automotivebriefs
10:01in productionCh. 1 · Icona, not innovation/ 10:01 · ceiling 15 min
Supercars

Ferrari Daytona SP3

Ferrari’s final non-hybrid, mid-engined V12 road car is a design triumph — and a deliberate dead end.

The Ferrari Daytona SP3 is a mid-engine, naturally aspirated V12 road car launched in 2021 as part of Ferrari’s Icona series. It draws directly from the 1967-winning 330 P4. It uses a 6.5 L F140 HC V12. It shares its chassis with the LaFerrari Aperta. It was produced in 599 units from 2022, all pre-sold at $2.25 million each. It is Ferrari’s final non-hybrid, mid-mounted V12 road car.

Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 1:01
    Icona, not innovation

    It is a limited-run Icona-series car — not a new platform, but a curated homage.

  2. 2:35
    The last scream

    It uses a naturally aspirated 6.5 L V12 — the last of its kind in a mid-engined Ferrari road car.

  3. 4:00
    P4 re-engineered

    Its shape is a direct, functional reinterpretation of the 330 P4 — low seat, high arches, Targa top.

  4. 5:37
    Awarded, not argued

    It won five major international design awards in two years — rare consensus for a modern supercar.

Worth your time?

Yes. Drive the whole thing.

4.5/ 5
What works
  • homage execution
  • proportional discipline
  • award-winning form
What does not
  • hybrid
  • daily usability
  • technical novelty
Drive it if
  • collectors
  • design connoisseurs
  • V12 purists
Skip it if
  • hybrid adopters
  • everyday drivers
  • technology-first buyers
The written brief1 min read

What the car is and where it came from

The Ferrari Daytona SP3 is a limited-production, mid-engine, naturally aspirated V12 sports car launched in 2021. It belongs to Ferrari’s Icona series. It draws directly from the 1967-winning 330 P4.

How it works, in terms someone would actually use

It is a mid-engine, naturally aspirated V12 road car with a Targa top. The driver sits low. The front and rear wheel arches rise sharply over the tyres. The engine shares its architecture with the 812 Superfast and redlines at 9500 rpm.

What it gets right

It modernises the 330 P4’s proportions without pastiche. The low seating position, raised arches, and Targa top cohere as one functional gesture. Its design won five major international awards in 2021–2022.

What it does not

It does not use hybrid power. It does not depart from the Icona series’ purpose: homage over innovation. It does not offer a new chassis — it shares its with the LaFerrari Aperta.

What it changed

It marked Ferrari’s return to non-hybrid, mid-mounted, naturally aspirated V12 road cars after the Enzo — the first since 2002.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for collectors who value design continuity, mechanical purity, and scarcity. It is not for those seeking hybrid efficiency, daily usability, or technical novelty.

Is it worth your time

Yes — if you care about the last non-hybrid, mid-mounted, naturally aspirated V12 Ferrari built for the road. It is a design statement anchored in lineage, not technology.

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