Unique ‘paint to sample’ shades: Ferrari has hundreds, if not thousands, laying around. Though there are many people who want to create something of their own, among them is this American Pista owner…
Photography: Wylie Caudill
This is the story of A.D. and his Verde Nathalie 488 Pista. He has been driving Prancing Horses since 2011 and became enamoured with Ferrari’s Tailor Made program when he acquired a second-hand TM F12 Berlinetta in Grigio Ferro with Nero Elkann wheels and a Carminio Red / Inchiostro Black interior. After attending the 812 Superfast’s Maranello preview, he knew he had to try the Tailor Made experience for himself. When configuring the car at the factory, a conservative shade of blue was chosen and a very classy 812 was the result.
Once introduced to the Tailor Made process, it was time for something a bit crazier…
Endless possibilities
In October 2018, we returned to Ferrari’s Tailor Made studio, newly housed within the beautiful Centro Stile building in Maranello. We reunited with Stephanie Abecassis and her talented team of designers and graphic artists who had worked with us on the 812 Superfast. After owning multiple silver and gray cars, my wife (Nathalie) and I felt compelled to inject some color into newer specs. She loved the blu-ish Grigio Titanio Metallizzato on our 488 GTB and suggested that we find a green version for the Pista.
The Tailor Made program allows clients to choose colors far beyond the options available via the online configurator or dealerships. In addition to dozens of large painted samples hanging on the walls, the studio has drawers holding hundreds of small paint chips which have never been used on a Ferrari. There is even the opportunity to create an entirely new paint color if you bring a favorite item to match. Ferrari allows you to choose the name for any previously unused color.
At the first Tailor Made visit, we chose TM’s Blu Simond for the 812 Superfast, after failing to find a new blue that we liked better. On the return Pista visit, the mission was to discover a new color, using Scaglietti’s Celeste Gainsborough from the 1950’s as a starting point. After spending an hour exploring hundreds of samples, we found this classic yet modern shade of greenish silver / gray. It immediately reminded me of my wife’s beautiful hazel eyes, and was named “Verde Nathalie” in honor of my best friend and partner for the past 25 years.
Tribute to the Tricolore
We’ve always loved the culture and colors of Italy, and wanted to create a Tailor Made design that honored the passionate and talented people that have enriched our lives through their cars, clothing, cuisine, architecture, and art. Using Verde Nathalie, we set out to create a Tricolore homage of green, white, and red. After again searching dozens of samples, a very deep and vibrant red called Rosso Coburn was selected.
It was created by close friends who first introduced us to Ferrari’s Tailor Made program after we purchased their former TM F12 from Ferrari of Atlanta. Bianco Sanae was chosen to complete the Tricolore pattern based on its very pure white quality. It possessed a similar metallic content as Rosso Coburn and Verde Nathalie.
Instead of centering a tricolore stripe on the Pista, we wondered if it might be possible to use the entire car as an abstract tricolore canvas with Verde Nathalie serving as the background green. Considerable time was spent on the stripe design. After creating several iterations of traditional symmetric stripes using alternating bands of red and white, we all felt that we might be straying too far from the desired Italian flag homage. We joked that a white/red/white stripe might even resemble a candy cane on a Christmas tree – not the design goal. Stephanie suggested the asymmetric design shown below, which the Tailor Made team had recently designed.
It pairs a thin white edge of constant dimensions against a larger red stripe which gently widens from front to rear. To our eyes, it was an elegant solution that achieved the desired tricolore tribute, simplified the design, and offered a more modern aesthetic. Canna di Fucile was chosen for the Pista’s wheels.
Interior
For the interior, the goal was to echo the exterior design cues. Stephanie introduced us to a new material called “Posh Green Alcantara” which is lightweight yet has a luxurious feel. It was used for the seats, door handles, and dashboard trim. The asymmetric exterior stripe was recreated using Pelle Frau leather in Carminio Red (as on our former F12) and Zinco White. The remaining interior was done simply in Nero Alcantara to preserve the Pista’s lightweight, track-oriented design brief.
We are grateful to Ferrari for allowing enthusiasts to pursue their design dreams. The experience is every bit as special as the cars.
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