In the fantasy department, the Sultan of Brunei has ordered two ‘special’ 456 GTs from Pininfarina, named Venice. These were convertible and saloon versions of the 456 GT. But that wasn’t enough for him, so he also asked for a version called Estate, which is none other than… a station wagon. These models were invoiced to him at $1,500,000 each and entrusted to Italtecnica for production in 1995 and 1996. A total of 4 shooting wagons were assembled, as well as at least three convertibles and several saloons. Prince Jeffrey only bought 6 cars, the others ending up in the private collections of wealthy collectors.

With the discontinuation of the 412 at the end of 1989, the Ferrari range found itself without a 4-seater coupé (2+2). A modern reinterpretation of the 365 GTC/4, of which only 18 were produced in 1971 and 1972, the 456 was to become one of Ferrari’s finest creations, drawing its inspiration from the fantastic 365 Daytona. The 456 GT was an immediate success. Never before had a Ferrari succeeded in combining to such an extent a devastating design reminiscent of a saloon car, exceptional performance and a passenger compartment that accommodated four people. In 1996, the automatic gearbox version made its debut, under the name GTA.

After the Ferrari F40 opened the ball, the supercar market began to bubble. All sports car manufacturers had to offer one in their catalogue. Jaguar struggled to bring out its XJ220, Buggati attempted a renaissance with the high-performance EB110, Lamborghini unveiled its Diablo… The Ferrari F40 had (and still has) the particular flavour of being the last Supercar developed under the direction of Enzo Ferrari himself when he was still alive. Of course, this in no way detracts from the qualities of the later models, but the fact that Enzo Ferrari himself was responsible for its development adds a magical touch. Known under the code name F130, the Ferrari F50 takes its technical base from the Ferrari 330 SP, which raced in IMSA in 1994. The engine and composite chassis are taken directly from the Ferrari racer.

Celebrating 40 years of passion for the brand created by Enzo Ferrari, the F40 is the ultimate achievement of the road-legal sports car concept. Light and powerful, it has been designed as a true racing car. Queen of the asphalt, its sole ambition is to be the best sports car in the world. A year after the official launch of his F40, Enzo Ferrari left his human and industrial adventure forever. What followed was a wave of madness the likes of which the motoring world had never seen before. All the Ferraris were snapped up at gold prices by collectors and speculators alike, who saw the end of 1988 as the event that would turn the world of supercars upside down. Among the most coveted cars was the F40, not least because it was the last masterpiece signed by the hand of the master. Some F40s are even sold for up to five times the price paid, before they have even been delivered! Given the success of the demand, particularly on the American market, Ferrari increased production of the F40 from the planned 400 cars to more than 1,000.

1984 saw the launch of the 288, the second ‘GTO’ of the name. This was the road version of the 288 “Gran Turismo Omologata”, whose production was intended to enable it to be homologated for Group B rallies. Against all expectations, all the models were sold out well before production began in July 1984! Only 20 of the cars were delivered in France to importer Charles Pozzi. It was therefore decided to extend production by 72 models in order to satisfy part of the international demand for this beautiful car. At the time, the 288 GTO’s impressive lap times once again demonstrated the efficiency of the turbocharger and, above all, the Cavalino firm’s mastery of this technology.

The Ferrari F512 M (M for Modificata) completes the epic story of the 12-cylinder flat engine first presented on the 365 GT4BB at the Turin Motor Show in 1971, then on the sublime 512 BB and finally on the charismatic Testarossa. This architecture, widely used in Formula 1 Ferraris, made the Testarossa one of the most powerful supercars of its time. However, with increasingly aggressive competition (Bugatti EB110, Lamborghini Diablo, Jaguar XJ220, etc.), the early 90s marked the apogee of the genre and the decline of this sacred monster. Lighter, more powerful and more accomplished, the F512M, of which only 500 were produced as a farewell model, was the ultimate evolution of this model.

A symbol of an era and a generation, the Ferrari Testarossa was a well-born car, and for many, a car that was difficult to improve. But thanks to the talent of the engine manufacturers at Maranello and the genius of the Pininfarina styling centre, it was given a new lease of life under the name Ferrari 512 TR… The aims of the project were simple: improved performance and roadholding, as well as compliance with the strictest pollution and safety standards. Despite having many elements in common with the Testarossa, particularly the bodywork, the Ferrari 512 TR can almost be considered a new car. Restylings are so rare and so profound at Maranello that they almost always justify a change of name, which rather subtly takes up the famous number 512 and TR for Testa Rossa, of course.

Low and wide, the Testarossa is the work of Pinifarina, the brand’s almost exclusive designer since 1952. Pinifarina’s talent is unquestionable, but once again his magic pencil has produced a line that is as aggressive as it is sleek and fluid. A stroke of genius capable of visually making people forget the impressive proportions of the Ferrari Testarossa (2 m wide!). The wide rear end is led by sides that are pierced and profiled along their entire length, giving the profile incredible dynamics. Its aerodynamic striations are sure to inspire many designers of body kits, although they are often less graceful… True to the concept that the function creates the organ, Pininfarina supplies fresh air to the two side radiators of the large 12-cylinder flat engine, positioned longitudinally in the rear centre position.

Introduced in 1962, the 250 GTO is the latest in a long line of Ferrari 250s from the era of “Commendatore” Enzo Ferrari. Designed for racing use in Grand Touring competitions, the 250 GTO was derived from the 250 GT SWB. Mechanically, confidence was placed in the very vocal 3.0L V12 taken from the 250 Testa Rossa (the ‘250’ in the name comes from the unit displacement of each of the barrels). Producing a powerful 303 bhp, the 900 kilos of hand-assembled power propelled the car to speeds in excess of 250 km/h, a record for the GT category in the early 1960s. Above all, the Gran Turismo Omologato, of which only 39 were made, is an extremely rare jewel… and extremely expensive.