Ferrari is the be all and end all of the supercar world. Sure McLaren builds some seriously fast cars, and the Ferrari 812 Superfast has redefined big V12 GT cars, but when it comes to heritage, and the big P word, passion, nothing comes close to a classic prancing horse. Classic Ferraris sit at the pinnacle of the car collecting world and certain models reach astronomical prices. That's why some prefer to go for quality reproductions, and few do it better than UK-based builders RML. We've covered some of its exquisite work, including the magnificent Ferrari 250 GT SWB resurrection, but now, the company has put the creation into production, with the first RML Short Wheelbase taking shape, carbon fiber body and all.

This SWB car is nearing completion and features full carbon-composite sections that have now been fitted to within a 2.5 mm tolerance. RML uses CAD (computer aided design) and CFD (computational fluid dynamics) to get the lines and proportions of this Ferrari tribute just right. The SWB body features just two main 'clams' fixed together with seam seals over a powder- and electro-coated chassis. The body also weighs much less than the original 250 GT SWB it is based on: the rear clam weighs a full 66 pounds less. The next step is to paint the shell by November, but the carbon weave will still be visible in part to add a modern touch in areas such as the inner door panels, and air-filter housing in the engine bay.

After paint, the powertrain (including a remastered V12 piece of art), exterior trim, brake lines and wiring harness will go in. Then it will be on to the interior. "We're very pleased with this result," said Ben Amos, manufacturing engineer for the Short Wheelbase program. "To see the first production car's bodywork in this complete state, fixed to the chassis, with sound deadening and heat insulation in place, is quite special after only viewing it virtually up until now. We even have the door seals fitted and ready for bonding." RML is known for producing industry-leading Ferrari tribute cars, and we cannot wait to see how this carbon SWB car turns out.