Way back in 1939 Enzo Ferrari founded one of the most popular luxury sport car company of all-time. Known for its sleek look and powerful engines Ferrari became a stud rather quickly. However not everyone was on board with the car company. A certain fellow by the name of Ferruccio Lamborghini grew frustrated with Ferrari’s inability to make changes to their rides. This caused the launch of his own brand and he took lots of Ferrari employees with him as well. Like Ferrari, the car company became a popular brand due to the look and performance of the cars.
That’s the good however both companies have faced some bad. In this article we take a look at some dud models that both Lamborghini and Ferrari might be happy to know are forgotten about for the most part these days. Particularly for Lamborghini it seems as though the 70s was an experimental time for the car company. It led to quite a few lemons. Ferrari suffered a similar faith during the 60s and 70s with some models that strayed away from the true Ferrari design. We’ll feature those forgotten cars as well along with several dud concept ideas from both companies.
It isn’t all bad. Some cars might be forgotten about due to the limited production. Timing and costs could have played a role in these vehicles becoming lesser known despite the potential. Enough of the talk let’s begin. Here are 10 Ferrari cars you forgot exist along with 10 forgotten Lamborghini rides. Be sure to share the article with a friend!
20 Ferrari 166 MM/212
Better known as the “egg shaped” Ferrari this is one of the lesser known models dating way back to the 1950s. It isn’t a prototypical Ferrari look that’s for sure however it’s a unique concept and one that shouldn’t be forgotten about.
According to Motor 1, the forgotten Ferrari sold for $4.5 million at a Pebble Beach Auction.
Ferrari collectors might consider this a steal. Created by Franco Reggiani the car remains in remarkable shape on the inside with a 186 horsepower. It used to be a racing car back in the day. As of the mid-80s the vehicle was completely restored according to Motor 1. It’s one of the better Ferrari’s car enthusiasts might have forgotten about.
19 Lamborghini Marzal
Even the best luxury car companies are known for some lacklustre concept models. Ferrari isn’t immune and neither is Lamborghini. We turn back the clock to the 1960s for this forgotten dud of a concept car. Lambo was going for a futuristic look judging by the body design. The glass doors were a major talking point, however according to 4 Wheels News Ferrucio Lamborghini wasn’t a fan of the concept due to the fact that it exposed the body of a female. One model was made of the forgotten car. The Espada would later be created drawing motivation from the car design - though as you’ll see later it became another forgotten dud in the history of Lamborghini.
18 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
Again this 1970s Ferrari doesn’t look like the classic Italian luxury car. However some might say it looks pretty darn cool nonetheless catering to the 70s decade. Nicknamed “Harrah Hot Rod”, the vehicle sold for just under $700,000 at an auction. That’s a cheap price point when assessing the rareness of such a car. A version of the car is now fully restored and according to Motor 1 can easily go for $1 million these days. It's a front-engine vehicle.
Now despite the fact that it’s known as a forgotten Ferrari, the company still managed to produce over 1,000 units.
That’s a lot more than most Ferrari enthusiast would have expected.
17 Lamborghini Urraco
The car model is named after a bull - though Lambo admirers might know that it certainly didn’t drive like one. Similar to the Ferrari Dino Lamborghini attempted to sell this car at a reasonable price point. The only problem is the Dino was a dud on the inside due to lower costs and the Urraco ended up forming the same legacy. With only 791 models produced Lambo might be happy some car enthusiast forgot about this ride. Known as the “budget supercar” according to Car Buzz, this model became one of the cheapest Lambos in terms of price tag and well, performance. It’s a forgotten Lamborghini for all the wrong reasons.
16 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2
It kind of resembles the Modulo though it also seems to be shaped like a hearse.... The model made it to production back in the 1960s. It isn’t everyday that Ferrari lovers can see a rare station wagon type vehicle from the car company. Ask lots of luxury car enthusiasts and they might think you’re lying when seeing photos of this rare Ferrari design. It has a lackluster exterior however the interior has some serious power under that hood. The V12 is followed by 300 horsepower. Yea the car had some serious bite. According to Motor 1 the forgotten Ferrari can go for just under $1 million at an auction these days.
15 Lamborghini Cheetah
Some car companies don’t have the best history when it comes to SUVs or larger vehicle types. Ferrari and Lambo have thrived when it comes to the classic sport car look. However the same cannot be said for bigger versions. In most cases these cars turned into forgotten duds.
Thankfully the Cheetah was only a failed concept and one that didn’t make it to the market.
Better that way... It was created as a military car in the US meant to be an off-road type vehicle. Taking one look at the ride, the US special forces might have wanted to keep the car off the road permanently. The end result was a big time lemon particularly due to the fact that car drove like a tank. It was deemed as way too heavy of a drive – the opposite to what typical Lambos feel like.
14 Ferrari Testa D’Oro
We’ve discussed some forgotten concept Lambo models. Newsflash, Ferrari isn’t exactly exempt either. The Testa D’Oro might be remembered, however if a car lover recalls this concept it might be for all the wrong reasons. Thankfully only one was created. Despite the awful design the goal was to make this vehicle among the fastest Ferrari rides ever. Instead designer Luigi Colani built a forgotten Ferrari model most do not recall. The modified version produced a sizzling 700 horsepower according to Car and Driver. For those curious, the car has a worth of just under $2 million these days. Not bad for a car that looks like it was built in year 2100.
13 Lamborghini LM002
Regarded as a 4-door pickup and later 4-door sport utility truck this became another Lambo bust. The car model is still up for sale these days with a six figure price tag. Prices for the model usually range between $300,000 to $400,000. It was a risky move by Lambo back in the 80s and the first of its type for the car company. It’s a hand-built vehicle that attempted to sell performance.
However, that desire was not met and the performance of the truck actually hurt the reputation of the vehicle.
Only 328 units were sold. Among the notable owners includes Mike Tyson, one of the bigger stars of the late 80s.
12 Ferrari 408 4RM
According to Classic Driver this forgotten car is the first four-wheel drive Ferrari ever made. Don’t feel too sorry if that didn’t register, only two prototypes were ever made. The vehicle has a variety of problems on the inside followed up by a bizarre look on the outside. These days the vehicle is only used for display purposes. A Ferrari lover can find the prototype at the Galleria Ferrari. It wouldn’t be the end for four-wheel innovation type. Ferrari would resurrect the concept with the Ferrari FF. Produced recently in 2011 that car model had far more success with a near 3,000 units being made. Production ended a couple of years back in 2016.
11 Lamborghini Athon
Oh where to begin with this concept car. For one it looks to be bullet proof and made out of steel on the outside. Heck the back also looks like a video game console. However instead of swallowing disks it looks as though it is capable of swallowing humans. Okay you get the point...
The Athon never made it to market and it might be for the best.
Created in the 1980s the car resembles more of a prop car for a movie like Terminator instead of being an actual every day driver (it actually appeared in Total Recall and RoboCop). The timing of the car couldn’t have been worse during a difficult recession time for Lambo. Due to the costs the car never made it production. Per RM Auctions that vehicle currently has a price tag that can be up to $312,000 – in large part thanks to the rareness of the car.
10 Ferrari 365 GTC/4
Some might find it upsetting that only 500 units made it passed production. For that reason this stellar looking Ferrari became a forgotten vehicle. Granted it didn’t have the typical Ferrari look however the body of the car is truly noteworthy for muscle car lovers. The black and blue color schemes make this vehicle look pretty darn sweet. It’s a 70s car that unfortunately only lasted a year. The car was modified on the inside in order to meet safety criteria. It might have sunk this Ferrari as the inside became a reserved one with a 320 horsepower. Other things that needed to be changed included the exhaust system, air injection and carbon canister. Oh what could have been!
9 Lamborghini Espada
Visually it doesn’t look like a classic Lambo. For that reason this car tends to be regarded as a dud and forgotten car. However back in the day the Espada become quite the seller for the car company – production lasted a decade almost spanning the entire 70s. Over 1,000 units were made. Now it wasn’t the most powerful engine but the models consisted of a 345 horsepower which really isn’t all that bad. According to Car Buzz once the Countach made it to market it absolutely destroyed the sales and production levels of the Espada sinking its legacy.
8 Ferrari 308 GT Rainbow
Does it get more 70s than calling a car “The Rainbow”? Back in 1976 Ferrari unveiled this concept model at the Turin Motor Show.
Obviously it turned lots of heads due to the unique design.
According to Motor 1 the intent of this ride wasn’t to create a production model, the goal was to create a car with a different look to what Ferrari lovers became accustomed to along with promoting the functional value of the car on the inside. Perhaps DeLorean lovers might want to see a rebirth of the vehicle as comparisons have been made between the cars. We aren’t sure that this is a good thing for the Ferrari model...
7 Lamborghini Jarama
The Lamborghini what now? Clearly the 70s wasn’t the greatest year for Lamborghini as they created some unconventional car designs – at least based off what we’re accustomed to seeing by the car company nowadays. According to Car Buzz this car was a successor to the Islero as Lambo tried to create a new ride that complied with the new safety standards. We all know what that usually leads to... a dud on the inside. It was a heavier drive and one unlike top tier Lamborghinis. Production ended by 1976 with only 328 units created.
6 Ferrari 365 Tre Posti
Feast your eyes on this stunning three-seated vehicle – Ferrari only created two versions of this rare car. According to Hemmings the goal for this vehicle was to create a sculpture type of vehicle. Pretty much like an art form as a car. We can say it succeeded in doing so as it was welcomed in by the Dream Cars exhibit over in Indianapolis. The other version of the car was selling at an auction for over $20 million! Yikes! With such a sleek look followed by the rarity of being a three-seater this Ferrari model deserves a lot more recognition. Who else thinks they should create an updated three-seated version today?
5 Lamborghini Silhouette
No we weren’t kidding when we said the 70s was a wacky time for Lamborghini. This is another heavy 70s ride that tends to be forgotten about. It isn’t what one thinks of when daydreaming about Lambos that’s for darn sure.
This two-door was produced back in 1976.
Only three years later production stopped with only 54 units created. Clearly lots of trial and error took place for the car company during the 70s, it led to various forgotten rides such as this one. It doesn’t help that according to Car Buzz the vehicle was deemed as a fill-in type model for the Urraco and Jalpa cars.
4 Ferrari 512S Berlinetta Speciale
No need to rub your eyes. Yes, feast those eyeballs on this rare 512 S Berlinetta Speciale. A vehicle so good that employees of Ferrari actually needed to roll it out for the public to see... Without an engine on the inside the goal was to showcase the stunning exterior and nothing else. Photos of the dudes rolling out the car is truly hilarious even to this day. Created in 1969 only one version of the car was ever created. Perhaps the car could have been something had any sort of engine existed on the inside. Don’t count on a revival of the car with an engine in place however.
3 Lamborghini Sogna
Top Gear sums up this car best, “the weirdest Lambo concept ever.” The concept debuted during the early 90s as Lambo began to promote a more futuristic look. This one might have been a little too much. In truth it resembles a wacky car some movie superhero villain might find himself driving in space. Despite the fact that it’s a forgotten dud the car has decent torque on the inside. According to Top Gear the car had to capabilities of hitting a top speed of 202 mph. However with a price tag of $3 million according to 4 Wheel News the car was not worth the expensive price tag.
2 Maserati 4200 GT Coupe (Made By Ferrari)
Umm why is a Maserati on this list? A little known forgotten about fact, the 4200 GT Couple is actually powered by Ferrari on the inside. Petrolicious gave us some insight on what’s under the hood of this forgotten about Maserati; “A Ferrari 4.2-liter V8 engine, (mostly) shared with the F430 and Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione.” Yes it was built like a Ferrari on the inside but it certainly didn’t have the same capabilities as some of the top tier Ferrari rides. Instead the inside was a little more pedestrian than what the car company is known for. Nonetheless several car lovers might not have known that Ferrari was behind this forgotten Maserati type.
1 Lamborghini 350 GT
Taking a quick glance at this 350 GT some car enthusiasts might have thought such a vehicle was produced by Porsche back in the day. The body type isn’t a classic Lambo look by any means.
This forgotten model was created back in the 1960s.
Although only 120 units were built the car made quite the impact at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show. According to various tales the car made such an impact that it was established at that moment that Lambo had become a suitable contender for Ferrari. With a 400 horsepower on the inside Lambo definitely made its mark with this forgotten vehicle.
Sources: Topspeed.com, RMSothebys.com, Motor1.com