Ferrari 500 Superfast

Since the Mayflower in 1620, the United States have been seen as the land of opportunity, with only the horizon or the sky as its limit. Based on this adage, Luigi Chinetti, one of Enzo Ferrari's closest relative since the interwar period and the Alfa Romeo era, quickly put in motion his bond with the Commendatore to become Ferrari's bridgehead in the New World. He secured from the factory models specifically tailored for the American market, beginning with the aptly named 340 America back in 1951. True to American standards of automotive beauty, the abundance of chrome rivaled the racing-derived engines.

This book, by Cyrille Jaquinot, the French historian and Prancing Horse specialist, explores the final evolution of this range, which began as the America, becoming later the Superamerica, and ending as the Superfast, which is the subject of this discussion. Drawn by Aldo Brovarone, a designer at the Pininfarina studio in Turin, these 36 masterpieces, plus one example based on the 330 for Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, were conceived without compromise or economy. The very definition of an Italian grand tourer, a flagship with a voluptuous and generous body, nearly 5 meters long, powered by a 5-liter, 400 hp V12 derived from racing, allowing it to flirt with 300 km/h, the Ferrari flagship in 1964 brought together the best of both worlds: touring and competition. This exclusivity explains its rarity and its list price: twice that of a 275 GTB!

Presented at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, the 500 Superfast became quickly a favorite among the elite of the era, including industry leaders, heirs of royalty, stars, celebrities, and other VIPs. Discover the story of these 36 lucky first owners and those who succeeded them, all as rare as the 36 examples of the 250 GTO. The story of these 36 Superfasts reflects an era of carefree abundance…