Ferrari makes some pretty rare cars. For example, in 2016, Ferrari produced the J50 for the 50th anniversary of Ferrari in Japan. Only ten examples of this car exist, making it one of the most exclusive vehicles in the world. That pales in comparison to the Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina. Ferrari made this particular one-off vehicle in collaboration with James Glickenhaus.
James Glickenhaus, filmmaker and son of Wall Street tycoon Seth Glickenhaus, was approached by Andrea Pininfarina to have a custom Ferrari made for its special vehicle's division. When asked, Glickenhaus said he wanted a modern version of the old P4 styled Ferrari racers, and in 2005 the P4/5 was officially ordered.
While this was an expensive commission at $4 million, the P4/5 Pininfarina isn't the only special car in Glickenhaus' garage. As an auto enthusiast, he owns cars like the P4/5 Competizione, the race version of the Pininfarina, the GTB Turbo, and the Modula by Pininfarina.
The Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina was presented to a hungry public in 2006 at Pebble Beach. With a goal of outstanding performance and drop-dead gorgeous design, the P4/5 succeeded in both and is street-legal to complete the package.
Based On Ferrari, Built By Pininfarina
Interested in building up Ferrari's custom business, Andrea Pininfarina approached James Glickenhaus to commission a one-off hypercar, worthy of the rarity yet street-legal. To begin the process, Glickenhaus purchased the last Enzo, and it subsequently had it shipped to Turin for a total redesign.
The Pininfarina team was worried about having a design that was too retro and enlisted designer Jason Castriota to sculpt the elegant lines in modern fashion while retaining the spirit of the original P4 racers. Castriota blew the project out of the water, and the Director of Pininfarina Styling, Ken Okuyama, had nothing but praise for the designer. We're inclined to agree with Okuyama's sentiment!
In order to address performance, original sketches of the design underwent extensive wind testing and computer-aided drafting. As a result, the final design features sharp lines that are distinct yet clearly P4-inspired. Large air intakes on the hood and sides aid in performance and blend to a modern, tuned hypercar. Even the unique glass roof with the checker pattern screams elegance.
More than 200 components were brand new for the P4/5 to pull off the design. Plus, elements from the Enzo donor car that remained, such as the engine and drivetrain, are also heavily modified. Upon receiving the vehicle, Glickenhaus was so pleased he felt Pininfarina overperformed. As a result, he commissioned the P4/5 Competizione to see how the car would perform under race conditions. Contrary to popular belief, the Competizione is a stand-alone racer, not a simple refit, talk about loving a car!
Technical Specs Of The World's Rarest Ferrari
It would be a shame if the rarest Ferrari were slow. Good thing it's not. In fact, the P4/5 uses the Ferrari F140 GT 65-degree V12 engine found in the Enzo, albeit heavily modified, to squeeze some extra horsepower from the aluminum block. Just like the Enzo, the V12 in the P4/5 is naturally aspirated, putting out 670 horsepower and 485 lb-ft of torque. Plus, in true hypercar style, the engine is mid-mounted.
The 6.0L engine uses four valves per cylinder and has a redline of 8,200 RPMs. This beauty joins a six-speed automated manual transmission. Behind the wheel sits two custom paddles, one on each side, to control shifting. Like the engine, the transmission is a modified version of the original Enzo unit.
Pininfarina designed a beautiful exterior and supplied a worthy heart. The interior does just as much justice as the rest of the vehicle. Alcantara leather upholstery, a custom tablet infotainment system, and carbon fiber composite all over the dash are just a few examples of the level of luxury Pininfarina put into the P4/5.
That carbon fiber doesn't stay inside, though, and much of the overall construction relies on the material. It helps give the P4/5 improved aerodynamics and better handling while maintaining a low drag coefficient—yet another excellent example of what carbon can do for modern vehicles.
Glickenhaus P4/5’s Performance And Public Reception
We've talked about power, design, interior, and even drag coefficients, but how fast is the P4/5? Does it really merit the $4 million price tag? Fast. And yes. The P4/5 has an insane 3.55 second 0-60 time and completes a quarter-mile in 10.7 seconds. Not to mention, Ferrari estimates the P4/5's top speed at 233 MPH. They estimate because no one is brave enough to drive it that fast.
When Ferrari released the P4/5 by Pininfarina, the public was instantly impressed. Several outlets, such as Classic Driver, Car and Driver, and Supercars.net, lauded the design and performance of the fantastic one-off hypercar. Further, the fact that only one exists added fuel to the fire, and we can't stop talking about it 16 years later.
Ferrari is well-known for producing fantastic vehicles. Who would've guessed that a relatively unknown model would steal the title of the rarest Ferrari out there? Regardless, the unique P4 inspired design, modified engine, and fantastic interior combine in such a way that it's unlike to be reproduced in the near future.