13 Ferraris That Everyone Forgot Existed
Growing up, I plastered my bedroom walls with posters of the Ferrari F40 and Testarossa – the icons everyone knows and loves. But Ferrari’s storied history hides some truly remarkable machines that time has mysteriously erased from our collective memory.
These forgotten prancing horses deserve their moment in the spotlight, from quirky experiments to limited-run masterpieces that slipped through the cracks of automotive fame.
1. Ferrari 408 Integrale
Before all-wheel-drive became fashionable, Ferrari quietly built this experimental AWD prototype in 1987. Sporting a transversely-mounted V8 engine, the 408 Integrale served as Ferrari’s technological test bed for future innovations.
Only two examples were created – one red, one yellow. Despite its groundbreaking engineering, Ferrari shelved the project, leaving these technological marvels as curious footnotes in the company’s development history.
2. Ferrari 330 GT Navarro
Commissioned by wealthy Italian Luigi Navarro in 1968, this one-off wonder transformed a standard 330 GT into something truly bizarre. Its radical bodywork featured a dramatically sloped rear end and unusual rectangular headlights.
Only one example exists, making it among the rarest Ferraris ever. The polarizing design ensures most Ferrari enthusiasts conveniently forget this oddity ever galloped out of Maranello.
3. Ferrari Pinin
A four-door Ferrari? Blasphemy! Yet in 1980, celebrated design house Pininfarina created exactly that to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Named after company founder Battista “Pinin” Farina, this elegant sedan packed a flat-12 engine from the 512 BB.
Though fully functional, Ferrari never greenlit production. The one-off prototype now sits in Pininfarina’s private collection, a tantalizing glimpse of what could have been Ferrari’s answer to luxury sedans.
4. Ferrari 375 America
Luxury met raw power in this ultra-exclusive grand tourer from 1953. Powered by a thunderous 4.5-liter V12 producing an impressive 300 horsepower, the 375 America represented the absolute pinnacle of automotive excess.
With just 12 examples ever built, each was custom-tailored to its wealthy owner’s specifications. These hand-crafted masterpieces cost nearly three times more than the average American home at the time, ensuring their clientele remained extremely exclusive.
5. Ferrari 456 GT Venice
Commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei in the mid-1990s, this ultra-rare shooting brake transformed the elegant 456 GT into a practical family Ferrari. Pininfarina handcrafted seven examples of this wagon-like creation, six for the Sultan’s collection and one for a mystery buyer.
Under the elongated roof lurked the same glorious 5.5-liter V12 as the standard 456. These exclusive machines remain among the most practical Ferraris ever created – perfect for hauling groceries at 180 mph!
6. Ferrari 365 GTC/4
Living in the shadow of its sexier sibling, the Daytona, this forgotten Ferrari deserves more recognition. Produced for just two years (1971-1972), the 365 GTC/4 offered a more comfortable 2+2 layout while still housing a potent 4.4-liter V12.
The unusual bumper-integrated headlights and distinctive side strakes gave it a unique personality. With only 505 built, these underappreciated classics now command serious attention from collectors.
7. Ferrari 410 Superamerica
When regular Ferraris weren’t exclusive enough, the 410 Superamerica arrived in 1955 to satisfy the world’s most demanding collectors. Each of the 35 examples featured unique coachbuilt bodies and astronomical price tags approaching $17,000 – nearly four times the cost of a standard Ferrari.
Power came from a race-derived 5.0-liter V12 producing 340 horsepower. Famous owners included film director Roberto Rossellini and the Shah of Iran, cementing its status as the ultimate status symbol.
8. Ferrari Mythos
Jaws dropped when this radical concept car debuted at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. Based on the Testarossa platform, the Mythos featured a doorless barchetta body style with futuristic lines that seemed straight from science fiction.
Though never intended for production, the Sultan of Brunei reportedly commissioned two examples for his legendary collection.
The Mythos’ extreme styling influenced future Ferrari designs while remaining too wild for mainstream production, making it a fascinating “what if” in Ferrari history.
9. Ferrari 575 GTZ Zagato
Yoshiyuki Hayashi, a Japanese Ferrari collector, commissioned this breathtaking machine in 2006 to celebrate Zagato’s 50th anniversary of collaboration with Ferrari. Based on the 575M Maranello, it received a complete body transformation featuring Zagato’s signature double-bubble roof.
The handcrafted aluminum bodywork took over 2,000 hours to complete. This one-off masterpiece blends modern Ferrari performance with classic Zagato styling cues, creating an instant collectible that’s rarely seen in public.
10. Ferrari 212 Inter
Before Ferrari became synonymous with sleek sports cars, they created this elegant grand tourer in 1951. The 212 Inter represented Ferrari’s early push into road cars after establishing their racing pedigree.
With bodies crafted by legendary coachbuilders like Vignale, Ghia, and Pininfarina, no two examples looked alike.
The 2.6-liter V12 might seem modest by today’s standards, but its 150 horsepower provided thrilling performance in the early 1950s when most cars struggled to reach 100 hp.
11. Ferrari 400i
Unleashed in 1979 as Ferrari’s first automatic transmission offering, the 400i became the black sheep of the Ferrari family. Its angular, understated styling by Pininfarina looked more corporate than exotic, appealing to wealthy businessmen rather than traditional sports car enthusiasts.
Under the hood lurked a fuel-injected 4.8-liter V12 pushing 310 horsepower. Despite being Ferrari’s most practical four-seater, its controversial styling and automatic option earned it unfair exile from the Ferrari hall of fame.
12. Ferrari 365 California
Rarity doesn’t get much more extreme than this: just 14 examples of the 365 California left the factory between 1966 and 1967. Based on the 365 GT 2+2 chassis but featuring unique open-top bodywork by Pininfarina, each car was subtly different from the next.
The 4.4-liter V12 produced 320 horsepower, delivering exhilarating performance. These ultra-exclusive convertibles were aimed at Ferrari’s most prestigious clients, including European royalty and Hollywood elites, making them nearly impossible to spot in the wild.
13. Ferrari F512 M
Arriving as the swan song of Ferrari’s legendary flat-12 engine era, the F512 M (Modificata) represented the final evolution of the Testarossa bloodline in 1994. Ferrari ditched the pop-up headlights for fixed units and added distinctive round taillights.
Production lasted just two years with a mere 501 examples built worldwide. Despite offering improved performance over its predecessors with 440 horsepower and a 196 mph top speed, the F512 M remains overshadowed by both the original Testarossa and the F50 that followed.