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Ferrari delivers the ultimate Christmas present

By Matt Brogan |

Ferrari has delivered the ultimate Christmas present, a unique one-off Ferrari built to the specific requirements of its new owner using Ferrari’s Portfolio programme that enables Ferrari’s most discerning clients to design and own cars that are, quite literally, unique.

Dubbed the Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta, the unique supercar has been built for Edward Walson, the American son of John Walson, the inventor of cable TV. His inspiration for the car was a 1968 Federico Fellini film, “Toby Dammit” inspired by one of the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, which contained a unique Ferrari built by Carrozzeria Fantuzzi specifically for the film.

“I had always dreamed of designing sports cars,” Edward Walson explains, “and when I saw this film the decision came of its own accord: one day I would have ‘my’ Ferrari.”

Although based on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, considerable changes were required as 599 GTB is a Coupe and the P540 is an open topped car and, like all Portfolio projects, the unique Ferrari had all the same safety and homologation requirements of normal production road car.

2010_Ferrari_P540_001

The car was designed by Pininfarina and built at the Ferrari factory in Maranello. The client was directly involved in each stage of its development. As the 599 GTB Fiorano donor car is a coupé, considerable effort went into strengthening the chassis by using finite element analysis in development and the increase in weight was kept down to just 20kg by employing carbon-fibre extensively. From the initial sketches to the final, road-legal car took just 14 months.

As the Edward Walson took delivery of the car at the Ferrari test track, Fiorano, his excitement was understandable: “This is the most special Christmas present of my life!”

With Ferrari Australia


 
  • Mitch

    Very impressive, but its pretty ugly and its not red.

  • Marcoz

    FUGLIEST wanna be lotus/corvette THING i have ever seen, that should not even DAREEEE to wear the Ferrari badge….

    • Oosh

      Agreed, Corvette was the first thing I thought of, ugly came second.

      So do we call it a Corvari or a Fervette?

  • Shak

    This will ruin Ferrari’s for us all. This thing is really ugly, but then again it is made to American tastes.

    • Marcoz

      Took the words right out of my mouth shak….americano…typical….!!

      • f1worldchamp

        We know how much Enzo loved the Yanks.
        Who exactly let that moron design a Ferrari?

  • Joe

    Before you arm-chair experts spout off about how ugly the car and the colour is, you need to realise that Ferrari build one-off vehicles in their Portfolio program.

    In this case, the owner wanted a one-off vehicle that was inspired by the car in the film “Toby Dammit”, one of the three episodes of the film “Histoires Extraordinaires” made in 1968 based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe.

    The colour and the design of the vehicle are a modern interpretation of the car in the movie… and as per the program, its a one-off.

    For the record, I reckon it looks fantastic.

  • Peter

    I wouldnt knock it back. Front reminds me of a Massa, maybe a lotus, and I’ve always liked them. Like the gills on the side, too. I’m sure that if I was to design a car, it would be pretty pathetic (Massa front, Aston back, thanks, and I raise your 4 gills and have 6!, then I must have 4 pipes coming out the back), so more power to Edward. Onya for living the dream, but really – gold?

    • The Real Car Fanatic

      First time I saw it, I thought it had inspirations froma 74 Corvette.

  • F1 Addict

    The Homer

    • Peter

      not enough domes

      • Andrew M

        more like not enough Horns, that was his bigest drama

    • Andrew M

      Yep, I thought “Homer” concept too.
      Im just kicking cans because you beat me to say it….

      • Peter

        I was gonna say it too, but I thought I’d get flamed. Who’d have realised there are people here with a sense of humour?

  • MisterTwo

    The paint match between the front guards and the doors are a little off don’t you think? I bet it has massive cup holders too!

  • Reality Check

    Any hand built one-off is going to cost the owner millions of dollars.

    Why bother, just get the new 458 or a 599 in red and save maybe $2m.

    This is strictly for posers that have more money than sense….perfect for Tiger ?

  • riceboy

    OMFG…. I’m glad it’s only a one off!!! FUGLY!

  • Andrew Juma

    I concur with several comments here. It does look a lot like a Corvette with a hideous paint job.

  • Vunsta

    Proof that money can’t buy you style..

  • Opinionated Aussie bastard

    Ugly, it looks absolutely ugly, Euro cars are trash