Ferrari threw itself an elaborate party to celebrate 60 years in the U.S., shutting down Rode Drive in Beverly Hills on Sunday and debuting an ultra-limited edition supercar that’s already sold out.
In lieu of a cake with 60 candles, the Italian automaker invited the owners of 60 of the rarest and most storied cars in Ferrari’s history to park along one of the most expensive streets in the country. The event was free and open to the public.
The lineup had something for car fans of every era and spanned Ferrari’s entire presence in the U.S. market. That included the first Ferrari in the U.S., a brilliant red and surprisingly compact 1948 166 MM Barchetta (which means “little boat” in Italian). And a pair of Ferrari’s new $1.3-million, 950-horsepower hybrid supercars, the LaFerrari.
Some other notable highlights included:
A deep green 1954 375 America. Only 12 of these cars were built and this is the last, built personally for former Fiat Chairman Gianni Agnelli. The car has dark red trim on the unique vertical grille and a beautifully fitted sunroof.
A 1954 375 MM Coupe. This silver Ferrari grabbed international headlines in August when it became the first postwar classic car in 46 years to win the prestigious Best in Show award at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It was originally built as a convertible for Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini.
A 1969 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder Speciale prototype from the 1969 Paris Motor Show. It’s never been restored, wearing the original coat of paint and showing a well-worn cream leather interior. The car also had a zip-out plastic rear window.
A 1967 330 P4. One of the most storied racing cars in Ferrari’s history of competition, this is one of only three such cars ever built, and the only one that remains in its original condition. Massively powerful, with a mid-mounted V-12 engine, it grabbed podium finishes at both the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona and 24 Hours of LeMans.
A 1996 Ferrari F50 GT. This prototype was the only such car ever made when Ferrari was considering entering its F50 in international GT racing. Yet by the end of the development process, the automaker decided to forgo the F50 GT development and focus its time and energy on F1 racing.
The newest model in the Ferrari family was also on hand, with the automaker debuting the F60 America. Loosely based on the existing F12berlinetta grand touring supercar, Ferrari is making just 10 of the F60 roadsters.
All 10 have been snatched up by loyal Ferrari enthusiasts in the U.S. at a cost of about $3.12 million, Ferrari said.
“The idea with this F60 was that in celebrating the U.S., we had to stick to two main features, open-aired driving and a V-12 engine,” said Nicola Boari, Ferrari’s head of product marketing.
The company didn’t reveal full details of the car’s powertrain, saying only that it shares the same basic setup as the F12, which uses a 730-horsepower, 6.3-liter V-12 and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
But the F60’s drivetrain will be tweaked. “We wanted to make something special for the engine, specific for the F60,” Boari said.
When asked whether it might use a hybrid system like the one on the LaFerrari, or turbos like the new California T, Boari shook his head. “The only thing I can say is it’s not going to be a hybrid,” he said.
The entire body of the F60 -- including the panels, headlights, taillights, grille, 20-inch wheels and manually removable soft top (usable up to 75 mph) is unique to this car.
Full details on the F60 will be announced closer to its delivery date in about a year.
