Ferrari P540 SuperFast Aperta delivered...

Looks pretty cool.

I don't see anything wrong with the program. The car is basically a 599, just like the P45 is an Enzo.

It's kind of like all the chop top Daytonas, but with more money and a Ferrari stamp on it.

 

P 4/5 while based on an Enzo has over 200 uniquely engineered systems. The biggest difference is that P 4/5 has a unique windshield/doors/headlights/ and bumper structures unlike the P540 which uses a 599 Windshield, 612 headlights and 599 doors and bumper structures.

Cool car. Look forward to seeing it out and about.

 

Matter of taste. Other than the P 4/5 which is in a class of its own, I happen to think the Zagato was the only recent "custom" Ferrari that deserved to wear the Ferrari badge. I find the P540 to look more like a George Barris custom of the 1960s than a modern interpretation of a Ferrari.

 

If I had $5M burning a hole in my pocket I might have them build me an updated 512S show car

 

I think it is totally worth of the badge... i don't see anyone disputing the badge on the original zagatos. these are made in the same spirit.

Napolis, you can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the reason why the "P540" utilizes production car bumper structures, windshields, headlights, and doors is to avoid having to crash test/certify the car. The P4/5 was delivered as an Enzo from the factory. It was purchased by you as a consumer and then sent back to modify it into what we see it as today. The P540 is delivered from the factory as that, not a 599 etc...

By some of the logic from the posts on this thread, The P4/5 is more of a George Barris car... or less worth of the badge.

I personally dont think that to be true for the P4/5 or any of the Pininfarina or Zagato projects.

(I do want to say that I think the George Barris reference is more to the bass boat like paint job along with the style of the body and I can't say I don't see a little bit of what you are talking about)

 

IMO the decision to use existing road legal parts was purely a cost issue. P 4/5's unique components are all built and and certified to all applicable World Wide Automotive standards. If we had used any existing Road Legal Windshield or Headiights they would have been legal. Note that this car uses 612 headlights not 599 headlights. As you may imagine the cost to build unique fully road legal parts and to have them tested and certified as such is very high.

The story of how Ferrari P 4/5 by Pininfarina came to become an officially badged as a Ferrari was covered correctly by Car and Driver. In the Factory records Ferrari P 4/5 by Pininfarina is not listed as an Enzo but as Ferrari P 4/5 by Pininfarina.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/06q3/pininfarina_ferrari_p4_5-feature

 

Please, take a look at the other threads about this car, mány reference it to a '69-70 Corvette in appearance. George Barris first made his name chopping tops, sectioning and channeling, adding fender skirts, Frenching lights and door handles, adding stuff to existing cars. You do not have to agree but this P540 looks like somebody tried to copy 5 different cars on one body, too much looks tacked on, just to busy for me. A style out of the 1960's and 1970s.

I find the P 4/5 and the Zagato to be clean bodies, with purpose to the curves. Not to suggest they are in the same class. The P4/5 is virtually an entirely new car, I don't think JG left much untouched. The Zagato is a modified 599 in an effort to duplicate the original Zagato so its not even close to the same class as the P 4/5. This P540 is the same, just a modified 599. I am still waiting for another person with the huevos to do the next P 4/5. I doubt that happens for a long long time.

But like I said, no issue, its a matter of individual taste. Or as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Otherwise every car made would be one color, one tasteless style. Probably a black AMC Gremilin.

As to the P540 at Cavallino, if the P 4/5 is not to be at the Cavallino, I would that the P540 is not allowed entry.

 

Ohh I have read just about everything about your car Jim and mean absolutely no disrespect. I am just saying that your car was officially badged AFTER you took delivery of the car as an enzo. Had you not done that your car nor any car would not be eligible for sale/use in the US until an agreement was made with the DOT to allow at minimum a show and display permit.

So my main point is, is that this car could have also potentially used factory parts (tooling already paid for) as well as the fact that they already have the lovely DOT embossed on them, to avoid retesting for DOT approval for lights and crash testing etc...

I am kind of writing this in a hurry, so I hope this makes sense.

Jim, your car, collection and dedication to the history of cars in general is outstanding and I very much appreciate what you have done with ferrari as well as the fords... Megs 57 is pretty damn cool too!

 

I could be speaking out of turn here, but it sticks in my head that not having P4/5 at Cavallino was more Jim's decision, not that they ever rejected it?

Going back a ways in the massive P4/5 thread I see this Q&A about attending:

If am wrong in my assumption there, I know Jim will correct me in his own good-natured way.

>8^)
ER

 

P 4/5 never applied to go to Cavallino nor would it or will it. Neither me or any of my cars has any interest what so ever in attending Cavallino.

 

I realised that. One minor point. Luca saw the styling model of P 4/5 after I had locked the design but before the car was finished. It was upon seeing the styling model at PF that he decided that P 4/5 deserved to be an official Ferrari.

Best

 

Napolis,

Personally, I'm not so keen on Cavallino, either, but I'm curious about your strong feelings. Are you willing to talk about it?

CW

 

My feelings on Cavallino have been public record for a while.

The short version is that they refused to publish a letter of mine that indisputably corrected misinformation that they had previously published:

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=137375072&highlight=letter+cavallino#post137375072

They have altered original historical reporting, without permission of the reporter to omit the presence of one of my Ferrari's at Quail and they continue to publish a price guide that contains glaring inaccuracies. Once again there are no P3 Ferrari's existent nor have any P3 Ferrari's ever been sold so their continued listing of Ferrari P3 current values is absurd. Because of the above I personally feel their self appointed declaration that they are "The Journal of Ferrari History" is silly.

As an aside I'm not the only one who feels that they have shown a reckless disregard for the truth as evidenced by this lawsuit:

http://www.sportscarmarket.com/Legal-Files/2010/January/

As far as the event it's a bit to Elitist for my tastes.

 

Well, glad to see I was indeed paying attention. Sorry to see what should be a great organization, instead has their heads firmly planted up their rears on certain obvious things.

Their loss, really. I think most here would agree on that.

>8^)
ER

 

Ha! If I had 5M burning a hole in my pocket I would be begging Jim to let his P4/5 be #1 of 2.

 

Thank you. My experiences with Cavallino have been fruitful, but not easy. Been trying to get one of our cars in for YEARS (and now the other one should be one they'd like to profile)! They've never even done an article on the model, let alone featured one of them, to the best of my knowledge. Factory-built race cars, no less! Anyway, one day they'll have to find some new material, and there I'll be sitting...

Frankly, Cavallino Classic doesn't do much for me, either.

CW

 

To me... that proves that he is:
1. Not blind
2. A car guy


Love the car

 

He's already had to turn down real offers for far greater amounts of money than that. 1 of 1 forever.

I think you will have to settle for a scale model like the rest of us when an official one is eventually released. Speaking of that Jim...

>8^)
ER

 

I love the last sentence of the article