FERRARI'S ICONA RANGE IS ALWAYS AN INTERESTING topic of conversation amongst those of an evo persuasion. The first two offspring of this emergent product lineage were 2018's Monza SP1 and SP2, those windscreen-free, chop-top 812 Superfasts that set out to ape Maranello's sports-racing cars of the 1950s. A wildly exciting way to enjoy a Sunday morning drive? Or a bit self-conscious, perhaps? Certainly, it's fair to say you'd need to be a particularly confident soul to tool around in one.
Shudderingly expensive, in a world where you're asked if you want to buy one and not the other way around, the price is essentially meaningless and removed from any sort of traditional logical comparison with cars of equivalent performance or content; you want one, this is what it costs, you pay. Soon Aston Martin and McLaren tried something very similar, with varying degrees of commercial success it must be said, making this bizarre sub-niche one of the most curious motoring diversions of recent years.
Icona, though, is here to stay, positioned alongside the firm's occasional hypercars within the uppermost canopy of the Maranello tree, and if the first two cars took their inspiration from swashbuckling duels on closed public roads featuring Hawthorn, Collins, and Castelotti, then SP3 takes its inspiration from a different decade. Now we're into the 1960s and Ferrari's titanic battles with first Ford and then Porsche, from the 250P of 1963 right through to the 312PB of 1973 (as described after this test). Most of all, we're talking about arguably its most voluptuous and meaningful winner of all: the virtually priceless P4.
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Tiff Needell
From Morris Travellers to McLarens, via Le Mans and F1, television's original Mr Sideways talks about his behind-the-wheel highlights
Aston Martin DB12 Volante
The drop-top version of Aston Martin's super tourer’ has arrived, complete with the same 6/lbhp V8 and 202mph top speed. But the need for a calmer soul lingers
BEST BUYS
Sam Jenkins
THE ANATOMY OF A PENSKE 123 INDYCAR
For a while in the '90s, IndyCar challenged Formula 1 as the premier form of motorsport; we look under the skin of a Penske PC23 from the series' golden era
TECHNOLOGY OVERLOAD?
Do today's car interfaces ask too much of the driver? And how can they be improved? We get an Airbus pilot's expert opinion
ARCH RIVALS
Audi's RS4 is going out on a high with the Competition version; Alfa Romeo's Giulia Quadrifoglio fights on with a new facelift. The two meet for a shootout
BLUE FUNDAY
The road-going Maserati MC20 was evo Car of the Year 2022, so great things are expected of the GT2 race version. We head for the Autodromo di Modena to find out if it delivers
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
New high performance tyre claims unique blend of grip and ride comfort. We put it to the test
Virtual sanity
Can sophisticated driving simulators replace costly, physical prototypes? We visit the new £4m Horiba MIRA simulator complex to take a digital drive
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
A package of updates for 2024 ensures the Giulia's sister car remains the most super of super-SUVs