Why do some Ferraris have names and some numbers?
With the news that Ferrari have finally reclaimed the Testarossa name after a seven year legal battle, we look at some of the other iconic names to accompany the prancing horse.
Why do some Ferrari’s have names and some numbers?
It all started with the Ferrari 125 S, named after the displacement of each of its engine's twelve cylinders: 125 cubic centimeters (cc). This was the very first car to carry the Ferrari name and quickly established the brand as a serious racing team winning six of its races. The name was an attempt to emphasise the technical character of the car and highlight the advanced V12 engine design rather than rely on a frivolous name.
The first Ferrari have a name as well as a number was the Ferrari 166 Inter in 1948. Again, the number referred to the displacement. The 166 Inter had a 2.0-litre V12 with 12 cylinders each with 166 cc (1992cc). The name ‘inter’ was added to help distinguish the road-going grand tourer version from the track 166 S and 166 MM options. ‘Inter’ honored the private racing team Scuderia Inter, a private racing team pivotal to the early Ferrari success on the track. This was received well and opened the door to Ferrari using names to help market to a wider consumer audience.
This is still a tradition today with a broadly similar naming convention. Numbers are offered as technical, performance-focused, often for mid-engine or race-based models, with names providing lifestyle or emotion options, often for the grand tourers or front-engine models.
The First Testarossa
In 1956 Ferrari released the Ferrari 500 TR. This was a 4 cylinder 2.0 litre development of an earlier series, tweaked in order to meet new FIA regulations. As a feature, the cam head was painted red and nicknamed “Testa Rossa”, or “Red Head”. Giving the car the TR suffix added a new chapter to the Ferrari story and customers fell in love with the idea. Ferrari wanted to explore the idea further and produced the now legendary 250 Testa Rossa in 1957. This was a spectacular 3.0 litre racing car, winner of the 1958, 1960 and 1961 Le Mans 24 Hours. It was also known as a Testa Rossa, rather than just a ‘TR’.
Ferrari 125 ©Wikipedia Commons
Ferari 166 Inter ©Wikipedia Commons
The Daytona
One of the most iconic names is actually unofficial. The 365 Daytona was never actually sold under that name. The official name was the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 (365 cc × 12 cylinders = 4,390 cc, or 4.4 litres, then GT for Gran Turismo, then B for Berlinetta (meaning Coupe) and then the number 4 denoting the four overhead camshafts). The name Daytona was coined after Ferraris finished an historic first, second and third at the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours. In 1968 Ferrari marketed the 365 GTB/4 using this success and the name came to stick, despite Enzo Ferrari not approving, or liking the name.
Storage facilities are not always the best option for some owners. Many find it inconvenient having their cars in a location other than their residence. Most have 24 hour access, but are often away from the city centre adding to any travel time. Car owners who want keep the car where they live therefore need to get ahead of the game to make sure they are doing all they can to keep their cars safe at home.
Dino Ferrari
Another famous name to be used by Ferrari is the Dino. Enzo’s son Dino sadly passed away in 1956 having been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. Before his death, Dino had been working with the Ferrari engineers on a V6 engine designed for racing, and crucially to be used in mid-engined sports cars.
In 1968 Ferrari developed the 206 GT and in 1969, the 246 GT, both mid-engined fitted with a new V6. In honour of Dino Ferrari, these were sold as ‘Dino’ and not badged as Ferrari. With Pininfarina styling and the body design by Scaglietti they are considered not only one of the most beautiful Ferraris, but one of the most magnificent looking supercars of all time.
Ferrari 500 TR ©Wikipedia Commons
Ferrari Daytona ©Wikipedia Commons
The 1980s Road Testarossa
A cultural icon of the decade, posters of the Ferrari Testarossa plastered many a teenager's bedroom in the 80s. With its dramatic side strakes and its stunning Pininfarina style, it was one of the stars of the new golden age of the super car, battling the Lamborghini Countach and the Porsche 959 for the top spot. The unique styling and the revival of the Testarossa name, including conflating Testa Rossa into a single name, gave the car a real marketable personality.
The styling was not only for aesthetics. The Testarossa was introduced in 1984 as a replacement for the Ferrari 512, a great car, but with some flaws. It often suffered from cabin heat, plus was criticised for a cramped driver’s position and almost zero space for luggage. Ferrari began to see some customers drifting away to buy a Lamborghini Countach, Porsche 911, or even a new kid on the block, the BMW M1. To combat this, Ferrari produced the radical Testarossa design. To overcome the overheating issues of the mid-engine flat 12 they relocated the radiators to the rear of the car and in order to service them with enough airflow, introduced the side strakes. It also gave them space to add dual side-mounted radiators. The brilliance of Pininfarina was to then use the side strakes as a way of adding style, visually connecting the front and rear of the car. They just made the car look quick.
Helped considerably by a starring role in one of the biggest TV shows of all time, Miami Vice and owned by famous celebrities such as Elton John, Mike Tyson, Versace and Michael Jordan (whose Testarossa has just been rediscovered - Youtube here which is worth a watch), the Testarossa is a true classic and often THE definition of a supercar. It will be interesting to see now Ferrari have the rights to the name again, they plan to use it. It has obviously taken time and effort so you would assume they have plans, maybe to launch a new generation of EV Testarossas.
Dino 246GT ©Wikipedia Commons
Ferrari Testarossa ©Wikipedia Commons
Ferrari Portofino
Other Ferrari names include the Modena (Enzo Ferrari’s birth town), the Maranello (home of the Ferrari factory), the LaFerrari (meaning THE Ferrari, a combination of F1 hybrid technology and traditional Ferrari supercar styling), the California (a nod to the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder specifically designed for a US market) and the Portofino.
Ferrari Hire
The name Portofino was inspired by the coastal village of Portofino, a beautiful, glamorous location on the Ligurian coast in North West Italy. The name was chosen to evoke places you can take this magnificent Grand Tourer as it is the perfect cat for long distances. If you want to experience the style and glamour of a Ferrari Hire, then the Portofino is a great choice. With 4 seats and the fact it is a convertible, combined with oodles of sensible driver aids and practicality, then there isn’t any better way to have access to the Ferrari lifestyle without the long-term cost of ownership. Drop us a line to see how easy it is to hire a supercar for a weekend or longer.
