By Dee Munro2021-10-14Comments Off on Feed The Baby Rhino Run – 30th OCTOBER
Ferris has arranged a very special outing for our clients and friends. On Saturday 30th October we are going to Klerksdorp to visit the “Little Rhino Orphanage” where we will feed the babies, have a tour of the complex, return to the lodge for dinner and a chance to name one of the rhino’s. The trip will incorporate a nights stay at the Grootbosch Lodge, just outside Klerksdorp. The lodge is Ferrari friendly, so anyone attending must come in their Cavallino! Due to limited space at the lodge, we can only accommodate ten couples. There are four spaces left, so if you want to be involved, you need to contact us urgently on: [email protected] or Paul on: 082 851 3300. Cost is R1840 Per Person Sharing. ITINERARY SAT 30th 08h30 Meet at Ferris Cars, Broadacres 09h00 Depart Ferris 11h30 Arrive Grootbosch Lodge – Light lunch 12h30 Transfer to Little Rhino Orphanage 13h00 Arrive Little Rhino Orphanage 16h00 Depart Little Rhino Orphanage 16h30 Arrive Grootbosch Lodge 19h00 Dinner in the Boma – Naming the baby rhino and other festivities SUN 31st Breakfast and depart at leisure. NB – Price includes accommodation, lunch, dinner, breakfast, transfers and Rhino Orphanage.
By Dee Munro2021-10-11Comments Off on Newsletter 33: THE CAR THAT SHOCKED FERRARI
This week I thought we would take a trip down memory lane and have a look at the F2004, what with the new Formula 1 rules set to impact next year’s championship, we ask the question, “Can Ferrari return to the winning form of the ‘Schumi’ era.”
Ferrari’s F2003 GA often gets forgotten among the great cars Michael Schumacher drove while dominating Formula One in the early 2000s. Sitting between the dominant 2002 and 2004 cars, the O3 machine made heavy weather of a title fight that boiled down to a showdown with the McLaren of Kimi Raikkonen, which was effectively a year old car. That served as a wake-up call to Ferrari, and the following years F2004 was one of the greatest F1 cars of all time; but when it first hit the track, even Ferrari couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
After shaking the car down at Fiorano, Ferrari took the F2004 to Imola where it could be tested back to back against it’s predecessor. The team simulations, admittedly not as sophisticated as they are today, suggested the new car should be half a second faster, but Schumacher was already lapping 2 seconds quicker. Rather than patting themselves on the back for the car being so fast, Ferraris engineers were convinced something was wrong. The first assumption was that the car was under weight, presumably because the mechanics had forgotten to put the ballast in. Once that was ruled out, Ferrari began a 12-hour investigation into what could possibly have gone wrong to cause such a big gap between the two cars. – While this was going on, a beaming Schumacher was insistent that the pace was real and the F2004 was just that good!
More back-to-back tests with the 2003 car were arranged for the following day, as Ferrari tried to outsmart itself to work out what was going on. But all those tests showed was that on long runs, the car was even better. When Rubens Barrichello tested the car for the first time at Mugello, Ferrari remained convinced something must be up. The Brazilian remembers the team even wondering if there was a problem with the timing equipment, – but like Schumacher, he knew the speed was real. He says the F2004 was the only car that ever allowed him to take the Mugello’s fearsome Arrabiata corners flat-out.
So what made the F2004 so great? – Rob Smedley who was head of test engineering at the time, believes it was the first car designed around modern era F1 engineering, using new wind tunnel techniques, with Ferrari focusing on one particular area of the corner where it wanted to extract the most performance. Designer Rory Byrne is credited with being a superb big-picture thinker, – he was good at identifying the areas worth the most effort, while being willing to spend less time on other parts of the car. Aldo Costa who went on to enjoy phenomenal success with Mercedes in recent years, was tasked with focusing on the finer details of Byrne’s ideas. The focus of the 2004 design was to lower the centre of gravity and improve weight distribution, and the bodywork, radiators and exhaust were redesigned to improve air flow to the rear of the car. Costa believes the F2004 was the result of a big effort from Ferrari to understand more about tyre behaviour, working on suspension, car set-up, aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics, to get the most out of the tyres.
By this point Ferrari was the only top team still running Bridgestone tyres, and it forged a formidable relationship with the Japanese company. Ferrari pushed for Bridgestone to constantly evolve its tyres to suit the team’s needs, and to deliver changes quicker than it had in the past. With only Sauber, plus back markers Jordan and Minardi, also running Bridgestone’s, Ferrari effectively became the company’s sole focus.
Once it knew the F2004’s pace was real, Ferrari could have rested on its laurels, and some members of the team at the time, admit that was discussed. But under the leadership of Jean Todt, total domination was demanded. Smedley recalls team members hanging their heads in shame in front of Todt on a Monday morning at Maranello, after Ferrari came home from a Grand Prix with something other than a one-two, even though both championships had already been wrapped up by the team, before the season end.
Ferrari’s cause that year was helped by its two biggest rivals from 2003, McLaren and Williams, dropping the ball with their radical designs for ’04, and it was only once the championship fight was over, that those two teams had reworked their cars and turned them into race winners. The Ferrari Schumacher bubble burst the following year, with rule changes for 2005 banning in-race tyre changes. Ferrari and Bridgestone were caught out by the move, which Ross Brawn believes to this day, was designed to bring an end to their success. Ferrari didn’t win a proper race all season, with Schumacher winning the embarrassing six car US GP, as Fernando Alonso and Renault brought an end to Ferrari’s five years of, up to then, unprecedented dominance.
With the new rule changes for 2022, we can only hope that the Scuderia will return to the winning ways of the “Dream Team” era. All will be revealed in the new season. In the meantime, with all development switched to the new car, we can only hope that Charles and Carlos can capitalise on all the opportunities that might come their way for the rest of this season.
Some will say that there has never been an ugly Ferrari. It’s true, Ferrari are renowned for making exquisite works of art that function as automobiles; the beautiful lines of the Dino 246, the astonishingly fetching 250 California, 250 GTO and Lusso, the striking wedge shape of the Testarossa, the low, wide and quintessentially shaped 355, the list goes on and on and on. But even Ferrari can have a “bad day” in the design office, resulting inthe forgotten Ferraris. It seems as if some of the following cars may have been designed by someone suffering from a severe babalaas, or had just had some seriously good (or bad) weed, or both…… Beauty is undoubtedly in the eye of the beholder!
FERRARI 408 4RM
According to many aficionados, this forgotten car is the first four-wheel-drive Ferrari ever made. Only two prototypes were ever produced. The vehicle had a variety of problems on the inside, followed up by a bizarre look on the outside. These days the vehicle is only used for display purposes. One can be found at the Galleria Ferrari, in Maranello. It wasn’t to be the end for four-wheel innovation however, Ferrari would resurrect the concept in 2011, with the FF.
FERRARI 365 “HARRAH HOT ROD”
This 1970s Ferrari doesn’t look like the classic Italian luxury car, however, you might think it is really cool……. If you’re 12 or looking for a sporty hearse. Nonetheless, it certainly catered to the psychedelic 70s. Based on the 365 Daytona, this version was nicknamed, “Harrah Hot Rod”. In the late 90s one example sold for just under $700,000 at an auction. That’s a cheap price point when assessing the rareness of such a car. If you could find one for sale, you could expect to pay in excess of £1 million today. Now despite the fact that it’s known as a forgotten Ferrari, the company still produced over 1,000 units. That’s a lot more than most Ferrari enthusiasts would have expected.
FERRARI TESTA D’ORO
The Testa D’Oro might be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Thankfully, only one was produced. Despite the awful design, the goal was to make this vehicle among the fastest Ferrari rides ever. Instead, designer Luigi Colani built a forgotten Ferrari model most do not recall. The modified version produced a sizzling 700 horsepower. For those curious, the car has a worth of just under £2 million these days. Not bad for a car that looks like it was built in 2050.
FERRARI 166 MM/212
Better known as the “egg shaped” Ferrari, this is one of the lesser-known models dating way back to the 1950s. It isn’t a prototypical Ferrari look, that’s for sure, however, it’s a unique concept and one that shouldn’t belong to the forgotten Ferraris. This particular example sold for $4.5 million at a Pebble Beach Auction. Ferrari collectors might consider this a steal. Created by Franco Reggiani, the car remains in remarkable condition, having once raced competitively. In the mid-80s the vehicle was completely restored and now resides in a private collection. It’s one of the better Ferrari’s car enthusiasts might have forgotten about.
FERRARI 512S BERLINETTA SPECIALE
No need to rub your eyes. Yes, feast those eyeballs on this rare Speciale. A vehicle so good that employees of Ferrari actually needed to roll it out for the public to see… without an engine, the goal was to showcase the stunning exterior, and nothing else. Created in 1969, only one version of the car was ever created. Perhaps the car would not have become one of the forgotten Ferraris, had Ferrari given it an engine and produced a few units. Based on, and with styling cues from the P3, the 512S never actually made it to the production line……….Shame!
As much as all of the above Ferrari’s are forgotten, we explore one that certainly is not inNewsletter 39.
Enzo Ferrari famously raced for Alfa, as a driver, from 1920 to 1932. Ferrari won his first Grand Prix in 1923 in Ravenna on the Savio Circuit. Deeply shocked by the death of Ugo Sivocci in 1923 and Antonio Ascari in 1925, Ferrari, by his own admissions, continued to race half-heartedly. At the same time, he developed a taste for the organisational aspects of Grand Prix racing. Following the birth of his son Alfredo (Dino), Ferrari decided to retire and focus instead on the management and development of the factory Alfa race cars, eventually building up a race team of superstar drivers, including Giuseppe Campari and Tazio Nuvolari. This team was called Scuderia Ferrari (founded by Enzo in 1929) and acted as the racing division for Alfa Romeo, cementing the Alfa Connection. The team was very successful, thanks to the excellent cars, for example, the Alfa Romeo P3, and the talented drivers, like Nuvolari. When Ferrari retired from competitive driving, he had participated in 41 Grands Prix with a record of 11 wins. The Alfa legacy, much like the Ferrari one, can undoubtedly be attributed to Enzo’s involvement.
2000 GTV
The Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV (Veloce) was introduced in 1971 and production ran until 1977. The 2000 was the replacement for the 1750. The basic body shape was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Bertone. It was one of his first major projects for Bertone, and borrowed heavily from his earlier design of the 2000 Sprint/2600 Sprint. The balance of glass and metal, the influence of the shape of the front and rear glass cabin glass, and the flat grille with incorporated headlamps were ground-breaking styling features for the era. The engine was standardised throughout the range, with displacement of 1962 cc with a bore and stroke to 84 mm × 88.5 mm. The engine produced 130 hp at 5500 rpm. SPICA fuel injection was fitted to cars destined for the United States and Canada, whilst carburettors were retained for all other markets, both systems produced the same power. The interior trim was changed, with the most notable differences being the introduction of a separate instrument cluster, instead of the gauges installed in the dash panel, as in earlier cars. Externally the 2000 GTV is most easily distinguished by a grille with horizontal chrome bars, featuring protruding blocks, forming the familiar Alfa heart in outline, and smaller hubcaps with exposed wheel nuts. Optional aluminum alloy wheels styled to the “turbina” design first seen on the Montreal. “Turbina” refers to the wheel’s resemblance to a jet engine inlet.
The last GTV model was delivered in early 1975. 37,459 units were made before European production ended, though it continued until 1977 in South Africa at the Rosslyn assembly plant, with a further 25 being produced, all were right hand drive. Ferris Cars is delighted to be able to offer this exceptional example of the Alfa connection. Built in South Africa in 1974, this car is in exquisite condition. Apart from a respray, in the original colour, twenty five years ago, the car is totally original. Multiple Concours winner, recently “Overall Winner” at the 2021 Alfa Concours. The car comes with the original bill of sale, original car cover, books and spare keys. This is, without question, the finest example in South Africa. Comparative cost in the UK, would be between £55,000 and £65,000. This car is extremely well priced at R749,990
By Dominique Munro2021-09-20Comments Off on Newsletter 30: FERRARI CALIFORNIA – NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE!
When originally unveiled in 2008, the California was powered by a front-mid mounted, rear-wheel drive, naturally aspirated 4.3-litre V8. In 2012 a lighter, slightly more powerful variant, the California 30 was introduced, and in 2014 Ferrari announced the second generation of the model, named California T, powered by a new twin-turbo 3.9-litre V8.
The car revived the name used on the late 1950s Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder and the 1960s 365 California. The modern California was originally introduced as an entry-level model, however, it included many new design innovations from Ferrari. The original base price of the California was similar to the base price of the F430, the company’s V8 flagship sports car at the time of its introduction.
In 2018, the California was succeeded by the Portofino.
The California represented a radical new design by Pininfarina S.p.A. and primarily intended to attract new Ferrari owners. The car’s grand touring personality was emphasized with a slightly higher ride height compared to its more aggressive siblings.
The chassis was designed and manufactured by Ferrari division Carrozzeria Scaglietti. Overall, it is considered a landmark car for Ferrari, in that it represents a number of concepts being used for the first time in their road cars:
• The first front-engined Ferrari with a V8. • The first to feature a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. • The first hard-top convertible with a folding metal roof. • The first with multi-link rear suspension. • The first with direct petrol injection.
The California is equipped with an exclusive Ferrari-designed F1-Trac system. The system, originally introduced on the 599 GTB Fiorano, was updated for the California model. The variable power distribution to the rear wheels allows greater stability and performance when turning. The result is an average increase of 20% in acceleration when exiting corners.
The California was available with two passenger seating configurations. Option 1, included two rear seats that are limited in space and arguably only capable of accommodating small child safety seats.
Option 2, did away with the rear seats replacing them with a bench storage area. This storage area could accommodate slightly more luggage or personal effects than the seats and included matching leather luggage tie-down belts.
The California was manufactured in a purpose-built facility that was constructed adjacent to the existing factory at Maranello.
The new facility was part of Ferrari’s Formula Uomo programme that started in 1997 to improve production, safety and employee happiness.
Production of the California amounted to about 8,000 units spanning between 2008 and 2012. Throughout the modern California’s history (2008 to 2017), only 3 cars were built with manual transmission.
On 15 February 2012, Ferrari announced the California 30, an updated model that was lighter and more powerful. While the Pininfarina design remained unchanged, the changes included reducing body weight by 30 kg and increasing power output by 30 hp (hence the monica ”30”).
First unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, in March 2014, The “T” in the moniker stands for Turbo, a technology Ferrari last used on the F40. The “T” utilises a new 3,855 cc twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 553 hp, and has a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission with different gear ratios, a revised MagneRide adaptive suspension, as well as a new F1-Trac system.
The California is a surprisingly quick car, Ferrari’s first real exploration into the world of the “daily” driver, this car certainly ticks all the boxes for such criteria. The California behaves well in traffic and, when you want to be a hooligan, it’s perfectly at home doing that.
Responsive, comfortable and versatile, it performs all the tasks set out for it by designers, engineers and imagineers in Maranello, with style, class and ease. The slippery aerodynamic shape has aged well in its ten-year existence. The California will, like its 250 and 365 predecessors, probably become a sought after classic.
Its fair to say that it won’t appreciate as much as the 250 and 365, but you’ll have so much fun in it, you won’t really care!
Ferris Cars is pleased to be able to offer this
2010 FERRARI CALIFORNIA
This vehicle has covered only 26,000 Km’s, and has a
Complete Service History.
Representing extremely good value for money, this particular California has been lovingly cared for and is in exceptional condition.
Competitively priced at: R 1 749 990
Face or Boobs? read ourNewsletter 36and decide for yourself!
The Ferrari 458 Italia, launched in 2009 (South Africa receiving their first one in 2010) was a complete redesign for the company and the last V8 model to be completely designed by Pininfarina.
Impressive figures, considering it is now over ten years old. Even pitting it against today’s turbo and hybrid offerings, it’s pretty competitive. The Bugatti Veyron Supersport, for example, is only 1 second quicker, and that costs one hundred and seventy hundred and forty million hundred……… (listen carefully), more!
The 458 represents Pininfarina’s discovery of the optimal aerodynamic shape, which many supercar manufacturers copy aspects of to this day.
When Luca di Montezemolo was shown the mock-up of the 458, he looked at the exterior, the interior, and the engine, and said this is the perfect car to represent Italian motoring, its style, its speed, its power, its grace, it’s looks, and that is why it’s called the 458 Italia. – This is Italy’s car!
The Ferrari 458 Italia isn’t just beautiful to look at, its design has a purpose. The two wings situated in the front grill, deform at speed to improve aerodynamics and reduce drag. Air flows down the body of the car into a vent just behind the rear side window, where it cools the dual-clutch transmission, the result of that though, warm air is forced out the back, and reduces drag in the car – It’s all rather clever!
It’s also one of the slipperiest Ferrari’s ever made. It’s drag coefficient, or how easily it slices through the air as it goes, is just 0.330, which is a very small number, but the thing is, it’s not just how it cuts through the air, it’s how it uses it to improve airflow aerodynamics and reduce drag. Someone put a lot of thought into this!
A certain Mr. Schumacher had a lot of input in the interior cabin, everything is driver-focused, within easy reach, and that’s because he wanted it to be like a Formula 1 car, so it becomes second nature just to fiddle with your controls, you don’t have to take your eye off the road, which is really smart, because in something like this, you really don’t want to take your eye off the road.
As a driver you have loads of information at your fingertips, the steering wheel has got everything you need. The engine start button, the suspension adjust, the indicators, and all the rest, there’s the manettino switch, which is a wonderful little invention, allows you to switch instantly between the traction control modes.
It’s basically derived from Formula 1 tech, and there are five modes to choose from; Wet, for when it’s raining, Sport, which is Ferrari speak for normal, then you have Race, which turns the traction control off a little bit, (Ferrari speak for….just a leetal beet crayzee), CT off, which turns it off quite a lot, (Ferrari speak for…. starta to aloosa de plota), and then you have to press and hold it for ESC off, which turns everything off (Ferrari speak for…. youa fuckina inasayna).
There’s two screens in this binnacle, as well as the rev counter. The one on the left gives you lots of information about the car tyre pressure, oil pressure that kind of thing, also there’s a little speedo, odometer and the fuel gauge. And on the right-hand side, well, when you’re not using the Sat-Nav or the phone or anything like that, you have a giant speedo, nice big numbers you can see just out of the corner of your eye, which is really quite handy.
The big question …. “What’s it like to drive?” Well, when you look at it you think, will it be heavy, light, wayward, slippery, tricky – none of the above, thankfully, – it’s awesome!
If you drive like a saint, you can get up to 22 miles per gallon out of it. The gearbox in this thing is an absolute masterpiece, – it is once again derived from Formula 1 technology, so a dual-clutch. There’s one clutch always resting on the even gears, and one clutch always resting on the odd gears.
Everyone wants to know, just how long is the transition between the changes? If you ask a Ferrari rep, the response will be, “We’ve really stopped measuring that because well, it’s pretty instant.” – And they’re right, it really is! – You flip the paddle, down! Flip the paddle, down! Flip the paddle, down! – It’s just bang, bang, bang, – it is that instant, – it’s absolutely incredible, it really, really is!
The steering in this thing is absolutely incredible, it is just so direct you just pop the nose in and well, away you go, there’s no hint of understeer, and there’s no threat of nasty oversteer, with you spinning into a forest. It’s absolutely incredible, and you can get it out of shape if you drive like a bit of a numpty, or you really don’t know what you’re doing; – but as a car for a normal person, it’s really, really, good. Comfort-wise, you’d expect a car like this to be very uncomfortable, very hard riding, so you sit on the freeway and go, “God! I regret spending so much on this, oh it’s so uncomfortable, oh for the love of God, make it stop!” – But in actual fact, no, there are lots of suspension modes to choose from, so you can have a nice cosseting comfy Ferrari.
The 458 Italia is as Ferrari intended, a dream, it causes a stir wherever it goes, it has a visual drama that other cars struggle to match. It combines performance, agility and style in a way that few will ever see, let alone experience! – It’s a true Italian thoroughbred! – It’s the definition of desirability, of a dream! – It is Italy’s car!
Netflix is set to release a new documentary about the Formula 1 legend, Michael Schumacher. This long-awaited film, to be aired on September 15th, tells the story of the German F1 legend’s career, from karting in Kerpen to taking his record seventh championship in 2004, with interviews from his wife Corinna, their two children Gina and Mick, and many former F1 rivals and peers. “Schumacher” promises unseen archive material showing the “many facets of his multi-layered personality.” His brother Ralf, former Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo, FIA chief Jean Todt, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone are featured along with F1 drivers, Mika Hakkinen, Sebastian Vettel, and David Coulthard.
I met Michael in 2007, at Fiorano. It was at the companies 60th Anniversary party. I gave him a DVD I had made of all his championship wins, to the sound track of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck. As we walked into the venue together, we were greeted by a sea of paparazzi, something Michael was all too familiar with, but for me it was a little unnerving! A few weeks later, I received an email from Michael, thanking me for the DVD and asking me to keep in touch. We did keep in touch periodically, almost right up to that fateful day in 2013.
17 Mar 2002: Portrait of Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher before the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Malayasia. \ Mandatory Credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images \
Don’t miss what will be an extraordinary insight into the life and character of one of F1’s greatest ever drivers!
By Dee Munro2021-08-23Comments Off on Newsletter 27: FERRARI ICONS 365 GTB/4 (DAYTONA)
The Daytona name is officially unofficial. Supposedly the name was dubbed by the media rather than Ferrari, apparently to commemorate Ferrari’s 1-2-3 finish in the 1967, 24 Hours of Daytona.
Ferrari won the race with a 330 P3/4, a 330 P4, and a 412 P, respectively.
Ferrari rarely refers to the 365 as the “Daytona,” and regards it as an “unofficial” title.
In general, the accepted number of Daytona’s produced by the factory varies, depending on the source, but is widely accepted to be just over 1,400, over the entire production life. This figure includes only 156 right-hand drive coupe s, 7 right-hand drive spiders, and 15 competition cars. The competition cars are divided into three series, all with modified lightweight bodies and in various degrees of engine tune. All Daytona bodies, except the first Pininfarina prototype, were produced by Italian coach-builder Scaglietti, a name synonymous with Ferrari for a number of decades.
Pininfarina designer Leonardo Fioravanti, who had previously worked on the Dino Ferrari’s styling, was responsible for the 365 GTB/4. It reflected a movement from Ferrari’s traditional rounded designs to a more contemporary, sharp-edged look. Early Daytona’s featured fixed headlights behind an acrylic glass cover, however, new U.S. safety regulations banning headlights behind covers resulted in retractable pop-up twin headlights from 1971.
In 1971, a Daytona was driven by Dan Gurney and Brock Yates in the inaugural Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. The pair won with an average speed of 80.1 miles per hour (129 km/h), completing the drive from New York City to L.A., a distance of 2,876 miles (4,628 km), in 35 hours 54 minutes. Gurney was later quoted as saying, “We never once exceeded 175 miles per hour.” In 2004, the Daytona was voted top sports car of the 1970’s by Sports Car International magazine. Similarly, Motor Trend Classic named the 365 GTB/4 and GTS/4 as number two in their list of the ten, “Greatest Ferraris of all time”.
We expected 10 cars, we got 30. We expected to collect a couple of hundred litres of milk, we collected over two thousand litres.
Thank you to everyone who attended the rhino milk drive and donated milk.
A baby rhino will drink about twenty litres per day, so what we collected will be a big help. We have set up a WhatsApp group for those who would like to be part of future events involving and supporting the rhino’s. We are planning more runs, visits to the rhino sanctuaries, weekends away, and even some Grand Prix Tours.
If you would like to be included in the group, please send a WhatsApp with your name to: 082 851 3300
Movies have the power to make a regular story become iconic. They also have the power to immortalize certain moments for future generations. Nothing in a movie has more influence than a special car. The Ferrari Movies on this list are definite scene-stealers, beautiful machines that allowed enough screentime to become instantly memorable.
Truth be told, Ferraris are always bound to attract attention, regardless of where they are or who’s driving them. In the case of these, though, they’re given iconic status by being included in the storytelling process. So which ones made the cut?
Scent of a Woman (1992)
Al Pacino can make any car look great, simply by sitting in it, but having his character drive the 1989 Ferrari Mondial T Cabriolet in this movie, acquired a different meaning by the fact that his character, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade was blind.
In a 6+ minute scene, we get to see the maniacal Colonel driving the Ferrari through a deserted Brooklyn neighbourhood, without even scratching it or missing a turn, until he somehow stumbles upon the only other car on the street, which just happens to be a cop car. “Hoo-ah!”
The Rock (1996)
Nicolas Cage has always had a soft spot for expensive, fast rides, and his star power allows him to have a say in the cars his characters end up driving on the big screen.
When he teamed up with Michael Bay for The Rock, he was lucky that Bay shared his passion, so he got to chase a Humvee H1 in a yellow Ferrari F355 Spider. Some of the footage used a replica and image manipulation, but the scene still includes plenty of real Ferrari awesomeness.
Bad Boys II (2003)
Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) was never one for subtlety, and this is also apparent in his choice of cars. In the first and third Bad Boys movies, he drives Porsches, but in the second, he got to chase down bad guys in a Ferrari 550 Maranello.
Michael Bay also directed the first two movies, so he took great pleasure in putting the 550 Maranello through its paces for our viewing pleasure, only adding some Hollywood trickery here and there when the stunts would have been too dangerous to do in real life.
GoldenEye (1995)
Pierce Brosnan’s first outing as 007 came with a superb race down a winding mountain road between his Aston Martin DB5 and a red Ferrari F355 GTS driven by Famke Jenssen, while Bond’s psychologist, who was supposed to be evaluating him, screeched in fear and frustration in the passenger seat.
The race scene employed plenty of movie magic to help Bond keep up with the Ferrari, and ended without adding to the 007 body count. It’s pure Bond action, with smart puns and now-laughable come-on’s that would only ever work to pick up girls if your name is Bond ………. James Bond.
Against All Odds (1984)
This is probably not a movie many remember, except for those who, upon viewing it, noticed that it features what is considered, to this day, one of the best car chase scenes in film history.
The chase is actually a street race between a red Porsche 911 SC Cabriolet and a black Ferrari 308 GTS, in reasonably heavy traffic along Sunset Boulevard and Bel-Air in Los Angeles, with zero damage to any car. James Woods’ place at the wheel of the 308 is taken by Carey Loftin, probably the most prolific and acclaimed stunt driver of all time, who strove to shoot the entire scene as realistically and with as little camera trickery as possible.
The Gumball Rally (1986)
No respectable list of Ferrari Movies is complete without this mention. The Gumball Rally was a silly but hilarious movie, but it deserves credit for using real cars and showing them off in as realistic a manner as possible. The star of the film is, without a doubt, the 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti. The actual car used in the movie sold for $1.65 million in 2013.
Perhaps one of the most memorable scenes is a race between the Daytona and a 1966 427 Shelby Cobra.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
While this 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider is often mentioned among the most iconic movie Ferraris of all times, it was in fact a replica.
Indeed, the film uses the replica for all scenes, including the one in which it meets its untimely demise, when Cameron takes out his anger and frustration towards his father on his most prized car, which then goes flying through a second storey window, crashing through trees, onto the floor below.
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
Life really can’t get much better for Axel Foley: he works as an undercover cop and is pretty good at his job, and he gets to drive a red Ferrari 328 GTS, paid for with taxpayers’ money.
The movie includes some pretty embarrassing goofs, like the use of a 308 in the first part of the movie, which then mysteriously becomes a much more expensive and newer 328, and then, in another scene turns into a 308 again. You have to watch the entire movie, just in case the car turns into another model!
Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988) and Miami Vice (1984-1998)
And finally, who could forget Magnum P.I and Det. James ’Sonny” Crockett, each with really questionable fashion style with a flair for startling patterns and colours, and Crockett’s much more fashionable side kick, Ricardo Tubbs. All had great appeal to the ladies and even better taste in cars.
Magnum drove a red Ferrari 308 GTS (he was too tall for the GTB!), while Crockett and Tubbs drove a black 1972 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider for the first two seasons. The Daytona was a replica, built on a Corvette chassis.
For season three the producers wanted a white Testarossa, the first two seasons had been such a success that Ferrari gave them one for free! The perfect ending to Ferrari Movies.
