Ferrari America

Ferrari America at a glance

The America cars sit alongside the early competition-based Ferraris such as the 166 Inter and the 375 MM. All Ferrari models are listed in the Ferrari catalogue.

Why an "America" Ferrari

The America models had a clear purpose: they were large, powerful grand tourers for wealthy buyers who wanted the fastest possible road car with a custom body. The name pointed to the United States, where importer Luigi Chinetti presented the cars, but the customers also included European royalty and industrialists such as King Leopold III and Gianni Agnelli.

Technically, the series used the large V12 designed by Aurelio Lampredi; the later 400 Superamerica switched to the smaller Colombo V12. Each chassis was delivered to a coachbuilder, so almost every car looks different.

The 340 America (1950–1952)

The first model used a Lampredi V12 with 162 kW (220 PS). Wikipedia lists 25 cars in its infobox, two of them converted from 275 S racing cars, while the text names 23 bodies: 11 by Vignale (designed by Giovanni Michelotti), 8 by Touring and 4 by Ghia. Like Ferrari's racing cars, the 340 America carried even chassis numbers.

The 340 America also raced. Luigi Villoresi won the 1951 Mille Miglia in one, while three Touring barchettas entered in the same race did not finish.

The 342 America (1952–1953)

The 342 America was a calmer, more road-oriented version. It used the same engine, detuned to 147 kW (200 hp) through a different carburettor air-filter arrangement. Only six road cars were built: a Vignale cabriolet designed by Michelotti, two Pinin Farina cabriolets and three Pinin Farina coupés. One black Pinin Farina cabriolet belonged to King Leopold III of Belgium. The last car, a Pinin Farina cabriolet (chassis 0248AL), was shown at the 1953 New York motor show with a 4.5-litre engine.

The 375 America (1953–1954)

The 375 America appeared in 1953, with a Pinin Farina car on show at the Paris motor show that year. Its "long-block" Lampredi V12 has 4,522 cc and three Weber carburettors and produces 221 kW (300 PS) at 6,300 rpm. The top speed was claimed at almost 257 km/h.

Twelve cars were made: ten original 375 Americas and two converted 250 Europas, which shared nearly the same wheelbase, chassis and mechanical parts. Most have three- or five-window coupé bodies by Pinin Farina; Vignale built about three coupés and one convertible. With this model Ferrari switched to odd chassis numbers, the system used for road cars. One of the best-known examples is the 1955 Coupé Speciale built for Gianni Agnelli and designed by Aldo Brovarone at Pinin Farina.

The 410 Superamerica (1955–1959)

The 410 Superamerica, introduced in 1955, took the idea further. Its 4,963 cc engine was based on the single-plug unit of the 410 S racing car and initially produced 250 kW (340 PS) at 6,000 rpm with three Weber carburettors. The listed top speed of 262 km/h led the Guinness Book of Records to recognise it as the world's fastest production car. It had a new chassis with independent front suspension by coil springs and was the first Ferrari road car with a five-speed gearbox.

Most bodies were by Pinin Farina, with others by Boano and Ghia. The car was shown at the New York motor show through Luigi Chinetti, at more than twice the price of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL displayed nearby, and sales were slow: 35 were built before production ended in 1959.

Two show cars stand out. The 410 Superfast, shown at the 1956 Paris motor show, used the 24-plug engine of the 410 S racing car, a 2,600 mm wheelbase, tall tail fins and two-tone paint. The 4.9 Superfast of 1957 was a one-off based on the 410 Superamerica without fins.

Timeline of the America family

The choice of coachbuilder changed over time. The 340 America was bodied mainly by Vignale, with designs by Giovanni Michelotti, and by Touring and Ghia. From the 342 America onwards Pinin Farina built most of the bodies, and by the time of the 400 Superamerica all cars came from Pinin Farina.

Successors: 400 Superamerica, 500 Superfast and 365 California

The idea of an exclusive, large-engined Ferrari continued after 1959 under new names.

400 Superamerica (1959–1964). It appeared as the 410 ended and used a smaller 3,967 cc Colombo V12 with 250 kW (340 PS) at 7,000 rpm. It was the first Superamerica with disc brakes on all four wheels. Pinin Farina built coupé, spider and cabriolet bodies; of the 47 cars, made in two series, 32 were "coupé aerodinamico" models. The Series II had a covered bonnet scoop and a longer 2,600 mm wheelbase. The very first car (chassis 1517SA) was a one-off for Gianni Agnelli. Chassis 2207SA was rebodied several times as the Superfast II, III and IV show cars and served Battista "Pinin" Farina as his personal car.

500 Superfast (1964–1966). Shown at the Geneva motor show in 1964 - it was to be called Superamerica until the last moment - the 500 Superfast had a unique 4,963 cc Colombo V12 with the bore spacing of the Lampredi long block and six twin-choke Weber carburettors. It produced up to 294 kW (400 PS) and reached 280 km/h. The chassis was similar to that of the 330 GT 2+2, and each body took four to six months to build at Pininfarina in Turin. 36 cars were made, including 12 Series II cars with a five-speed gearbox. Owners included Prince Karim Aga Khan, who received the first car, and the Shah of Iran, who had two.

365 California (1966–1967). Shown at Geneva in 1966, this Pininfarina cabriolet on the 500 Superfast chassis used a 4,390 cc V12 and had power steering and Borrani wire wheels as standard. Only 14 were built, two of them with right-hand drive.

Legacy

The America series showed that Ferrari could sell costly road cars to private buyers, not only racing cars to drivers. It also established the tradition of big-engined, coachbuilt flagship Ferraris that later included the Superfast models and, in name, the Superamerica convertible of 2005. For the wider story see our history of Ferrari.

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