10 Greatest Ferraris Ever Made
Even outside of the automotive industry, few companies can brag about having the cachet of Ferrari. The storied Italian marque is in the same league as Rolex and Christian Dior. Sure, it’s seen its fair share of ups and downs since it was founded in 1947, but there’s not a single car wearing the Prancing Horse emblem that isn’t drool-worthy.
Looking back at Ferrari’s past models is like walking through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here are 10 cars that stand out with their design, performance, tech, or all three...
Ferrari 250 GTO
The 250 GTO is the quintessential classic Ferrari, the Mona Lisa of the automotive world. A total of 39 examples were built from 1962 to 1964, and they collectively hold one of the most impressive racing pedigrees of all time. The voluptuous lines and timeless proportions contribute to the car’s attractiveness.
Ferrari Dino 206 GT
The Dino 206 GT was Ferrari’s first serious attempt at building a smaller, entry-level car. The model was aimed directly at the Porsche 911, but company founder Enzo Ferrari didn’t like the idea of putting his name on a car not powered by a V12. The name Dino was chosen to honor his son, Alfredo, who died in 1956.
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona”
The late 1960s were rough years for Ferrari. The brand’s racing team had embarrassingly lost the 24 Hours of Le Mans to Ford several times in a row, and a disruptive customer-turned-rival named Ferruccio Lamborghini was making waves in Italy and abroad with a sexy mid-engined supercar called the Miura.
Ferrari Testarossa
The Testarossa made its public debut at the 1984 Paris Auto Show. Its name literally means “redhead” in Italian, but it wasn’t developed as an homage to the Irish. Instead, the nameplate was a reference to the engine’s red cylinder heads, and a tribute to the original Testa Rossa race car introduced in 1957.
Ferrari 288 GTO
The 288 was the first Ferrari to wear the GTO nameplate since the iconic 250 GTO. At first glance, it looked like a 308 fitted with a more muscular-looking body kit, but this is one of those instances when you definitely shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
Ferrari F40
Porsche monopolized the attention of the automotive industry in 1986 when it introduced the 959. Not to be outdone by its German rival, Ferrari waited until the following year to unveil the F40, which was billed as a race car for the road.
Ferrari Challenge Stradale
The Challenge Stradale offered enthusiasts genuine racecar-like performance and features in an accessible, street-legal package. Starting with the 360 Modena, Ferrari engineers removed all equipment deemed superfluous in order to shed weight, lowered and stiffened the suspension, and fitted massive alloy wheels. Inside, the two passengers were treated to bucket seats with racing harnesses and Plexiglas windows.
Ferrari Enzo
You know a car is going to be a big deal when it’s named after the company’s founder; it’s the kind of homage a brand can only pull off once if it wants to retain its credibility. Luckily, the limited-edition Ferrari Enzo lived up to the hype.
Ferrari FXX
At its launch, the FXX was the most technologically-advanced Ferrari by a long shot. It was a more extreme evolution of the Enzo developed with input from star Formula 1 pilots like Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello.
Ferrari LaFerrari
The LaFerrari was the latest in a long line of high-tech, face-meltingly fast hypercars built by Ferrari. Its name means “the Ferrari” in Italian, and it took the company forward by introducing new technology previously seen only on prototypes, concepts, or race cars.
