Not every Ferrari becomes a poster car...
Some are too rare, too wild, or simply lost to time. Meet these 8 incredible Ferrari cars you didn’t know existed, including unique prototypes, racers and ultra-rare collector pieces with legendary backstories.
1953 Ferrari 166 MM/53 Abarth Spyder
Photo: Rob Clements
The only Abarth-modified Ferrari ever built.
The Ferrari 166 MM/53 Abarth Spyder, also known as the Smontabile Spider, is a true one-off gem. Designed by the legendary Carlo Abarth and Franco Scaglione for racer Giulio Musitelli, this unique car started life as a standard 166 MM, chassis 0262M. It made its debut at the 1953 Targa Florio, finishing 21st, and later snagged a 1st-place win at the 10 Hours of Messina, driven by Musitelli and Eugenio Castellotti. After a few more races, it was rebodied by Scaglietti in 1954 and eventually landed in the U.S., racing at Palm Springs. In 2007, the original Abarth body was restored, and the car fetched $850,000 at auction.
1954 Ferrari 735 Monza Spyder Pinin Farina 0444M
Photo: Carrozzieri Italiani
The 1954 Ferrari 735 Monza Spyder with Pinin Farina bodywork was a race-bred machine with a long and colourful career. Built on chassis 0444M, it debuted under Scuderia Ferrari and quickly found success. This included a win at the GP Supercortemaggiore with Mike Hawthorn and Umberto Maglioli. It raced through Europe and South America from 1954 to 1956, piloted by drivers like Vasco Sameiro and Herbert Mackay-Frazer. Though plagued by DNFs due to mechanical failures, it also landed multiple top-five finishes, even on Swedish ice tracks. In later decades, this unique Ferrari became a historic racing favourite, appearing at events like the Mille Miglia and Goodwood Festival of Speed. With only one made, it's a rare sight to behold.
1968 Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale
Photo: Richard Owen
Revealed at the 1968 Turin Auto Show, the Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale was a wild concept by Pininfarina with a sharp purpose: to form the basis of the Ferrari 365 BB. While the show car was just a rolling chassis, its sleek, mid-engine layout and 3.0-L 400 bhp V12 engine hinted at what was to come. The P6 was never meant for the streets, but it shaped Ferrari’s Berlinetta Boxer cars introduced in 1971. Its low, angular design, paired with a wide stance and forward-thinking aero, was a bold step away from front-engine grand tourers.
1968 Drogo Ferrari 250 GT SWB chassis 2209GT
Photo: Carrozzieri Italiani
The Drogo-bodied Ferrari 250 GT SWB, chassis 2209GT, is a story of rebirth and controversy. Originally raced by Jo Schlesser, this 250 GT had early succes. This included a 3rd place finish at the 1000km of Montlhéry in 1960. After a crash in the late ‘60s, its owner commissioned Carrozzeria Sports Cars (Drogo) to build a radical new body. The result? A love-it-or-hate-it design far removed from Ferrari’s traditional elegance. Over the decades, the car passed through numerous hands, survived being stolen in 1978 and was eventually restored to its original SWB style by DK Engineering. The original Drogo body is rumoured to be mounted on another car or partially saved as garage décor.
1969 Ferrari 365 GT NART Spyder "Grintosa"
Photo: Richard Owen
Meet the 365 GT NART Spyder Grintosa, a bold custom build envisioned by Luigi Chinetti, the U.S. Ferrari importer and NART founder. Based on the 365 GTC, this aggressive, race-inspired Spyder featured bodywork by Carrozzeria Autosport (Bacchelli & Villa). Its low-slung, muscular profile echoed the 512 BB LM racers. “Grintosa,” meaning “aggressive with flair,” perfectly sums up this one-off Ferrari. While it wasn’t a factory model, the car’s deep racing DNA and ties to NART give it legit pedigree.
1990 Ferrari 308 IMSA by Huffaker
Photo: Auto Arch
The Ferrari 308 IMSA by Huffaker Engineering is a race car that nearly made it, but never raced professionally. Only three were built for IMSA GTU competition, based on the Ferrari 308 with 288 GTO-inspired bodywork. Just as they were ready, rule changes and lost sponsorship killed the program, however, one out-qualified an F40 by 2.9 seconds at a Ferrari Club track day. This particular car boasts a 390 bhp engine revving to 9600 RPM, custom suspension, Hewland transaxle, air jacks and an allround ultra-lightweight build (around 2000 lbs / 900 kg). Despite limited track use, it's considered one of the most technically advanced 308 race builds ever.
1992 Bizzarrini BZ-2001
Photo: LM Sportscars
The Bizzarrini BZ-2001 is as rare as they come: a one-off concept based on the Ferrari Testarossa, designed by the legendary Giotto Bizzarrini in 1992. Commissioned by American Barry Watkins, the BZ-2001 was supposed to feature a 7.0-L V8, but in the end, it stuck with the Testarossa’s 12-cylinder. Bizzarrini’s radical redesign completely reimagined the Ferrari underneath: the wedge-shaped body and sleek, alien-like curves turned heads, even if not all in admiration. Though it never made it past the prototype stage, its scarcity and unique history make it a true collector’s unicorn.
1998 Ferrari F100
Photo: Car Design News
The Ferrari F100, built by Fioravanti in 1998, was a secret birthday tribute to Enzo Ferrari for the Ferrari family, marking 100 years since his birth. Revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, it was based on a mid-engine layout and imagined to run a detuned F1 V10 engine, though the final build focused more on design and comfort than raw speed. With neon-lit taillights, a retractable glass roof and extendable rear spoiler, the F100 was packed with forward-thinking details. Inside, it featured relaxed, body-contouring seats, integrated pedals and F1 paddle shifters. While it never hit production, the F100 represented Fioravanti’s love letter to Ferrari and elements of its DNA would later influence the Special Project Ferrari SP1.
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