Choosing ten Ferraris for a greatest list should be easy. It isn’t. Ferrari is a brand that defines emotion and as such whatever choices we make here there are certain to be many who will dispute them.
As such we’ve not included Ferrari’s racing cars; that’s an entirely different list which would obviously include some of the latest F1 cars as well as beautiful prototype and endurance racers like the F333 SP, Dino 268 SP and the 330 P4. Instead, we’ve concentrated on the accepted greats and cars that have been important to the company technologically, or in sales. We hope you agree with our selection which is in no particular order - but understand that it’s unlikely. We've also supplied links to Auto Trader so you can find out how much these cars are second-hand (clue: usually quite a lot!).
Ferrari F40
Unveiled personally by Enzo Ferrari himself on 12 March 1987 the F40 was built to celebrate 40 years of Ferrari. With a quoted top speed of 199mph its twin turbocharged, twin intercooled, 2.8-litre V8 engine was a development of the 288 GTO’s. In the F40 it produced 478bhp, giving this road racer savage performance. 62mph was reached in just 4.6 seconds - it doubling that to 124mph in 11 seconds dead. Constructed using a mix of composite materials and steel alloy tubes the F40 weighed in at just 1254kg. Its raw, stripped interior helped keep the weight down - making no concessions to comfort.
Indeed, the F40 represented a polar opposite to the contemporary Porsche 959’s incredible technical sophistication and comfort, yet its fierce performance and aggressive styling saw it go on to become a tremendous sales success where the Porsche floundered. A total of 1311 were built between 1987 and 1992, making it one of Ferrari’s most successful specials in both sales and profitability.
Ferrari Dino
Say Dino to a Ferrari enthusiast and it’s highly likely that this is the car they’ll think of. That’s despite the fact that the Dino name has been used on several occasions throughout Ferrari’s history. Yet the Dino never, ever wore the prancing horse badge of Ferrari when it left the factory, enthusiasts putting them on afterwards. First shown in concept 206 GT Speciale form at the 1965 Paris Salon, the first production cars followed in 1967. Power for the early Dino 206 GT models was from a mid-mounted 2.0-litre V6 engine producing just 180bhp. Only 152 206 models were built before the engine was enlarged to 2.4-litres, raising power to 195bhp. The Dino’s model number changed to 246 to represent the larger engine, with other changes including a wider track and increased wheelbase. The open GTS model joined the range in 1972, it particularly popular in the USA. It may never have been badged Ferrari, but there’s no mistaking the bloodline of this achingly beautiful and highly sought after car.
Ferrari 308/328
This is perhaps the archetypal Ferrari, the shape that people immediately associate with the marque. Made famous through its role in "Magnum" television series the 308/328 cars are still today commonly referred to as the ‘Magnum’ cars. And it is a beautiful shape, sharing visual cues with the Dino before it. Its mechanicals came from the edgy, unloved 308 GT4 and early cars featured glassfibre bodies – to the horror of many Ferrari customers. They’re now the more sought after cars, as the metal bodies from 1977 are susceptible to rust. Power for the 308 came from a transversely mounted 3.0-litre V8, hence the 308 model designation - the 328 from 1985 featuring a 3.2-litre engine. Power varied from 255bhp in the early cars to 214bhp in later models - due to the introduction of K-Jetronic fuel injection in 1980 over the previous Weber carburettors. Ferrari solved this with a 32-valve head in 1982 boosting power back to 240bhp. Later 328s produced as much as 270bhp, the 308/328 series cars proving hugely successful over their 1975-1989 production run. In total Ferrari sold over 21,000 examples in both GTB Berlinetta coupe form and also GTS with its removable roof panel.
Ferrari 288 GTO
It may look similar to the 308/328 cars, but the 288 GTO was a completely different proposition. Introduced in 1984 the 288 GTO was limited to just 273 examples, it remaining a highly coveted car among Ferrari collectors today. The 400bhp from its longitudinally mounted 2.8-litre, four cam, four valve per cylinder, V8 engine is achieved by the adoption of two turbochargers and intercoolers these allowing the 288 GTO to sprint to 62mph in 4.8 seconds and onto a maximum speed of 188mph. Its backbone construction was of tubular steel, but fibreglass and Kevlar were also used to keep weight as low as possible. Its beautiful, muscular looks belie its vicious performance, as does its interior, which, unlike its F40 descendant features proper door pulls, handles and carpets. In every way the 288 GTO lives up the famous GTO badge that has always represented Ferrari’s most extreme sporting cars, though such is the pace of progress a current F430 will outperform it in every area.
Ferrari 250 GTO
The most revered letter and number combination in Ferrari’s history the 250 GTO was Enzo Ferrari’s retort to a change in sports car racing rules introducing a new Grand Turismo category. That’s the G and T of GTO taken care of, the ‘O’ representing omologata or homologated. This allowed Ferrari to take the GTO racing, where it dominated. Power for this legendary car came from a 3.0-litre V12 similar that of all the 250 series cars but featuring higher profile cams and larger valves, with it all fed by no less than six Weber carburettors. As impressive as its engine is it’s the 250 GTO’s beautiful lines that make it so legendary. The hand sculpted aluminium panels clothing its tubular structure might have been formed to cleave the air efficiently, but the shape they produce is sensational. Built in tiny numbers the GTO might have been a road racer, but it also fulfilled its Grand Turismo role perfectly. Effectively replaced by the mid-engined 250 LM in 1963 the 250 GTO remains the holy grail among Ferrari collectors. And they’re prepared to pay £millions for them.
Ferrari Daytona
Daytona. Photo by Perry Stern
An established Ferrari classic the 365 GTB/4 Daytona was so named to celebrate Ferrari’s triple success in the American 24 hour race. Its 4.4-litre, V12 engine is mounted under its impossibly long bonnet in a time when competitors like the Lamborghini Muira were adopting a mid-engined layout. Even so, that V12 produces a more than ample 348bhp, allowing the Daytona to reach 170mph and sprint to 60mph in 6.1 seconds – bettering its then rivals. Impressive as that performance is the Daytona isn’t an easy car to drive quickly. The five-speed transmission is reluctant, and the steering leaden, but it was the undisputed speed king among its contemporaries. Around 1300 were built between 1968 and 1973, pre-‘71 cars featuring perspex enclosed light housings – later cars featuring pop-up units. A spider model was offered for a short time, their production numbering 124, meaning that they’re both sought after by collectors and that a number of GTB coupes have been converted latterly to drop-top specification.
Ferrari 550 Maranello
Introduced in 1996 the 550 represented something of a change in Ferrari’s philosophy for its flagship sports coupes. Its predecessor, the Testarossa and its 512 TR and F512 M developments were mid-engined machines, the 550 Maranello going back to the front-engined layout of cars like the Daytona. Its 5.5-litre V12 engine is effectively mid-mounted though, being positioned as far back as possible under that long bonnet. It produces 479bhp, more than enough to propel the 550 Maranello to beyond 190mph and to 62mph in 4.6 seconds. Significantly, Ferrari’s decision to re-adopt the front engined layout was vindicated by the fact it could lap around Ferrari’s own Fiorano test track 3.5 seconds quicker than the mid-engined F512 M that it replaced.
The styling might not be Ferrari’s best, but the 550 is such an accomplished supercar it’s difficult to ignore - the fantastic chassis underlined Ferrari’s dominance in the supercar class. A historically significant and brilliant car, Ferrari thought enough of to name it after its Maranello home.
Ferrari 250 California Spyder
America is an important market for Ferrari, so when the US concessionaires ask the factory for something they usually respond. That is exactly why this car exists. Based on the 250 GT SWB the California Spyder was built by Ferrari for its wealthy customers wanting an open-top car to enjoy California’s warm climate. It’s an indulgence in this list as historically it’s perhaps not that significant, but it’s unquestionably one of the most beautiful open-topped cars ever made. A short run of 108 were produced between 1957 and 1962, the specifications of each cars differing significantly depending on customer’s exacting needs. That means you’ll get aluminium-bodied examples and some with steel bodies with the odd lightweight panel. The standard V12 engine offered 280bhp but like the body the engines come in a variety of differing specifications – some California’s were even specified with race engines from the Testarossa. A sensational looking car, California owners are very lucky people indeed.
Enzo Ferrari
No greatest Ferrari list would be complete without mentioning the latest limited run hypercar. Named after the man himself, the Enzo Ferrari represents the pinnacle of Ferrari’s road and race car knowledge. That means it features a carbon-fibre and aluminium monocoque, carbon-ceramic brakes, double wishbone suspension with push-rods operating the horizontally mounted springs and dampers and a paddle-shift six-speed transmission. Like F1 drivers each owner has the car fitted to them, the seat and pedals adjusted to suit your exact needs and accommodate factors like whether you prefer to use left foot braking or not. But as with any Ferrari it’s the engine that’s the most important feature. And the Enzo’s 6.0-litre V12 is a masterpiece.
It produces 660bhp, allowing the Enzo to reach 62mph in just 3.6 seconds and breach 220mph. It’s all controlled by highly complex electronic systems that control the damping, engine management, gearshift, traction and stability – though for those wanting to experience their Enzo properly the ASR traction control can be switched off. Exclusive, with only 400 being built, and offering quite staggering performance the Enzo is a highly fitting tribute to the man who started the company.
Ferrari F430
There will undoubtedly be a few of you who will question the inclusion of the F430 in the list of greatest Ferraris. But like its 360 and 355 predecessors it represents the ultimate expression of the current ‘small’ Ferrari and that alone means it’s worth including. With power to better all of the cars, barring the Enzo, listed above the F430 develops 483bhp. That allows this current entry-level Ferrari offer performance that’s equal to and in many respects better than the F40 of 12 years ago. That highlights quite staggering progress, the F430’s 4.3-litre, normally aspirated V8 developing a sensational specific output of 114hp per litre.
Using Ferrari’s latest F1 know-how the F430 features both an electronic differential (E-Diff) and a manettino switch on the steering wheel that allows the driver to directly control the car’s dynamics. Its shape is a result of extensive development in the wind tunnel, too. Overall the F430 underlines Ferrari’s commitment to producing cars that keep pushing the performance boundaries. And that alone is enough to warrant it a mention among these established greats.
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