New Ferrari SP3 Daytona

FERRARI

SP3 DAYTONA

Even the loftiest of carmakers dusts off an old nameplate now and again to use on a new product and Ferrari is no exception. This time it’s ‘Daytona,’ a name that dates back to the 1968-1973 model years and a sleek grand tourer coupé or convertible that was very right for its time, using the long nose and stubby deck configuration of the then current Jaguar E-Type and other rivals. Ferrari endowed its new road car with the Daytona name after its racers took 1st, 2nd and 3rd at the fabled 24-hour race in 1967, one of the greatest triumphs in Ferrari history. The Daytona was a reasonably successful car for Ferrari and today, fine examples just break the US 1-million mark at auction.

WORDS TONY WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FERRARI

One thing to get clear about the 2022 Daytona SP3 is that in no way does it set out to be a reimagining of the old car. In fact, it’s fair to say that it looks nothing like the ’68 model at all and if it can be compared to any historic Ferrari, it would be the superb sports prototype racing cars of the 1960s. Often described as the most beautiful sporting machines ever built, those cars boasted the slipperiest bodywork ever raced and delivered performance to match their looks just about everywhere they took to the track.

The Daytona SP3 is one of Ferrari’s special edition Icona models and will thus be sold only to selected customers and collectors of the great cars. Even so, every car appears on the open market at some time of another but getting one of these beauties may take a little patience – and a seven-figure price tag. ›

The carbon fibre bodywork of this stunner from Maranello outdoes even the most eyecatching of recent styling efforts from the fabled purveyor of luxury sports cars. Like those 60s racers, it’s all compound curves and appropriately placed vents and inlets. The rear strakes look like they were borrowed from the 1984 Testa Rossa, but the company points out that they have a beneficial aerodynamic effect. The SP3 is a harmonious feast for the eyes from any angle and will undoubtedly stay that way for decades to come. Credit goes not to an outside coachbuilder but to Ferrari’s Flavio Manzoni and his team.

With so many of today’s ‘hypercars’ using hybrid or pure electric power, Ferrari’s use of a very traditional V-12 will come as a pleasant surprise to hard-line enthusiasts of the marque. It’s an amidships 6.5-litre unit mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and it produces a hefty 840-horsepower. Such is the Daytona’s off-the-mark prowess, it’ll take you to 200km/h in a scant 7.4-seconds. On the way to that figure you’ll reach 100 km/h in less than three seconds. Suspension was developed to match the car’s capabilities and it’s worth remembering that Ferrari has its own test track to refine handling not only on road models but also on the company’s winning F1 cars.

Interestingly, Ferrari says that the cockpit of the Daytona was developed to reflect vintage design cues but this is not easy to spot. The dashboard is, after all, digital and those vintage rows of circular dials are long gone. There are some nods towards older Ferraris with an unbroken line between the upholstery of both seats. From all standpoints, the cockpit with its racecar ambiance is a great place to get on with enjoying one of the world’s finest sports cars.

Sadly, not many will get to enjoy this remarkable new Ferrari as production will probably not exceed 500. It will certainly become one of the classic Ferraris and anyone fortunate enough to secure one at list price is unlikely to lose any money on it in the years ahead. Another factor contributing to this car’s blue chip investment status is the inevitability that V-12 internal combustion power units will almost certainly fade into history in the decades ahead. e Z ENGINE: 6.5-litre V-12, 840-horsepower. Z TRANSMISSION: 7-speed F1 dual-clutch (rear-wheel drive). Z ACCELERATION: Zero to 100 km/h in 2.85-seconds. Z TOP SPEED: 340-km/h. Z I LIKED: Impressively nostalgic tribute to racing Ferraris of the 1960s. Awesome performance. Outstanding styling. Z I DIDN’T LIKE: Huge price. Two-wheel drive only. Z MARKET ALTERNATIVES: Lamborghini Veneno, Bugatti Veyron, Pagani Huayra, Koenigsegg One. Z WHO DRIVES ONE? Wealthy Ferrari enthusiasts/collectors with influential contacts in Maranello, given that the Daytona will only be sold to ‘elite’ buyers. Z PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: Selective distribution. Priced at an estimated €2.047.500.