car out and thanks to Khalid Bari for joining the shoot.

Visiting London Dealerships And Shooting A Ferrari Portofino

Ferrari Portofino with HR Owen Ferrari London

London is well-known for its incredible car culture. Especially in the summer, it’s the perfect place for car enthusiasts. I bought myself train tickets and arranged a hotel room for four nights to meet up with some likeminded petrolheads! This is how my first day went..

Words and Photography: Max Lammers

Ferrari SF15-T and F12tdf at HR Owen Ferrari

After my friend (@ferrarifreak7) picked me up from my hotel on Wednesday morning, we drove to the South Kensington based HR Owen Ferrari dealership. They always have some great cars on display, but I was not expecting to see their SF15-T, which was given to them as a reward for being named Ferrari Dealer of the Year in 2015. Ferrari built the car from factory parts, but it didn’t came with an engine. Nonetheless, a great sight to see among the F12tdf and two 488 Spiders who happily joined the iconic F1 car.

The F12tdf on display is truly a unique example: Argento Nurburging with Nero Stellato racing stripe and a red/black alcantara interior. The car is in pristine condition and has done just over 300 miles. In terms of configuration, this one is very well-balanced. The brake calipers match the interior, the stripes match the wheels and it all matches with the stealth overall look of the silver paint job. One slight problem… it’ll set you back around 900.000 pounds.

Verde Tevere 250 SWB and naked LaFerrari Aperta

Next up was Joe Macari. This impressive dealership is based in a London area where you wouldn’t expect to see cars like an F50 or the F12tdf with a custom Zanasi front bumper parked outside under a layer of sand dust. After we parked the car and starting walking towards the main dealership, we noticed their 250 GT California Spider lurking in the showroom. We entered and were greeted by a bunch of Lamborghinis.

We were distracted by a line-up of incredible cars such as a LaFerrari Aperta without any stripes, a black 275 GTB and a Verde Tevere 250 GT SWB. The latter is one of the most noticeable examples ever made and a friend of ours took inspiration from it for his 488 Pista spec. Before noticing the lower placed wing mirrors, we thought we were dealing with a LaFerrari Coupe. This example had the removable carbon roof and a fairly standard interior.

Shooting a Portofino with HR Owen

We got in the car again and drove off to Premier Park, a small industrial park with companies such as Topaz Detailing, Pagani U.K. and the HR Owen Service Center. Unfortunately, we can’t mention the cars that were in for service, but I honestly think I have not seen a better gathering of Ferraris in my entire life. Helen Wakerley, media manager at HR Owen Ferrari, showed us around the service center and compound. She eventually took us out in their new Portofino demo.

The car is finished in Nero Daytona over a tan interior and sports the optional wheels. The Portofino features the same engine as in the GTC4Lusso T with a slightly detuned output of 592 bhp. The car replaced the California T and it looks amazing in real life. The big hips of the California disappeared so the Portofino really is a more elegant car. Find more pictures of the car here.

The Magic of Motor Valley

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If you fly into Milan-Malpensa Airport and start driving south on the E35, past Parma – the home of prosciutto – past the undulating waves of Calatrava’s Reggio Emilia Railway Station, you’ll coast right into Italy’s Motor Valley, the unassuming countryside where legends are born.

Photography: Christian Cipriani

Looks Can Be Deceiving

The valley looks ordinary, even a bit austere. As you drive through, it’s almost impossible to imagine that some of the world’s most flamboyant automobiles – beacons of design and engineering that capture the imagination – emerged from this same terroir like the fine grapes of Champagne and Bordeaux. Yet four definitive supercar marques operate right here within 40 km of one another.

Ferraris of course are manufactured on Via Abetone Inferiore in Maranello, a small hamlet in the province of Modena. Just across the border, in Bologna, longtime rival Lamborghini sits tucked into the little town of Sant’Agata Bolognese, and a stone’s throw south, Horacio Pagani tinkers away in San Cesario sul Panaro like a modern-day Willie Wonka. The valley is also the birthplace of Maserati and Ducati, as well as legendary coachbuilders Zagato, Bertone and Pininfarina, among others.

Horacio Pagani's Tailor Made Ferrari F12tdf parked in front of the Pagani Factory. — Horacio Pagani’s Tailor Made Ferrari F12tdf parked in front of the Pagani Factory.

Respect Where it is Due

In early summer 2017, I was driving to Pagani on an empty stomach and stopped at a one-man petrol station with no air conditioning in search of food. As I stood in the sun gnawing on warm Parma ham and mozzarella on day-old ciabatta, I reflected on how close I was to Pagani, yet so far from a world of million-dollar hypercars. It’s almost poetic how unglamorous a trip to these factories can be. Whether you’re carrying a camera or a checkbook, it’s an equally humble pilgrimage.

Beyond the gossip and rivalries, the automakers of Motor Valley share the kind of respect one finds between elite athletes. I saw this for myself firsthand when Horacio Pagani arrived for work. He wasn’t driving the latest version of his own namesake hypercar, but rather a tailor-made Ferrari F12tdf painted metallic burgundy with gold-and-white stripes, bronze wheels and a creamy Alcantara interior.

“When I uncovered the car and saw the Ferrari logo, I had the urge to kiss it,” he once said. “Even telling the story now makes me emotional.”

This isn’t just him checking in on the competition. Pagani arriving to his factory in a Ferrari is mutual admiration. It is respect. It is love…

A King in His Own Castle

As much as this column and the world of ROSSO focuses on Ferrari, I highly recommend a visit to Pagani. Outside of perhaps dropping in on Christian von Koenigsegg in Sweden, it’s a rare chance to see an energetic founder walking the floor of his workshop, eagerly greeting tourists and holding court with the world’s top collectors vying to take home one of his outlandish creations. Today, Ferrari and Lamborghini factory visits are more controlled, museum-like experiences (unless you’re an owner), but Pagani still feels open to curious onlookers.

If you love cars and you’re ever in Italy, take a day-trip to Motor Valley. Enjoy its green fields, soft rolling hills and the endless straightaways perfect for testing supercars fresh off the assembly line. From Maranello to Sant’Agata to San Cesario, the pride, love and joy of motoring is everywhere you look.

Scuderia Ferrari won their first F1 title 66 years ago

There are some days in racing history that are bound to be remembered. The day when Alberto Ascari won Ferrari their first F1 championship is one of them. The legendary Italian driver in the Ferrari 500 F2 set the still unbeaten record of 6 victories out of 8 races in the 1952 calendar, mathematically winning the title with two races left.

Photography: Jiří Žemlička, Roberto Motta, Formula 1

Ascari’s incredible career consists of a number of records: apart from being a two-time World Champion (the last Italian driver to do so), he holds the record for the number of consecutive fastest laps (7, between the 1952 and 1953 seasons). Universally recognised as a well-rounded driver, his driving style was amazingly precise and his understanding of the car is legendary. He was prone to impose a very high, raw pace at the very beginning of the races and excel in holding it until the chequered flag. His tragic death in the Curva del Vialone, now famously turned into a chicane and renamed Variante Ascari, has been mourned as one of the most saddening events in racing and has been remembered for the eerie similarities with that of his father, also a racing driver.

Let’s try to sum up a very exciting championship and honour Alberto’s memory, which will forever be preserved by Ferrari and F1 fans in general.

18th of May 1952: Swiss Grand Prix

Track: Bremgarten
Pole position: Giuseppe Farina (Ferrari)
Winner: Piero Taruffi (Ferrari)

The 1952 season opens with more than one notable change since the previous editions: Alfa Romeo has officially retired from the competition, Fangio is not going to take part in the title fight because of his terrible injury in Monza, F2 rules are being used to make the competition more interesting, Ascari skips Race 1 to prepare for the 500 Miles. Nonetheless, Ferrari goes in for a double success, with Nino Farina’s pole and domination for the first 16 laps followed by Piero Taruffi’s first and only F1 win.

30th of May 1952: Indianapolis 500

Track: Indianapolis
Pole position: Fred Agabashian (Kuzma-Offenhauser)
Winner: Troy Ruttman (Kuzma-Offenhauser)

As usual since its enrollment in the F1 calendar, the race is disputed over the distance of 200 laps, for a total of 804,600 km. The 1952 Indianapolis race is remembered for the victory of Troy Ruttman, who holds the record for being the youngest winner of the race, aged 22. Another peculiarity is the presence of an Italian driver on board an Italian car: contrary to the practice according to which Formula 1 teams deserted the Indy race, given the difficulty in making cars suitable for racing there and sending them overseas, Alberto Ascari takes part with a specially designed Ferrari. The effort gains considerable attention, but Ascari spins out (wheel hub failure) and finishes 31st. It is the only World Championship race in 1952 that Ascari enters and does not win.

22nd of June 1952: Belgian Grand Prix

Track: Spa-Francorchamps
Pole position: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
Winner: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)

Maserati is not yet ready with their new and highly anticipated car and its leader, Juan-Manuel Fangio, is definitely out of the game. Free practice ends with Alberto Ascari in pole position on his Ferrari, followed by his teammates Nino Farina and Piero Taruffi. Jean Behra and Robert Manzon are in the second row on their Gordini while Paul Frère (HWM), Ken Wharton (Frazer-Nash) and Mike Hawthorn (Cooper-Bristol) are in the third row. The race starts in the rain and Taruffi is the protagonist of a very bad start, ending up in the middle of the group, while Behra makes a great start and goes ahead of Ascari and Farina. Moss is among the head of the race too but his ERA suffers a failure and he is out. Ascari and Farina easily overcome Behra while Taruffi battles and recovers until overtaking on the French on the first lap. Ascari effortlessly goes on to take the win.

6th of July 1952: French Grand Prix

Track: Rouen Les Essarts
Pole position: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
Winner: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)

The World Championship returns to Rouen for the fourth race of the season. The previous weekend Jean Behra on Gordini had defeated the Ferrari in the Grand Prix of La Marne (not valid for the World title) and expectations were high. Ferrari had made progress with some modifications to the engine and brought three cars for Alberto Ascari, Nino Farina and Piero Taruffi. Gordini has Behra, Robert Manzon (with a sore arm) and Prince Bira competing while the HWM races with Lance Macklin, Peter Collins and Yves Giraud-Cabantous.

The official Maserati team does not appear but brings a car to be tested by Philippe Étancelin. Ascari is easily the quickest with Farina and Taruffi behind him. Behra and Manzon share the second row, while Maurice Trintignant is in the third row with an old Simca-Gordini. Bira and Collins behind him. The race as we thought, is a bargain only for the Reds with Ascari in front of Farina throughout the GP. After a brief fight with the Gordini, Taruffi arrives third. Manzon manages to finish fourth while Behra is wrong and is forced to return to the pit to repair the car. This leaves Trintignant in fifth position, 5 laps from Ascari but a lap in front of Collins. The Ferrari team thus obtains a first historic hat-trick, consisting of three Italian drivers all on the Ferrari 500.

19th of July 1952: British Grand Prix

Track: Silverstone
Pole position: Giuseppe Farina (Ferrari)
Winner: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)

The race is dominated by the Ferraris with Ascari and Farina in the lead. Taruffi starts off badly and has to contend with Connaught and Cooper-Bristol. He soon reaches sixth position in front of Dennis Pooree’s Connaught. Flour has problems and must often return to the pits to repair the car, arriving only sixth.
When Poore stops for fuel, Hawthorn snatches P3 keeping it until the checkered flag. While the British celebrate Hawthorn, Ascari wins.
The race ends with the first one-two of the Maranello team at the British GP, with Ascari first and Taruffi second.

3rd of August 1952: German Grand Prix

Track: Nürburgring
Pole position: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
Winner: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)

Maserati finally presents their highly anticipated one-seater, the A6GCM, driven by Felice Bonetto. Ferrari is once again fastest in qualifying, with Ascari and Farina snatching the front row, and the second row saw Taruffi and the private (but Ferrari-powered) contender Fischer. Bonetto’s Maserati makes the third row. An otherwise dull race is highlighted by an issue to Ascari’s car just two laps to the chequered flag. An oil malfunction means he has to run to the pits, emerging 10 seconds behind Farina. He catches the teammate just ten miles before home. Piero Taruffi is running in third behind his teammates, but loses the position to Rudi Fischer towards the end of the race when he encounters problems due to his suspension breaking. Fischer’s podium and Taruffi’s fourth place-finish ensure a Ferrari poker, yet another record being broken and the mathematical Championship win for Ascari.

17th of August 1952: Dutch Grand Prix

Track: Zandvoort
Pole position: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
Winner: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)

Luigi Villores joins the Ferrari lineup again, after the 1951 season, to replace Piero Taruffi, alongside regulars Nino Farina and Alberto Ascari. At this point, races are pretty uneventful, the Ferrari domination being more than consolidated. Ascari takes pole, followed by Farina. Hawthorn, starting in the first row too, fights with the Ferraris for five laps before inevitably falling behind. In this race, Ascari breaks Fangio’s record of most World Championship race wins in the same season.

7th of September 1952: Italian Grand Prix

Track: Monza
Pole position: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
Winner: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)

Monza only allows 24 cars to start the race, meaning that 11 out of the 35 drivers who entered the race don’t go past qualifying. The weekend starts with Ascari’s third consecutive pole and a Ferrari front-row lockup with Villoresi and Farina. Five Ferraris enter their home race, an unprecedented record. José Froilán González, who scored Ferrari’s first F1 race victory just a year before and is now racing for Maserati, takes first place at the start of the race, ahead of Ascari in second.

The Argentine remains in the lead for the first 36 laps of the race, until a slow pit stop makes it possibile for Ascari and Villoresi to overtake him going P1 and P2. Ascari holds the lead for the remainder of the race. González eventually catches up Villoresi and passes him, getting P2 in his only Championship race of the season. Villoresi completes the podium, immediately followed by Farina. In the last Championship race, Ferrari monopolises the first three positions of the final Drivers’ Standings.