Hot on the tail of the Monza SP1 and SP2 limited editions, Ferrari introduced the gorgeous Daytona SP3 in November last year. Beautiful enough to move one to tears, the $2.25 million creation quickly sold out, with select Ferrari customers quickly snapping up the 599 examples. It's not hard to see why; the naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V12 is able to send the Prancing Horse to 62 mph in 2.85 seconds, before topping out at 211 mph.
But those are just figures. The lucky team over at Motorsport Magazine got the opportunity to put the Daytona SP3 through its paces and it did not disappoint. Lined up on a deserted stretch of road, the Ferrari's Rosso Magma paintwork glistens in the sun. The driver places the supercar in manual mode before engaging the launch control. The revs build to just over 3,000 rpm before the thoroughbred sets off with minimal fuss.
In less than three seconds, the Ferrari tears past the 60 mph mark and quickly steams toward 124 mph with ease. The unassisted V12 howls gloriously toward its 9,500 rpm redline, as the driver expertly swops cogs at a rapid pace. As a reminder, the Maranello-based brand claims the Daytona SP3 can hit 124 mph in a mere 7.4 seconds. Judging by this video, they're not exaggerating the performance capabilities.
Just over ten seconds is all the Ferrari needs to hit 161 mph. Here, the driver elects to slow down, but it's clear to see the Ferrari had a lot more to give. Acceleration is strong and unrelenting and, given a longer straight, we're convinced the lucky pilot would easily have achieved the 211 mph top speed.
Even though it doesn't make use of the LaFerrari's hybrid setup, the featherweight mass of 3,273 lbs means there's not much for the V12 to lug around. But the Daytona SP3 is no one-trick pony. Earlier this year, the mid-engined Ferrari walked off with top honors at the Festival Automobile International, a competition that honors the most beautiful cars to grace the earth.
Sadly, its rarity and eye-watering price tag mean very few gearheads will be able to enjoy this wheeled piece of art. Those of us with more humble bank balances can, at least, enjoy the Lego Technic version. The miniaturized toy version may not boast the 829 horsepower and 514 lb-ft of torque afforded by the life-sized version but it is just as pretty and should look great on the shelf in your lounge.
