The retrospective appearance is echoed by the corresponding engine – the naturally aspirated V12. The Daytona SP3 Targa will be limited to 599 copies, but all of them are already reserved.
The family of exclusive Ferrari models, codenamed Icona, has a new addition. The Daytona SP3 targa has been declassified, marking the return of the Ferrari factory team to endurance racing and reminiscent of the Italian team’s triple victory at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona. Needless to say, the design of the new “Icon” was created with an eye on the sports prototypes from the 1960s – the 330 P4, 350 Can-Am, and 512 S models. Hence the panoramic windshield and rear-view mirrors on the expressive fenders.
This is the third Icona series supercar in a row (after the Monza SP1 and Monza SP2 speedsters were released in October 2018). The two-door sports car received the most powerful gasoline engine in the history of the company, distinguished itself by “formula” aerodynamics and design.
In Italy, Ferrari has valued the Daytona SP3 at two million euros before taxes, but the price list is a mere formality because you can’t order a new product. All 599 units are reserved, although deliveries will not begin until May 2023.
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The visiting card of the Ferrari Daytona SP3 is a very low (1142 mm) and lightweight composite body (targa type) with butterfly doors, which impresses with bold design and engineering solutions. The curb weight of the two-door is only 1485 kilograms.
The curved windshield with a single wiper resembles a fighter jet lantern, the exterior mirrors are in line with the front axle, the “blind” headlights are hidden behind rising “cilia”, and there is no familiar bumper at the rear – only a giant diffuser, like on formula fireballs.
The interior of the Ferrari Daytona SP3 is also full of surprises. The engineers tried to ensure that the driver took his hands off the steering wheel as rarely as possible, so the steering column switches were completely abandoned: the wiper blade was replaced with a washer, and the turn signals were replaced with a pair of buttons.
The supercar does not have a touchscreen multimedia system, but a virtual 16-inch panel and numerous touch controls are responsible for the “digitization”. The driver and passenger seats are visually connected, and this is not only a designer’s trick – to get comfortable, but you will also have to adjust the steering wheel and … pedals because the seat is fixed rigidly!
There has been no official confirmation of the rumors that the Daytona was based on the LaFerrari Aperta limited roadster, but they seem to be conceptually close. But the appearance has changed so much that you can not guess. It is only known for sure that the heart of the Icon was the 6.5-liter V12 from the 812 Competizione, modified and adapted to the mid-engined layout.
Motorists needed to make a lot of efforts to adapt the engine to a medium-power format (changed connecting rods, pistons, crankshaft, intake, cooling systems, and exhaust) – this is evidenced by the change in the index from F140HB to F140HC. Giving out 840 hp. and 697 “newtons”, it secured the title of the most powerful internal combustion engine ever created by Ferrari. The motor is accompanied by a seven-speed robot with two clutches.
The technology is also impressive in architecture: the chassis and body of the Daytona are made of composite materials, providing enviable rigidity and a relatively modest curb. Thus, there are 565 “horses” per ton. All this allows the car to exchange 100 kilometers per hour in 2.85 seconds, cope with the second hundred in 7.4 seconds, and accelerate to 340 km/h, feeling great both on public roads and on the race track.
Ferrari technical director Michael Leiters stressed that lap times weren’t being chased this time around, which is partly why it has a traditional naturally aspirated V12 (rather than a more efficient V8-based powerplant) and no active aerodynamics.
Although there is not a single active element here, the Daytona SP3 is one of the brand’s most advanced products. At the same time, the minimalistic appearance does not suffer, since the main “sponsor” of downforce is a tricky double diffuser. This decision came to the auto industry straight from Formula 1 back in 2009. True, the original idea did not belong to Ferrari, but the Brawn GP team.
