10 odd Ferraris we almost forgot

There are countless Ferraris that will go down in the annals as 'legends of their time', but what about those cars that, following their glimmering short spells in the spotlight, have dimmed in even the keenest enthusiasts' memories? Here are 10 oddball Ferraris we almost forgot…

Ferrari 408 4RM

Think the FF was the first four-wheel-drive Ferrari? Think again. This is the 408 4RM, a bizarre design study built in 1987 to test a complex hydraulic four-wheel-drive system. It didn’t look great, and it evidently didn’t work very well, either – just two were built, one of which currently resides in the Galleria Ferrari.

Ferrari Rainbow

Why ‘Rainbow’ we’re not sure, but the wedge-shaped concept is actually a classic Bertone/Gandini design. Free of any restraints that a production car might entail, Gandini was able to radically push the boundaries of then-modern car design – a conformist he most certainly wasn't. The car's folding hardtop was well ahead of its time, too.

Ferrari 365 GTC/4 Beach Car by Felber

We’re a little peeved we didn’t discover this car in time for our best beach cars story last summer, but then again, we’d never have found it. A Ferrari beach car? Come on. But sure enough, this beach-worthy 365 GTC/4 was built by Felber for the 1976 Geneva Motor Show. With a 320HP V12, we bet it was a little wilder than a Jolly 500 on the sands of St. Tropez.

Ferrari 166MM Zagato Panoramica

The very first Zagato-Ferrari collaboration and the very first Ferrari coupé, the 166MMPanoramica came about after customers began to request lighter Zagato bodies for their new Ferraris. Just one was built and, such was the way in those days, it was soon re-bodied in the name of competition.

Ferrari Sigma by Pininfarina

In the late 1960s, fatalities were an all-too-common occurrence in Formula One. Designed around a 312 chassis and powered by a Ferrari V12, the Sigma was built by Pininfarina in collaboration with Revue Automobile as a safety research prototype. Though shunned by some at the time, it utilised many then-innovative features, a number of which we take for granted today.

Ferrari Mondial T PPG Pace Car

This striking Mondial-based creation was built especially for use as a pace car in the PPG Indy Car World Series in the late 1980s. Originally priced at around one million dollars, Christie's sold an example in 2004 for a mere €70,500. Bargain?

Ferrari 360 Barchetta

We’re sure you’ll agree that a one-off Ferrari convertible certainly beats a toaster in the wedding present stakes. Gianni Agnelli had this Barchetta-style 360 Spider built for Luca di Montezemolo’s wedding. Apparently Luca was completely oblivious to its existence as every effort had been made by Agnelli to keep it a surprise until the big day. 

Ferrari Pinin by Pininfarina

Remarkable as it may seem, this is the one and only proper four-door Ferrari ever built (privately commissioned 456 saloons aside). Designed for the 1980 Turin Motor Show by Pininfarina (and aptly named Pinin after founder Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina), the prototype marked the 50^th anniversary of the legendary Italian design house.

Ferrari GG 50 by Giugiaro

Based on the 612 Scaglietti, the GG 50 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 2005 as a celebration of his 50 years in automotive design. That’s some anniversary gift.

Ferrari 330 GT Speciale by Vignale

Fredo Vignale was the man charged with realising Luigi Chinetti’s vision for a shooting brake version of the luxurious 330 GT 2+2 in the late 1960s. Sadly, the quirky shooting brake was to be Vignale’s final work before his untimely death in 1969. 

Photos: RM Auctions, Bonhams, Ferrari, Italdesign, Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, Pininfarina.

You can find many more memorable Ferraris for sale in the Classic Driver Market.