Recently, more people have become aware of the great Ford and Ferrari rivalry; thanks in-part to the new Ford v. Ferrari flick. These two companies are, easily, some of the world's most successful, beautiful, and powerful sports car/supercar manufacturers since the early days of the 1960s (And before).
To name all the great Fords and Ferraris would take an a lot of time. It seems that every year, Ferrari makes a significantly better version of their latest model, while Ford continues to revolutionize the American car market. Through their intense rivalry, Ferrari and Ford both grew for the better, leading to the top-of-the-line models we see today. To showcase these rolling artworks and various achievements, here are fifteen of the sickest sports cars Ford and Ferrari have ever made...
15 15. 1970's Ford Gran Torino
In an effort to make a good daily driver with an Italian-looking design, Ford ended up making one of the coolest classic muscle cars out there. Initially, the Gran Torino was a boring Ford Fairlane, but was modified in-house to become the Torino. They really start to come into their own during the 1970s, though, where the Gran Torino was an aggressive, torque-filled, all-American V8 sports car (It even got a movie named after it).
14 14. Ferrari 330 P4 Berlinetta
Those of you who have seen the Ford v. Ferrari already know Ford's Le Mans victory in 1966. Ferrari were both disappointed and furious that some American carmaker could beat them - obviously, this couldn't happen again. The solution was the 1967 Ferrari 330 P4 Berlinetta: A revamped version of the P3 with better aerodynamics and more power. As a result, the 330 P4 swept the competition and put Ferrari back on top, once again.
13 13. Ferrari 512 Testarossa
The 1980s, thanks to artificially low interest rates and excessive spending, were a time of glitz, glamour, and luxury. Few things embody this theme like the sports cars of the decade, particularly Ferrari's 512 Testarossa. The Testarossa really was the perfect '80s car: A part in Miami Vice, modern-styling, and a roaring V12. To this day, the 512 TR is still viewed as one of Ferrari's most awesome builds.
12 12. Ford RS Sierra Cosworth
Believe it or not, not every Ford is for the United States. Sadly for those Stateside, Ford's made some great cars that won't see the U.S. for (At least) 25 years. One of them is the RS Sierra Cosworth, a upgraded version of the normal Sierra (A boring urban commuter). The RS Sierra Cosworth isn't just a rebadged sedan, though, but a competent and stunning-looking rally competitor.
Actually, the WRC (World Rally Championship) is a big part of why the Cosworth is so prominent. Yet again, rally racing breeds another incredible road-going alternative to their race cars.
11 11. Ford Focus RS
Speaking of Ford and the RS Sierra Cosworth, Ford had brought back the 'RS' title in 2016 with the Ford Focus RS. Like the Cosworth, the Focus had a history in the WRC and the ability to be a real winner. As such, the Focus RS was the fastest street-legal version of the Focus.
This, however, wouldn't last for long, as Ford cancelled the Focus series for North American consumers (Yet, it's still going overseas).
10 10. Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
Funnily enough, we've got another Ferrari on the list that has also made an appearance in the Miami Vice. Enthusiasts of the show already know its name: The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. The Daytona was less flamboyant than the Testarossa, but still all Ferrari. though the one in the show was a kit-car, the real ones looked (Almost) exactly the same. There were also a few racing versions too; they just weren't in competition for very long.
9 9. Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
Ferrari was on a serious hot-streak around 2012 and 2013. However, not everybody was a fan of the newer Ferrari models. This would change, though, when the F12 Berlinetta came out. Jeremy Clarkson, the then Top Gear host, stated that the F12 was one of the only new Ferraris that The Stig would buy. The sensitive steering, huge front-mounted V12, and a beautiful Berlinetta aesthetic make it hard to disagree with that sentiment.
8 8. 2020 Ford Mustang GT500
For the past six years, the GT500 title has been in hibernation after Shelby's founder, Carroll Shelby, passed in 2012. Finally, though, it'll make a miraculous return in 2020.
From what we can tell so far, the 2020 GT500 will be the fastest Shelby ever produced; coming standard with hand built engines and ludicrous amounts of horsepower.
7 7. 2019 Ford GT
In the mid-2010s, Ford had a serious problem: They didn't have a supercar. Sure, there's the Mustang and Focus, but those aren't capable of taking on Le Mans or the likes of Ferrari/Porsche. So, what better idea than to revitalize the Ford GT for the current year?! Upon release, it was obvious that Ford wasn't playing around. The GT is stunning (Like something out of a Hot Wheels box) and quick as can be, even with an EcoBoosted V6.
Now, the European manufacturers have something to worry about, and it's not a Corvette...
6 6. Ferrari F8 Tributo
While the Ferrari 488 is on the final stretch of its production, Ferrari had to make a replacement. One that's better in every aspect: Top speed, acceleration, lap-times, aesthetics, etc.
It's called F8 Tributo, an homage to the legendary F40, due to the similar styling and twin-turbocharged V8 present in both cars. Though it's named after the F40, the F8 will have no problems surpassing it in all departments (Except, maybe, the price)!
5 5. 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 KR
Although the 1967 Eleanor Shelby is beloved by many, it's important to observe the GT500 before its facelift; when it was a classic Mustang Shelby GT500 KR (King of the Road). The '67 Shelby GT500 is regarded by thousands to be the best Shelby Mustang ever made. Both in terms of appearance and performance. The KR edition is ever more rare than the regular GT500; making it that much more costly to acquire.
4 4. Ferrari 250 LM
Ferrari, clearly, has no issues winning races (At least outside of F1 in 2019). That's, partially, due to their revolutionary mid-engine setup in their race cars. The first prominent example of this is their Ferrari 250 LM: A mid-engine version of the 250-series race cars. The regular Ferrari 250/250 GTO is expensive and rare enough as is, but the 250 LM is on a whole other level. If you ever get a chance to see one in person, count your lucky stars!
3 3. Ferrari LaFerrari
As the "Hypercar" category took off in the early-2010's, high-ups like McLaren and Porsche were putting up their own contenders. Ferrari would not be left behind. In fact, they'd surpass the rest with the LaFerrari. Named after the Ferrari brand itself, the LaFerrari sports over 1000 horsepower at full-stock and a hybrid setup (The first of its kind).
The only thing the LaFerrari doesn't have, that the rest do, is an all-electric mode. Ferrari saw it as pointless, which is ironic as their releasing the SF90 Stradale: A car that can go all-electric.
2 2. Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 is not "just" another classic Ford - it's the race car that put Ford on the motor sporting map. Like we've stated previously, this was the car that won the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hour race; finally breaking Ferrari's stranglehold on the series. The GT40 is the embodiment of everything right with American cars, especially when it rustled Ferrari's jimmies.
1 1. Ferrari F40
The Ferrari F40, similar to the GT40, is much more than just an '80s supercar. It helped to defined the supercar genre and absolutely blew away enthusiasts during its unveiling, and all the way to today. The huge rear-wing, pop-up headlights, race car aesthetic, bare interior, and twin-turbocharged V8 led a lot of people to say that the F40 is just a "race car with a license plate." No truer words have ever been spoken.