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Ferrari Daytona SP3 is a V12 Masterpiece That Enzo Would Approve


The F40 was the last car that was made under the watch of Enzo Ferrari but subsequent hypercars like the LaFerrari have only cemented the fact that the Italian marque always has been at the top of its game. While it is arguably making more cars now including its controversial SUV, at heart Ferrari remains a car-maker devoted to making great engines first and cars second. The V12, for example, has been such an integral part of the DNA of Ferrari that even with the relentless onslaught of electrification, it will find a way to slip in this powertrain into its future cars.

RELATED: The Ferrari Daytona SP3 Costs $3.1 Million, But It Could Be More

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Ferrari Daytona SP3 | Image: Ferrari

Ferrari also abhors retro and does not revisit its past in terms of just remaking old designs but it does evoke a certain bit of nostalgia with its special ‘Icona’ series. Unfortunately for us mere mortals, you can’t buy actually one of these cars, as they are reserved for the top Ferrari clients who normally collect each and every release. The first two cars from this series were the Monza SP1 and SP2 while the newest addition is a bit less extreme but arguably more beautiful in form of the Daytona SP3.

The name harks back to its illustrious motorsport heritage when in 1967, Ferrari claimed the top three places at the 24 Hours of Daytona. The name pays homage to that 1-2-3 podium finish and is basically dipped in the very best of ingredients that the folks at Maranello can conjure up. A svelte mid-engined canvas houses a 6.5-litre V12 that’s been nicked from an 812 Competizione and it develops 828 rampant ponies- that too uncorrupted by any form of electrification. The 0-100 km/h time is a scant 2.85 seconds and you’d be encouraged to explore that sonorous 12-cylinder engine as it revs to a stratospheric 9,500rpm. While it isn’t as assertive as an SF90 or even the LaFerrari, the question here isn’t the amount of grunt on offer but how it is delivered.

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Ferrari Daytona SP3 | Image: Ferrari

This is the most powerful engine that a Ferrari has ever got and it does deliver a sensational soundtrack when that V12 is uncorked. There is no manual on offer (for that, get an F50, if you can) but the 7-speed DCT is an able companion is assisting amidst all that drama surrounding that epic powertrain. The Daytona SP3 isn’t unabashedly retro and it also gets all of the latest Ferrari trickery which enables one to become a driving god without doing something silly. The sharp edge that any modern Ferrari This Badass $100,000 G-Wagen Wolf is Ready to Hunt should have, is very much present beneath a veneer of technology.

We’d also rather not waste ink in eulogizing about its stunning looks because the styling explains itself, appearing as a rolling work of art. It’s very much dripping with the charm of ’60s racing cars with voluptuous proportions mixed with the steely-eyed gaze of a modern Ferrari hypercar. We’d also stick our neck out and say that it is one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever and some details like the placement of the mirrors on the doors is something similar to old-school race cars while being simply gorgeous. In typical hyper car fashion, butterfly doors are also there which links it to a ‘special’ Ferrari bloodline including the Enzo and LaFerrari.

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Ferrari Daytona SP3 interior | Image: Ferrari

The cabin is more sombre and reminds you of it being a no-nonsense driver’s car with just the bare necessities on offer. It’s a lot more luxurious than a bare-bones Le Mans racer though with the seats being directly bolted to the chassis along with the latest Ferrari HMI interface. With only 599 units being made, the Dayton SP3 would be as rare as a UFO spotting, unless you live Monaco but regardless of its exclusivity or even the $3.9 million price tag, it remains a glorious celebration of the analogue hypercar and for that, it should be remembered as one of the greatest Ferraris of all-time alongside the likes of the LaFerrari and the F40.

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Ferrari Daytona SP3 | Image: Ferrari

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