Cavallino 264 is ready. A perfect Christmas gift

Cars are meant to be driven, especially if they are Ferraris

In this issue we cover two models that, for different reasons, are fundamental pillars of Maranello legend. In line with our creed “cars are meant to be driven, especially if they are Ferraris,” we had them shot in very dynamic mode, and in completely different environments. The older of the two ended up being photographed in a Florida shower, just hours after being named Best of Show at Palm Beach Cavallino Classic, while the desert of Dubai provided the setting for the younger one, a car that, when new, was the fastest road car ever manufactured in Maranello. This location, which ticked our main boxes (empty road, cool backdrop), was actually suggested by the car’s owner, a passionate collector and gentlemen driver, winner of several Ferrari GT championships, who wanted to show us the car at its best… And trust us, he did!

This issue also includes a wonderful interview with the designer of the contemporary Ferrari, and our description of an important test drive in one of Maranello’s more recent arrivals. In addition, we cover numerous events, static but also dynamic ones, opportunities for owners to live and drive in pure Ferrari style.

250 LM. A story of love

Our issue 264 cover car is one of the most dreamt-of models in Ferrari history. Not only is it amazingly beautiful to look at, it represents a turning point in the factory’s history. Because the 250 LM is the model that prompted a skeptical Enzo Ferrari to finally approve the “horse pushing the cart” solution. With its engine mounted at the back (or central rear positioned engine to be more technical), this car was amazingly fast, much faster than its front-engine counterpart, the 250 GTO no less. And that was enough to convince old Enzo! Although homologation issues dogged this model, they were not enough to prevent a 250 LM from winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car pictured, s/n 6053, the 22nd 250 LM, with a Tipo 577 chassis, built with a longer, “tunnel back” roof line and a more deeply recessed rear window, was ordered new from Ferrari in August 1964, through Colonel Ronnie Hoare’s Maranello Concessionaires (Ferrari’s importer in England) for Viscount Eddie Portman, but he never took delivery of it. Instead, the car was sold on September 8, 1964 to British amateur racer George Drummond, of the homonymous British banking family, who went to the Ferrari factory in Maranello in person, picked up his new 250 LM, and drove it back to England. During the winter of 1966/’67, 6053, now painted deep blue, was fitted with a new, more aerodynamic nose designed and built by Piero Drogo at his Carrozzeria Sports Cars shop. In September 1968 it raced at Le Mans, and there is an amazing story surrounding its participation there. In June ’68, the engine and transaxle from the wrecked 250 LM s/n 6167, destroyed in the Targa Florio, were installed in 6053 at Piero Drogo’s shop, when new fiberglass panels and wider front and rear fenders, necessary to accommodate new, wider magnesium wheels, were fitted too. The reason? The 24 Hours of Le Mans entry form allowed you to change the chassis number, but not that of the engine… So, 6053 got a new powerplant and transaxle, still present today and with it received the Ferrari Classiche certification.

LaFerrari Aperta. The pleasure of using it

The LaFerrari was created precisely to showcase the very best of what Ferrari could do, so much so that it was named after the company itself. Our featured car lives in the UAE, where it is well used. To many the greatest Ferrari ever made, it is amazingly fast and rewarding to drive. And its owner, a very successful gentleman driver in the Ferrari GT Championships, puts his car, which he purchased new, to very good use. Ferrari built only 499 LaFerrari coupés and just 210 of the Aperta open version — 200 of the latter for customers, plus nine for Ferrari’s own use, and a further car for a charity auction —, and so there are not too many around… and even fewer driven!

And, in case you are wondering, the LaFerrari’s normally aspirated V12 and its 120kW electric motor put out a combined 950 bhp and 664 lb ft of torque…

Flavio Manzoni. Behind the scenes of the Centrostile

In this issue we interviewed Flavio Manzoni, designer of the LaFerrari and LaFerrari Aperta, asking him to reveal all the secrets behind the styling process that saw the original Project 150 transformed into what became the LaFerrari. A naturally gifted designer, passionate about cars since forever, Manzoni describes the technical needs he, and his small team of designers, had to respect while designing the body, and where they applied their artistry, supporting the aerodynamics team and the engineers in charge of the powertrain, while also striving to keep the shape of the car beautiful. And the finished LaFerrari and LaFerrari Aperta show that they achieved their goals, as both versions are still considered futuristic today, more than 11 years after the model debuted. Incidentally, the doors posed one of the main difficulties when transitioning from the closed to the open version.

Enzo the driver, Enzo the builder. The big step

Enzo Ferrari, the man during his Scuderia years. One of the most important periods in Enzo Ferrari’s story is the one that saw him growing into an undisputed leader of the pre-war racing world, not as a driver but as manager of Scuderia Ferrari, racing Alfa Romeos (among others). The years from 1930 to the beginning of WWII were indeed those in which he established his reputation and cemented his legacy with technicians and racers who, after the war, would join the Ferrari company that we know today. Until the arrival on the scene of German cars financed by Hitler’s government, Scuderia Ferrari remained on top of the game. By the mid-1930s, Enzo Ferrari had effectively become the benchmark for Italian motorsport generally, just as his name still is today, around 90 years on. While Ferrari was a fine diplomat and perfect host when dealing with external interlocutors, he built his organization as an “absolute monarchy”.

DOH-dee-chee chill-IN-dree. Drive them!

12Cilindri test drive — the latest GT born in Maranello tested on road (and track). Still a pure ICE car, the 12Cilindri confirms that it is one of the fastest and most-powerful front-engine sports cars in history. And the soulful song and limitless feel of its naturally aspirated, Tipo 140 819-horsepower 6.5-liter V12 is exactly what makes it catnip to certain Ferrari fans. The company describes the 12Cilindri as a niche car even by Ferrari standards, aimed at select buyers who crave an old-school, unfiltered driving experience. And this, we believe, is enough! Ah, and if you are wondering how to pronounce its name, repeat after me: DOH-dee-chee chill-IN-dree!

Racing, events, friends, data and news

Our events round-up begins with the amazing Ferrari Cavalcade Classiche, considered one of the top events in the world, which this year was based in Trieste and unfolded between Italy and Slovenia. We then look at the recent successes recorded by the 335 S at the Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance in the UK, and by the 212 S at the Audrain Newport Concours d’Elegance. We conclude with two driving events: the Ferrari Legacy Tour, dedicated to the GTO, in the Italian Dolomites, and the “Anniversary Tour” organized by Tom Hartley Jnr and Canossa in Rome to celebrate the 60th birthday of the 275 and the 40th of the 288 GTO.

You will also find a column reports on races 17 to 20 in the 2024 F1 season, including Ferrari’s 1-2 at the US GP, where Charles Leclerc finished ahead of Carlos Sainz, and Sainz’s victory in Mexico. We also cover the COTA GT and Hypercar race too.

Finally, as always, Cavallino brings you the voices of several editorialists, discussing a variety of topics, as well as a full and updated list of Ferrari market values (also of the latest models) compiled by specialists analyzing the values and market trends of different Ferrari cars.