Ferrari 330 P4. When even speed was beautiful

Have we reached a point where the aesthetic appeal of the car has been overshadowed by efficiency? It certainly appears that way when you compare models built with the same goal, some fifty years apart, 56, to be exact. Here, we consider two Ferraris, both designed for Endurance Racing: the 330 P4, the Sports Prototypes World Champion of 1967, and its modern counterpart, the Ferrari 499 P, recent victor of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, each vying for the same prestigious title.

Ferrari's parade arrival at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona. A rematch on Ford after defeat at Le Mans the previous year.

In 1967, the invention of engineers and coachbuilders led to the creation of what many consider the most beautiful Ferrari of all time. Famous from its debut with the side-by-side parade victory at the 24 hours of Daytona, the P4 possessed the sinuosity of a goddess. Its impeccably harmonious and seductively smooth contours marked it as a formidable racing car. Introduced in the very same year the American Chaparral introduced a movable wing – a first for motor racing – the P4 was devoid of conspicuous aerodynamic appendages while the air intakes and exhaust slots conveyed a message of power that perfectly matched the performance of the engine.

The 330 P4 #0858 in the closed version Le Mans configuration with mirrored fairings shows its power through the magnificence of the lines.

Three P4s were built with chassis numbers 0856, 0858, and 0860. Although some P3 models were modified to P4 specification, the original trio still exist and there are and will always be just three of them. Open or closed? There is no answer here, with both variants appearing for aerodynamic reasons. It’s as easy as that.

The classic V12 Ferrari and the exhaust pipe system of the 330 P4 #0858 which, in race configuration, produced 450 horsepower.

The harmony of a car conceived in Maranello thanks to the energy of Mauro Forghieri and the support of Piero Drogo's Carrozzeria Sports Cars, was also the result of different regulations: back then cars had to have two seats and, theoretically, be usable on the road. Today, even the sports cars have just one driving seat which allows the driver’s cockpit to be narrow and streamlined to reduce air resistance. Additional features of modern designs include prominent wings paired with body sculpting to guide air flow, and various fins which, while practical, somewhat compromise the purity of the form. The 499P is, without doubt, an impressive machine. Yet, the 330 P4 is the true Mona Lisa of automobiles.

Ferrari returns to the 24 Hours of Le Mans 50 years after last participation and takes overall victory with the 499P.