The most beautiful Ferrari? CAR’s design editor pores over our pick of the bunch
They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the subject of the most beautiful Ferrari splits opinion more than most. Personally, I find the brand slightly tacky these days, yet I still adore Ferraris and always find myself staring at them when they pass in the street. This is what makes the brand so special: it evokes passion and desire, even in this age of overly commercial marketing and Prancing Horse theme parks.
Are all Ferraris beautiful? And which of CAR’s greatest Ferraris is the best-looking? The imperious 250 GTO? The slinky Dino? Or perhaps the underdog 308? On our cover photoshoot for the June issue, we found ourselves in a rare situation where we could sit back and compare all nine of our favourite Ferraris in one place at one time. Each one has its own charms: the 250 GTO for being cool, the 288 for being menacing, the Enzo for its complex detail but ugly looks, the 275 and Dino for having class but not enough Italian passion.
If I had to choose one, though, it would be the F40. It’s not the best looking, but it just has a uniquely focused fitness for purpose and a sledgehammer sexiness to boot. Enzo Ferrari was a racer and passionate about what he did, something the F40 has in abundance. It’s my pick of the bunch (well I did say beauty was in the eye of the beholder, didn’t I?).
CAR’s 53-page celebration of Ferrari’s 60th birthday is in the June 2007 magazine, on sale 2 May