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I checked out an ultra-exclusive $1.75 million Ferrari Monza SP1 that looks like it's straight out of a sci-fi movie. Here's what it was like.
I checked out an ultra-exclusive $1.75 million Ferrari Monza SP1 that looks like it's straight out of a sci-fi movie. Here's what it was like.
Matthew DeBordJan 3, 2019, 00:41 IST
Matthew DeBord/BI
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The Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2 are part of a new Icona lineup.
The cars evoke classic racing Ferraris of the past - and they're priced for exclusivity, at nearly $2 million.
They're "barchetta" designs, with no windshields but with available Ferrari-branded carbon-fiber helmets.
Ferraris are already exclusive, but there are some Ferraris that are more exclusive than others.
The newest prancing horses to join the stable are the Icona Monza SP1 and SP2. Only 500 will be produced, and they're set to priced around $1.75 million apiece.
The Monzas evoke Ferraris long, long history in racing. "The ... SP1 and SP2 are inspired by barchettas of the 1950s which were driven to victory in international motor sport not just by official works team drivers from the Scuderia, but also by a legion of gentlemen drivers who, in those years, frequently found themselves wheel to wheel with legendary professional drivers of the era," the Italian carmaker said last year when the due was revealed.
I recently had a chance to drop by Ferrari's North American headquarters to check out the Monza SP1. Here's how it went:
The Monza SP1 is a "barchetta" ("little boast" in Italian). You'll need a helmet with a face-shield. Or goggles. Or some very fashionable sunglasses. Because the Monza has no top and no windshield.
The SP1 has a partner in style: the SP2, adding a seat. Both cars are Ferrari specials, and only 500 will be built, all based off customer specifications. Ferrari announced the cars last year.
Ferrari brought this impeccable example of the 750 Monza from 1955 to its North American HQ to celebrate the new Monza SP1 and SP2 — together they form the basis of ...
... new Icona range. Icona cars will reside above exclusive versions of Ferrari's main sports cars and GT cars, but below hypercars, such as the LaFerrari.
I was so thrilled to be in the presence of the 750 that I delayed in checking out the main event.
That's some old-school interior action. Where do I recharge my phone?
The updated Monza is both larger and vastly more powerful than the inspiration.
I hopped in and immediately felt like I had joined the cast of a science-fiction movie about a world in which classic Ferraris had all been gorgeously updated.
The cockpit was nothing new — it's derived from the Ferrari 812 Superfast.
As a single-seater, however, there isn't much room for modern conveniences.
The styling is sort of "Speed Racer."
This car is LOW to the ground.
The Monza evokes the legendary race track near Milan. The Scuderia Ferrari badge connects the new Monza SP1 to Ferrari's grand motorsports lineage.
Some massive wheels, massive brake discs, and massive calipers.
The prancing horse in shimmery chrome against a rosso corsa background.
Let's take a look under the hood.
That a V12 engine, based on the motor from the 812 Superfast.
The 6.5-liter powerplant makes 799 horsepower and can propel the SP1 to 60 mph in less than three seconds. Top speed is a tad less than 200 mph.
A mirror showed the impressive specs. The transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch unit.
What a beautiful machine! So exotic! So exclusive. And at $1.75 million, not inexpensive.
Yes, the Monza comes with its own accessories.
A lovely pair of dress shoes, for example. These "brun" Berluti oxfords are made of "Venezia leather and features hidden laces and red piping on the heel," according to Ferrari.
Not to mention a Ferrari-branded helmet. Remember — the car has no windshield! Like much of the the car, it's made of carbon fiber.
