And while this information has not officially been released, its source is reputable - the collector himself sharing details online. Whether this is a case of braggadocio
or a done deal remains a question until the unique Ferrari is seen in its carbon
fiber flesh; all else being equal, however, if it is for real, it undoubtedly
will be a stunner.
New York-based collector James Glickenhaus spilled the fagioli over the last
several months about his secret, custom "new" Ferrari 330 P4-inspired
prototype in various chat rooms, specifically at ferrarichat.com. Glickenhaus,
55, a former B-movie writer/director/producer-turned Wall Street fund manager
(Glickenhaus' movie credits include Maniac Cop, Frankenhooker, Slaughter
of the Innocents and Timemaster), is particularly passionate about the P3/4 (also
known as the 412 P) and P4 models; only three of each model were produced in
1966 and '67 and he owns one of them, worth up to $10 million.
For those who need a reminder of their history, the original Ferrari P3/4s
beat the Ford GT40s at Daytona and won the constructors' sports car championship
in '67, the year in which the GT40s won Le Mans.
This latest P4 one-off prototype, dubbed 612 P4/5, is based on an Enzo chassis
and reportedly aims to compete in a new Prototype class at the annual Pebble
Beach Concours d'Elegance in August. (As of this writing Pebble Beach Concours
organizers have not yet extended invitations for participants, so Glickenhaus' expectations
might be premature.) This car's goal, besides giving a collector a unique
toy about which he can forever boast, is to project the sensuous P4 styling
into the future.
Glickenhaus personally commissioned Pininfarina in 2005 to build his dream
car, a carbon composite body penned by the same designers responsible for the
Maserati Birdcage 75th show car to commemorate the firm's 75th anniversary,
and the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano that debuted earlier this month at the Geneva
Motor Show. According to Glickenhaus in online postings, the 612 P4/5 with all-new
carbon composite bodywork was executed by a Pininfarina designer identified
only as "Jason." Jason Castriota is the one credited with both
the Maser and newest Ferraris exteriors.
Glickenhaus requested an unregistered U.S.-spec Enzo to get everything rolling.
Middle of last year, Pininfarina and Ferrari of Beverly Hills found the only
unregistered, un-driven 2003 Enzo on earth and shipped it, still shrink-wrapped
in its factory protective white plastic, to Pininfarina to start its transformation.
Based on the highly detailed descriptions put forth by Glickenhaus, these computer-generated
images show the 612 P4/5 for what it is. The traditional color chosen harks
back to the blood red of the original P4 or, as Glickenhaus describes it, Alfa
Romeo SF Rossa Corso. The nose is truncated and more aggressive than on an Enzo,
allowing a functional approach angle vs. the Enzo's long overhang (the
Enzo's electronic nose-lift function is kept in case). Placing a large
front radiator horizontally and reclined on its side, as in the 1993 Ferrari
333 SP built for IMSA competition in the World Sports Car class, makes this
gorgeous nose possible. Echoes of the 330 P4 envelop the car from nose to tail,
with a decidedly modern take. Check out the white ceramic-coated exhausts tips
poking out of the back panel.
Official sketches have not been released. Like the design on the Birdcage
75, the cabin has integrated carbon fiber structures incorporating a full roll
cage. The windshield, roof and rear of the cabin are see-through, and in whole
are tear-drop shaped as on a long line of famous Turin show cars.
According to Glickenhaus, the P4's power remains the same as the Enzo's
at 651 horsepower. The P4 body is more efficient bending air in a wind tunnel
than the Enzo, and it provides more downforce. The prototype reportedly weighs
less than the 3009 pounds of its host, requiring a change in suspension settings,
and the P4's height is 1.5 inches lower than the car on which it is based.
So thorough is Glickenhaus that even the 20-inch wheels are one-off customs
shod with Michelin PAX Ultra High-Speed run-flat rubber. Since the Enzo was
unregistered, this new P4 gets its own VIN - allowing it to be driven on
the streets of all 50 states.
Glickenhaus hints that the cost of 612 P4/5 has approached the going price
of an Enzo ($1 million-plus) plus another $3 million. In an effort to share
his vision with the rest of the world, among the several scenarios discussed
online has Glickenhaus "crashing" the Paris auto salon in September.
Stay tuned for how the French turn out for that premier.
