Enzo Ferrari , in the early 1950's was becoming an Icon in Europe with a strong reputation in the racing world. Now , that Ferrari was becoming a well-known racing car company with their foothold in Europe . Enzo felt it was time to expand to America ,with a special breed of automobile . But before we go there lets backup a bit and give you a little background .
Mr. Enzo Ferrari considered that competition was his first priority and little, if any, interest in building road cars, but they often paid the bills . He was willing to let his customers choose their own body designs. In postwar Italy, was no shortage of panel beaters to produce custom bodies for Ferrari . The #12 chassis, is mechanically a race car and road cars were still among one of the same . Throughout the 1950's, Ferrari models varied from that #12 series ( which remained in production until October of 1953 ).
Enzo , also built a number of other models but he wanted to come to America and named one of his cars the 340 America , 342 America and the 375 America . Introduced in '1953 these were the first road cars to successfully carry the Ferrari name beyond Italy, particularly to the United States , Luigi Chinetti's , New York dealership was establishing a marquee as the most prestigious line of sports and racing cars in the country. The first cars built with the American market in mind , and also named America , were the 375 series . They were fitted with stylish coach work and sold in limited numbers through '1955 . By this time Ferrari had developed the most significance sports car of the postwar era . Then came the Superamerica . Equipped with the most powerful V–12 engine that Ferrari had ever placed in a touring car. The Superamerica delivered an unprecedented 340 hp, and later versions built in '1958 in '1959 delivered a breathtaking 400 hp. In 1956 , the Superamerica was without a peer, except for the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, and then only in styling . The performance and the price, the Ferrari was virtually in a class by itself. At the New York auto show, the Superamerica offered by Chinetti's at $16,800. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was selling thought a New York importer Max Hoffman's Manhattan dealership for a mere $6995. The styling for the Superamerica , by Battista 'Pinin' Farina and his son Sergio, would later become the foundation for Ferraris 250 GT Berlinetta 'Tour de France' racecar, and would strongly influence the styling of the 250 GT PF Coupe, at 250 GT Cabriolet , and the legendary 250 GT spider California . The Ferrari Superamerica represented important progress in the design of the engine, the chassis, and the body. Sergio Pininfarina , who has designed almost every Ferrari road car produced over the last 45 years, said that the Superamerica was his father's favorite design. This is something unique, a Ferrari between the Ferrari's, something extremely refined , extremely good taste, extremely powerful . The Superamerica is a car which is very dear to my heart said Enzo. This car started as a simple '210 road car and became the backbone of Ferrari in America .
In the early 1950's Ferrari had some of the most beautiful body designs in the automotive industry . Coming to America the Ferrari became the supercar of today . Now at auction , the early 1950's #210 series Ferrari's are bringing some of the biggest dollars , $1.5 to $2 million .
Here , in our slideshow are a few of these outstanding examples of what Ferrari was building .
Today Ferrari is world renowned for the most beautiful and most powerful Italian automobiles ever built . March '2013 in the Geneva Auto show . Ferrari announced the newest in the Ferrari stables. The new Le-Ferrari , said to be the new Enzo -model at $1,500,000 - a long distance from their first $16,000 automobiles shown here .
FERRARI - AMERICA '340
