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FERRARI P4/5 BY PININFARINA…THE BEST WAY TO SPEND $4M!

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As I must have mentioned many times over I used to be a Ferrari mechanic when I was a teenager. I mainly worked on and restored vintage Ferrari race cars. The 2 cars that I am most fond of and spent the most time with are the Ferrari 250 SWB and the Ferrari 330 P3/4. I absolutely adored these cars and often wondered why more people didn’t know about them. The P stands for “prototype” and very few of them were produced, which may explain why not too many people knew about them.

Original Ferrari 330 P3/4

Original Ferrari 330 P3/4

No car is better fit for the phrase Beauty and the Beast than the Ferrari 330 P3/4. By far one of the most beautifully designed cars ever built and one of the most revered Ferrari’s in history. Its curvaceous lines draw you closer and closer while your mouth stays open in awe as you analyze every aspect of her gorgeous design. That was the reaction I had when I first laid eyes on her. You could only imagine how happy I was when they told me I was in charge of that car! I can only describe the sound of this car as a Detroit Diesel with straight exhausts at idle. It is the loudest and meanest sounding car at the track and you always know what part of the track she’s on, due to her unique sound. At speed she plays only the finest Ferrari music one can imagine sounding like a well tuned 12 cylinder should.
Pininfarina-Ferrari P4/5

Pininfarina-Ferrari P4/5

I was so pleased to hear someone else shared my passion for the P3/4 and announced that coach builder, Pininfarina, was commissioned to build a modern-day version of this mythical beast. In 2006 James Glickenhaus, stock exchange magnate and known car collector, collaborated with the Turin coach builder to produce a modern version of the Ferrari P.

Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina

Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina

With sketches drawn up by the extremely talented Jason Castriota and styling team leader Ken Okuyama, the goal was to stay clear of any retro design and move towards a forward thinking supercar. That they did using the last unsold Ferrari Enzo (F60) as the basis for this build. More than 200 components were designed especially for the car while moving through computer aided sculpture and stringent wind tunnel testing. Most components including engine and drive train were modified from the original Enzo which now goes 0-62 in 3.0 seconds (0.5 seconds quicker than the Enzo) and has a top speed of 233 mph, not too shabby! The V12 produces 660 bhp at 7800 rpm and 485 lb-ft torque at 5500. She redlines at 8200 rpm and uses the 6 speed semi-automatic transmission from the Enzo. Oh yeah one last thing…it cost $4 Million! To be honest that is the absolute best way to spend $4 million and I thank god there are people out there like James Glickenhaus that know how to enjoy their wealth while sharing it at the same time.

Pininfarina-Ferrari P4/5

Pininfarina-Ferrari P4/5

Pininfarina-Ferrari P4/5

Pininfarina-Ferrari P4/5

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