Maranello: With the Daytona SP3, Ferrari is reviving a legendary nameplate that harks back to one of its greatest motorsport victories, when a trio headed by the Ferrari 330 P3/4 took the top three places at the Daytona 24 Hours in 1967.
Although it takes inspiration from the past, the Ferrari Daytona SP3 is an entirely modern beast and the third in a series of limited-edition ‘Icona’ sports cars that originated with the Monza SP1 and SP2 of 2018. Ferrari will produce just 599 examples of the Daytona SP3, with each commanding a price tag of €2 million, which equated to around R35 million at the time of writing.
The Ferrari Daytona SP3 makes no concessions to modern electrification trends, with power coming from a mid-rear-mounted, 6.5-litre normally aspirated V12 petrol engine. It also happens to be Ferrari’s most powerful internal combustion powertrain, with maximum outputs of 618kW at a screaming 9250rpm and 697Nm at 7250rpm. 0-100km/h comes up in just 2.85 seconds, according to factory claims, and 200 can be reached in a mere 7.4s, with the vehicle running out of steam only at 340km/h.
“Exhilarating performance, an extreme set-up, and the intoxicating V12 soundtrack deliver completely unparalleled driving pleasure,” Ferrari enthused.
The V12 engine is paired with an ‘F1’ seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which transmits all the engine's urge to the back wheels.
The Formula One inspiration continues with a chassis and body shell that are made entirely from composite materials to deliver the ultimate rigidity to weight ratio. Aeronautical composites were used as part of this highly advanced architecture, which includes T800 carbon-fibre for the tub which was hand-laid to guarantee the correct amount of fibre for each area.
The F1 inspiration continues in the SP3’s basic architecture, where the seats are integrated into the chassis to allow for a lower and more reclined driving position designed to emulate a single seater. Ferrari has also installed an adjustable pedal box to allow drivers to find their optimal driving position.
Furthermore, the limited edition sports car features the same Human-Machine Interface steering wheel as seen on other Ferrari models like the SF90 Stradale, with touch controls that allow drivers to control 80% of the vehicle’s functions without moving their hands. Information is displayed on a 16” curved high definition screen.
The SP3’s cockpit design takes inspiration from historic models like the aforementioned 330 P3/4 as well as the 350 Can-Am.
“Starting with an idea of a high-performance chassis, the designers crafted a meticulously refined space that delivers the comfort and sophistication of a modern Grand Tourer whilst keeping the styling language quite minimalist,” Ferrari said. “It retains the philosophy behind certain styling codes: the dash, for instance, is minimalist and functional yet also entirely contemporary in feel.”
Moving to the exterior design, the Ferrari Daytona SP3 is said to be the most aerodynamically efficient car built by Ferrari without having to resort to active aero devices. This is thanks to unprecedented features, such as floor chimneys that extract low-pressure air from the rear underbody. These are connected to two integrated louvres in the rear wings by vertical ducts. Practically every inch of the car was designed to optimise aerodynamics, from the blown geometry of the front bumper that manages the flow over the flanks to reduce drag, to the vortex generators that virtually seal the front underbody.
As much as aerodynamics took centre stage in the creation of the vehicle, its creators also sought to create an eye-catching design. The Daytona SP3 takes the form of an open-top targa and the muscular rear wing and sculpted doors together create a striking ‘pinched waist’ aesthetic. There is also a nod to the company’s earlier supercars, such as the original Daytona road car, with upper mobile headlight panels that mimic pop-up headlights.
“The idea of taking inspiration from a particular time in history, which lies at the core of the Icona concept, goes much further than merely reusing styling cues from the past,” Ferrari said. “Rather, the aim is to distil the very essence of an era and using it as a springboard to create new concepts that themselves are unique enough to become icons for future generations.
“The Icona cars all boast exclusive solutions not seen in the rest of the range and are aimed solely at Ferrari’s top clients and collectors, proud ambassadors for the Prancing Horse marque.”
Deliveries of the new Ferrari Daytona SP3 are set to start at the end of 2022, with the final units expected to be built in 2024, Reuters reported. We’ll have ours in red.