Our favourite Ferraris

Every car enthusiast has their favourite Ferrari. Some – like us – can’t narrow it down to just one and have a whole list of Ferraris that hold a special place in their hearts.

In this article, we’re going to share some of our favourite Ferraris with you – a number of which we’ve been lucky enough to insure over the course of the 35-plus years that Lancaster has been providing classic car insurance.

But before listing them off, let’s just remind ourselves why the Ferrari brand makes all of us car enthusiasts go weak at the knees.

Ferrari in a nutshell

Founder Enzo Ferrari produced his first car, the 815 Spider, in 1940 for his Auto Avio Costruzioni racing team in Modena. But it wasn’t until towards the end of the Second World War and relocation to Maranello that the first Ferrari left the factory, called the Ferrari 125 S, in 1947.

Over the following decades, the manufacturer has produced some of the most highly desirable sports cars in the world, including the Ferrari Dino, the 250 GT California, the 208 GTB, 308GTB, Berlinetta Boxer and the Ferrari Testarossa. In modern years, Ferrari has built an incredible line-up of supercars, such as the Ferrari F40 and F50, Ferrari Enzo, Ferrari 599 GTO and the more recent LaFerrari. It has also continued to embrace the latest technology, ensuring its cars have the performance to match their cutting-edge design and enviable beauty.

Throughout its history, Ferrari has also maintained an impressive presence in the world of motorsport, particularly Formula 1. In fact, the manufacturer is the only team to have competed in every F1 World Championship since the 1950s. Needless to say, its winning record is impressive, boasting 15 World Driver Championship titles, 16 World Constructor Championship titles and more than 200 Grand Prix victories.

So, what Ferraris make our list?

1. Ferrari 250 GTO

Let’s kick things off with a bona fide “work of art”, the Ferrari 250 GTO. A little bit of explanation is needed here: it was an Italian court which ruled the 250 GTO as such, as a means of the car being protected against being copied or reproduced without consent from Ferrari.

The court ruling stated, “the customisation of the car’s lines and its aesthetic elements have made the 250 GTO unique, a true automobile icon.” We wouldn’t argue with that.

Produced in incredibly small numbers – just 36 were made – between 1962 and 1964, the Ferrari 250 GTO has been known to sell for up to $70,000,000 (£52,300,000), making it the world’s most valuable classic car.

The extremely rare 250 GTO, with its stunning shape and incredible 3.0-litre V12, is considered "the Holy Grail in collectible cars.” Usually, they only end up in the hands of the rich and famous such as fashion designer Ralph Lauren, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, and former Microsoft executive Jon Shirley.

2. Ferrari 365 GTB4 Berlinetta

If this car’s official title doesn’t mean much to you, perhaps you know it best as the Ferrari Daytona. The name Daytona was given to the car by the media after it took a clean sweep of the first three places at the 1967 24-hour race in Daytona. Ferrari even started to use the Daytona name, too – it would’ve been a mistake not to.

The Daytona wasn’t by any means a perfect car. In fact, driven at road speeds, it could feel a little heavy with its inert controls and crashing suspension. But when it found an open track and speeds in excess of the 120mph mark, it came alive. It should have come as no surprise, given it was a 4.4-litre V12 unit that was powering this incredible grand touring car.

It was so evidently a car meant to be driven hard and fast – and its Daytona success shows just how good it was under racing conditions.

In terms of design – which was headed up by Pininfarina designer Leonardo Fioravanti, who also had a hand in the Dino Ferrari's styling (see number six in this list) – the Daytona marked a move away from Ferrari’s usual rounded shape to a more contemporary, sharp-edged look.

Produced from 1968 to 1973, there were 1,406 Daytonas made including 156 UK right-hand-drive coupés.

Whilst we’re talking about the Daytona, a little word for its sister model, the 365 GTC/4. This 2+2 grand tourer carried the same V12 engine, but offered a more comfortable driving experience, including a softer spring rate and hydraulic power steering.

Although car fans largely ignored its charms at the time, many now consider the 365 GTC/4 every bit as collectible as the Daytona.

3. Ferrari F40

It was only a matter of time before we spoke at length about the Ferrari F40. This supercar from the 1980s was every bit of a pin-up as Pamela Anderson was at the time – posters of the F40 could be found in many a lad’s bedroom. What other cars can you genuinely say that about?

Regularly voted the best supercar of all time, the Ferrari F40 has undoubtedly won fans over the years. The mid-engine, 2.9-litre V8, rear-wheel drive F40 redefined the notion of the supercar – and we’re unlikely to see anything like it ever again due to the bolstering of health and safety rules between then and now.

The F40 was the last model to be given Enzo’s seal of approval before his death in 1988 – fitting then that it was the fastest car in the world at that time given the founder’s commitment to designing high-performance cars for so much of his life.

The Ferrari F40 could smash 0-60 in just 4.2 seconds, working up to a top speed of 201mph. It handled like a go-kart, and was just about as close as you could get to a road-legal Formula 1 car.

Looking back, the F40 is so obviously the perfect supercar package – but Ferrari weren’t so sure at the time, committing to building just 400. After seeing the initial batch head out the door quicker than the F40 could hit 60mph, it expanded production with 1,300 built in total.

4. Ferrari F355

One of the best cars to ever come out of Maranello, the F355 needed to be as good as it was as it was replacing the somewhat lacklustre 348. Released in 1994, it proved to be a big improvement in both looks and dynamic ability, setting Ferrari up as a serious volume manufacturer.

The mid-mounted, dry-sumped, flat-plane V8 came complete with the then-latest Formula 1 technology, featuring five valves (three inlet, two exhausts) per cylinder and producing 380bhp at a screaming 8250rpm, which equates to 109bhp per litre – the highest specific output for a naturally aspirated car at the time.

It could blitz 0-60mph in just 4.6 seconds with a top speed of around 180mph. But beyond pure performance, it came complete with delicate Pininfarina styling. Some believe it was “the last of the traditionally beautiful Ferraris”. Are you inclined to agree with them? The LaFerrari and Ferrari 488 Pista fans out there might have something to say about that…

5. Enzo

First produced in 2002, the Enzo Ferrari can’t perhaps be classified as a classic car just yet – but it will be in the near future, there’s no doubt about it. Built in the name of Ferrari’s founder, the Enzo benefitted from the knowledge of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher who helped develop and test the car.

The Enzo Ferrari tends to split people – it’s featured in both ‘best of’ and ‘worst of’ lists. Those that aren’t a fan tend to point to the car’s “superfluous curves and angles”. But they can’t deny the car’s unbelievable performance.

Featuring the pinnacle of technology, engineering and design, the Ferrari team used lessons learnt from Formula 1 to perfect the Enzo’s balance of downforce and top speed. If the car’s exterior could be deemed “superfluous”, there’s no way you could say the same about the interior which is a no-fuss affair as not to distract the driver from the task at hand. There’s not even a radio – but why would you want one when you have a car that sounds as good as the Enzo does?

Speaking of which, the car has a 660hp, Tipo F140B, naturally aspirated V12 engine. It’s partnered with a six-speed, sequential F1-style gearbox with its lightning-quick 150-millisecond gearshifts. The result was a 0-60 mph time of just 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 218mph (good luck trying to confirm these figures). But don’t worry, if you ever find yourself needing to come to a halt, the carbon-ceramic brakes can put a stop to the Enzo from 80mph in a scarcely believable 188 feet.

In terms of ownership of the Enzo, all 349 units were available on an invite-only basis to loyal Ferrari customers.

6. Ferrari Dino 246

The Dino brand was born in 1968, and the 246 is the pinnacle of the collection. Some believe it to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made. But it nearly didn’t make it into the world. The Scuderia had an obvious need for smaller V6 and V8 engines to be competitive in racing, and to produce a sports car that could compete with the all-conquering Porsche 911. But Enzo wanted his cars to have V12s.

It’s said that Enzo’s son and heir Alfredo – who was nicknamed ‘Dino’ – was one of the people to persuade him otherwise, having been working on a racing V6. Tragically, Alfredo died in 1956 following a diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy – it was only fitting that the Dino brand was named in his honour.

The 2.4-litre V6 fitted in the 246 produced 192hp and 226Nm of torque, giving the Dino a claimed 0-60mph acceleration of 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 146mph.

This might not sound all that impressive on paper – in fact, as one motoring journalist and Dino fan admits, a modern Golf GTI would “crucify it”. But as he explains, the Dino 246 was so much more than speed and performance.

“Slow though it is, the Dino is not just one of the greatest Ferraris of all time, but one of the greatest road cars. It’s the kind of car that when you felt the weight of the world on your shoulders, you could just go and drive, or simply sit in or even look at and feel the load lighten,” he wrote for the Goodwood website.

However, summing up how difficult it is to nail one’s colours to the mast on a single Ferrari, he said that he’d “probably take my last lap in the F40”. But if it was a final drive on a public road, he’d choose a Dino.

Protect your Ferrari with classic car insurance

If you are one of the lucky few to call themselves a classic Ferrari owner, you’ll need the very best classic car insurance to protect it.

Lancaster is the broker of choice for thousands of UK classic car owners looking for the right cover at the right price.

For over 35 years the team of insurance specialists at Lancaster have been making sure that as many classics as possible are kept on the road. Every year we see vehicles hitting significant milestones because they’ve been adequately protected.

Choosing classic car insurance from Lancaster entitles you to a range of benefits including:

• Salvage retention rights – If your car is declared a total loss following a claim, you may have the option to purchase the remaining salvage of your vehicle.
• EU cover – If you are travelling around Europe, you will have the same level of cover as you do in the UK for up to 90 days.
• Club member discounts – If you are a member of a Ferrari owners club, you could be eligible for a members club discount.
• Agreed value – If your car is written off following a claim, we will pay out the agreed value (subject to photos and confirmation in writing (excluding Third Party Only cover).

You’ll also have 24-hour access to our claims helpline and UK-based call centre.

Get a quote for classic car insurance today.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.