1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica

Enzo Ferrari joined the racing department of Alfa Romeo in 1920. He won his first Grand Prix in 1923 in Ravenna on the Savio circuit, followed by three more victories in 1924. His driving career would include 41 Grand Prix starts with 11 wins. His management and development of the Alfa Romeos fostered some of the greatest drivers of the era, including Tazio Nuvolari and Giuseppe Campari. The team, called Scuderia Ferrari, served as a racing division for Alfa Romeo from the late 1930s until Enzo's departure in the 1930s.

After World War II, Enzo began building cars bearing his name and founded Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947. His passion, expertise, and career had involved motorsports and his new company reflected that direction. The cars that exited the Maranello factory were built to race on the world's most important and grueling stages - which they did very successfully. In order to finance the racing endeavors, the company reluctantly sold sports cars. During the early 1950s, they built about one per month, meaning they were exclusive and expensive.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the company built a large grand touring car called the Ferrari America. They were powered by the largest V12 engines and fitted with custom bodywork. The first of the series was the 340 America produced between 1950 and 1952 and powered by the Lampredi V12 developed for Formula One racing. 11 examples were clothed by Vignale, eight by Touring, and four by Ghia (for a total of 23). Six examples of the 342 America were built in 1952 with five wearing Pinin Farina coachwork. The successor was shown a year later at the Paris Salon and came with the new 4.5-liter 'long block' Lampredi designed V12 engine. Known as the 375 America, production lasted from 1953 through 1954 with 12 examples made (two were converted from 250 Europa). Most of the 375s had either three or five-window coupe bodied by Pinin Farina.

Between 1955 and 1959, Ferrari built 35 examples of the 410 Superamerica. The engine was based on a single plug 410 S unit, displacing 5.0-liters, breathing through a trio of Weber 40DCF carburetors, and offering 335 horsepower at 6,000 RPM. The series III examples of 1957 had triple 46DCF3 Weber carburetors which brought horsepower to 355 bhp and were the final development for the 'long-block' Lampredi V12 engine. Most examples were bodied by Pinin Farina, with a few by Boano and Ghia. The Pinin Farina designs of the first and second series were similar and most were bodied as coupes. The third series, introduced in 1958, received a new design with a unique side-line, lower front grille, more recessed headlights (a few were covered), and a non-panoramic rear window.

At the 1956 Paris Show, Pinin Farina and Ferrari displayed the 410 Superfast which rested on the shorter 2,600mm chassis and had prominent tail fins like the American cars of the era. Its engine was a 24-plug racing engine sourced from the 410 S. Another unique interpretation of the 410 Superamerica was the 4.9 Superfast of 1957. It was an evolution of the 410 Superfast but sans rear fins.

The 410 Superamerica was replaced in 1960 by the 400 Superamerica powered by a four-liter version of Colombo's 'short block' V12 engine. The final iteration of the Grand Touring 'Superamerica' series was introduced in 1964 and dubbed the 500 Superfast, powered by a five-liter version of the short block V12.

The America, SuperAmerica, and Superfast series had lasted fifteen years with 130 examples built, providing Ferrari with an infusion of financial resources and the exclusive clientele with road-going versions of the race cars they admired.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2020

During the mid-1950s, Ferrari's 250GT production became standardized with the Boano, Ellena and Pinin Farmin coupes. Ferrari, about a decade old at this point in history, had accomplished and achieved racing success and fostered an exclusive list of clientele. They had experimented with a wide range of engines including fours, sixes, and even the two-cylinder Grand Prix engine. During this experimentation which included the first Ferrari V6 and V8 engines, Ferrari gained the knowledge and solidified designs that would carry them through the next decade of racing. Those designs would even find their way to their road-going vehicles.

While Ferrari's racing program and 250 GT production were becoming well established, they wanted to continue their legacy of exclusive, limited production, and handcrafted line of vehicles. In 1954, this would become manifested in the 410 Superamerica.

The Ferrari 410 Superamerica was a continuation of the Lampredi-powered 375 America. The engine was enlarged to 4963cc resulting in 340 horsepower. The 375 America displaced 4,522cc and produced 300 horsepower. Modifications continued throughout the vehicle, including an increase in track width by 130 mm at both the front ad rear. The transverse leaf springs in the front were replaced with coil springs. These changes gave it a wider stance with a more modern appearance and better stability at speed.

Most of the 410 Superameria chassis's were clothed by Pini Farina. Only four examples were bodied by other artesian, with Sergio Scaglietti performing his craft on one, chassis number 0671 SA. The Scaglietti body was created for Dottore Enrico Wax, the principal in the Genoese firm of Wax & Vitale whose business was in importing.

Scaglietti's relationship with Ferrari began with the 500 Mondial and would continue throughout the years, with one of their more-memorable designs being the 500 TRC. Currently, Scaglietti is owned by Ferrari SEFAC and is the bodywork production facility for all Ferrari road cars.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2008