Blast of the Past

AT OVER $2 MILLION, THE FERRARI DAYTONA SP3 MIGHT BE MODENA'S LAST MID-ENGINE V-12 CAR.

The Ferrari Daytona SP3 channels 1960s racers with the most powerful V-12 the company has ever put in a road car.

Although it looks like the product of a space program, the Daytona SP3 is the latest entry in Ferrari's Icona series of ultra-limited-production cars inspired by memorable moments in the brand's history. Here, the milestone is the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona, where Ferrari placed first, second, and third after having spent the previous year watching Ford GT40s take checkered flags.

Taking cues from those late-'60s racers results in enlarged wheel arches, fender-placed side mirrors, a three-piece wraparound windshield, and a striking set of horizontal bars across the rear. It also means simplicity: There are no large or active wings, the steering is hydraulically assisted, and the V-12 is free of forced induction and electric motors.

Nevertheless, the 829-hp V-12 impresses with its glorious shrieking wail on the climb to its stratospheric 9500-rpm redline, and lovely mechanical noises at lower revs. The V-12 is ever present you can see its heat shimmer through the rearview camera but the high-fidelity steering truly stands out. The wheel is stable enough that you have the confidence to maneuver it onehanded, yet it still faithfully transmits the road texture. The effort is light but so controlled it builds immediate confidence in this rolling showpiece.

The SP3 will be one of Ferrari's last mid-engine and naturally aspirated V-12 supercars the company won't confirm how many are left, but it's a short list. That it shuns some modern supercar tropes means it's a type of vehicle that exists in fewer numbers every year: one that reminds you you're operating a machine, a very special one at that.

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