It’s no easy feat to stand out in the high-dollar world of custom Ferraris, but the P80/C manages exactly that with a unique style that has us staring. Mixing old-school inspiration with cutting-edge go-fast technology, the P80/C manages to shuck the constraints of both competition homologation and street legality, and the result is bold and gorgeous.

2019 Ferrari P80/C - The Client And The Cost

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured here.


First off, we have to say that while we don’t have any official word on the final cost of the 2019 Ferrari P80/C, this new one-off is most likely outrageously, eye-wateringly expensive. If we were to speculate, we’d guess the bottom line is many millions of dollars, plus the cost of the car that provided the oily bits and platform underneath.

Note: 2006 Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina pictured here.


For some perspective, consider the cost of James Glickenhaus’ one-off Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina. Originally making its debut in 2006, the Enzo-based P4/5 also came with P series-inspired styling, and when it was all said and done, Glickenhaus dropped as much as $4 million to make it a reality.

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured here.


Back to the P80/C. This latest custom coupe was ordered up by an unnamed private client, described by the automaker as a “great connoisseur of the Ferrari world, comes from a family of long-time Prancing Horse enthusiasts and admirers, and is himself a highly knowledgable, discerning Ferrari collector.”

Check out more information on the potential client in our preview piece for the Ferrari P80/C here.

2019 Ferrari P80/C - The Goal

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C rendering pictured here.


Whoever the client was, the end goal was clear - “create a modern sports prototype inspired by iconic models from Ferrari’s history: the 330 P3/P4 on the one hand and the 1966 Dino 206 S on the other.”

These two models are some of Ferrari’s more influential racing cars, not only inspiring lust among the moneyed car collectors of the world, but also leading to the creation of such iconic street cars as the Dino 206/246 GT.

Note: Ferrari 330 P3 pictured here.


If you’ve never heard of the Ferrari 330 P3/P4, it’s definitely worth a closer look. The 330 P3/P4 is considered one of the most beautiful racing cars on the planet. Constructed from a tubular chassis and fiberglass body, the P3/P4 came equipped with a V-12 engine making 420 horsepower at 8,000 rpm, enabling a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph).

Various iterations of the 330 P ran in a number of sports car GT and endurance racing series throughout the ‘60s, and hit the scene as an updated mid-engine prototype to help Ferrari assert its dominance in the sport. To that end, Ferrari ran the 330 P at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1964, besting the challenge presented by Ford and the new GT40 with a clean podium sweep (the Ferrari 275P took first place, while the 330 P took second and third).

Note: Ferrari 330 P3 pictured here.


Ferrari later introduced the 330 P3, which came with new fiberglass doors and a new fuel injection system, taking overall victory at Monza and Spa. The P3 was eventually beat by Ford at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Note: Ferrari 330 P4 pictured here.


Ferrari updated the P3 to the P4 in 1966 in a bid to take on the mighty Ford GT40. While the P4 did manage to secure victory at Daytona, it ended up losing to Ford at Le Mans, but still secured a 2-3 finish behind the Blue Oval.

Long story short, the history and aesthetic of the Ferrari 330 P3/P4 is legendary, and definitely worthy of providing inspiration for this new one-off model.

Note: Dino 206 GT pictured here.


The P80/C was also inspired by the Dino 206. Framed as a scaled-down version of the Ferrari 330 P3, the Dino 206 S was based on the 206 SP, but offered a lower overall weight. Motivation was derived from a 2.0-liter V-6 stuffed with Formula 1-spec technology, with output rated at 220 horsepower at 9,000 rpm. Top speed is rated at 270 km/h (168 mph). Like the P series, the Dino 206 S was also successful in competition, racking up a number of class wins over the years.

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured here.


Getting back to the 2019 Ferrari P80/C, it’s interesting that the one-off was designed as a racing car. While it’s tempting to say the client just wanted the coupe as a fun toy and had great admiration for models like the 330 P3/P4, we think the racing pedigree is also for investment purposes.

For example, in August of 2018, a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold for $48.4 million at the RM Sotheby’s event in Monterey, California, setting the record for most-expensive car ever sold at public auction. Other examples include another 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO that sold in 2014 at the Bonham’s auction in Carmel, California, for $38.1 million. Then there’s the 1957 Ferrari 335S that sold in 2016 at Artcurial in Paris, France, for $35.7 million, and the 1956 Ferrari 290 MM that sold in 2015 at RM Sotheby’s in New York, New York, for $28 million.

As such, the client might be playing the long game on this one. Of course, that’s just speculation, but in the face of all those millions and millions of dollars listed above, it seems like a smart move all the same.

2019 Ferrari P80/C - Development

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C rendering pictured here.


Development for the 2019 Ferrari P80/C began in 2015, which means the P80/C comes with the longest development time of any Ferrari one-off ever created. “This highly intense gestation period was the result of in-depth styling research and lengthy engineering development, with meticulous analysis of performance parameters as well as scrupulous aerodynamic testing, all with a different approach than taken by Ferrari with its one-off cars in the past.”

It combines an old-school coachwork approach with the scientific focus of a modern track car, thus creating a unique combination of form and function. The aesthetic is definitely very aggressive, and Ferrari frames it as the “most extreme one-off design ever.” While we’re not totally sold on that claim (the P4/5 by Pininfarina is pretty damn extreme!), the P80/C’s look definitely grabs your eyeballs.

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C rendering pictured here.


The Ferrari Styling Centre took up the task of putting the client’s wishes to form, with direction pulled from none other than Flavio Manzoni. Interestingly, the engineering and aero teams worked directly with the client to create the design, and as a track car, the shape’s performance at speed was one of the team’s primary concerns - even more so than on a standard Ferrari road car. The end result is a unique look that’s weighted more towards function over form, even though the P80/C is gorgeous to behold.

Note: 2016 Ferrari 488 GT3 pictured here.


Underneath to new body panels, the 2019 Ferrari P80/C is based on the chassis of the Ferrari 488 GT3, which debuted in 2016 at the second round of the 2016 Australian GT Championship, accumulating numerous wins thereafter. The Ferrari 488 GT3 is the successor to the 458 Italia GTC and GT3, and comes with its own competition-spec aero, but the same engine as the road car.

As such, the Ferrari P80/C’s oily bits match those of the 488 GT3 and 488 road car. For reference, the lump in question is a twin-turbo 3.9-liter V-8, which produces upwards of 661 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 561 pound-feet of torque. The engine mates to a seven-speed dual-clutch F1-style automatic transmission.

2016 Ferrari 488 GTB Drivetrain Specs

Type

V8 – 90° Turbo

Overall displacement

3,902 cm3

Maximum power

660 HP @ 8,000 RPM

Maximum torque

560 LB-FT @ 3,000 rpm in VII gear

0-100 km/h (62 mph)

3.0 seconds

0 -200 km/h (124 mph)

8.3 seconds

Maximum speed

330 KM/H (205 MPH)


That said, going for a row-your-own gearbox with the 488 powertrain would most likely be a very difficult (and ultimately compromised) conversion, making it not worth the effort. What’s more, when this thing hits the auction block in 20 or 30 years, it’s unlikely anyone is gonna know how to work a traditional manual transmission anyway!

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured here.


Moving on, the 488 GT3 provides a longer wheelbase than the road-going equivalent, adding an extra 50 mm (1.97 inches) compared to the standard 488 GTB (104.3 inches versus 106.3 inches). This longer wheelbase “allowed more creative freedom” for the Ferrari design team, giving the P80/C the desired cab-forward proportions and an extended tail line.

To this canvas, the team then added a number of styling references inspired by the Ferrari 330 P3/P4, the Dino, and the 250 LM berlinettas.

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Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured on the left, Ferrari P3 pictured on the right.


The profile gets a traditional speed-wedge shape, while the plus-sized front and rear wings add seriously muscular proportions. You’ll also find wide flying buttress-type c-pillars, and a wraparound windshield to add to the car’s sleek attitude, while wider intakes front and back inhale the atmosphere. The aluminum louvres on the engine cover are also a direct nod to the 330 P3/P4.

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C aero pictured here.


Viewed from above, the 2019 Ferrari P80/C gets a very sexy hourglass shape, with the widest point found over the front axle.

While the front splitter is unique to the P80/C, the vortex generators and rear diffuser are identical to those on the GT3 race car. The aerodynamic profile was inspired by the “T-wing” from the 2017 Formula 1 season, wherein a large “shark fin” aero element helped to up the racing cars’ stability at speed. The end result is a 5-percent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency compared to the GT3 racing car.

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Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured on the left, Ferrari 206 GT pictured on the right.


What’s more, the P80/C’s track-only designation meant the designers had more freedom to build the car as desired by the client. That meant no clunky headlight housings up front or taillight housings in the rear, both of which are replaced by simple forward lighting bars.

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured here.


The whole thing is constructed from carbon fiber, similar to the lightweight fiberglass design of the original P3/P4. The color is a classic shade of Rosso Vero, while bare carbon sections punctuate the body with some black composite tastiness.

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured here.


Finally, the cabin is similar to that of the 488 GT3 race car, and includes a roll cage that’s integrated with the bodywork. However, the 2019 Ferrari P80/C is slightly less spartan thanks to new upholstery for the seats, as well as carbon door panels.

The P80/C Takes Its Place Among Ferrari’s Limited Editions

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured here.


Per tradition, the Ferrari 488 has provided a number of one-off and special editions beyond the P80/C.

Note: 2018 Ferrari SP38 pictured here.


The first that comes to mind is the Ferrari SP38 Deborah, a one-off that was designed to look like the Ferrari F40 and the Ferrari 308 GTB/GTS. The SP38 Deborah took almost 18 months to complete, which is a long time, but just a fraction of the four years it took to build the P80/C. While the SP38 Deborah’s mechanical bits match those of the standard 488, the styling is all-new, and includes a new front end, new rear intakes, and a new integrated rear wing and carbon fiber engine cover. The exterior “Deborah red” paint is also new, as are the wheels.

Note: 2016 Ferrari J50 pictured here.


Prior to the debut of the Ferrari SP38 Deborah, the Prancing Horse introduced the J50 in 2016, a limited edition targa-top based on the 488 Spider. Offered as a celebration of Ferrari’s 50th anniversary in the Japanese market, the J50 was designed by Flavio Manzoni, the same brain that helped to make the P80/C. The styling cues on the J50 are a bit later than those used with the P80/C, pulling from the sports cars Ferrari built in the ‘70s and ‘80s. In addition, the J50 comes with a carbon fiber roof and 20 extra ponies, with as much as 681 horsepower produced from the mid-mounted twin-turbo V-8. Just 10 examples were built.

Note: 2006 Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina pictured here.


Finally, we’ve gotta take it back to 2006, where the one-off Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Commissioned by film director James Glickenhaus, who also owns and manages Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus, the P4/5 is styled after Ferrari’s ‘60s race cars, just like the P80/C. However, under the skin, the P4/5 is based on the Ferrari Enzo, and can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds. Pricing for the P4/5 rang to the tune of $4 million, plus the cost of the Enzo underneath the new body panels, giving us an idea what the P80/C could have cost.

Conclusion

Note: 2019 Ferrari P80/C pictured here.


All told, the 2019 Ferrari P80/C is an impressive machine, and it will undoubtedly hold a place of honor among the Prancing Horse’s many one-off and special edition models.

Note: 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo pictured here.


It’s also worth noting that the P80/C arrive arrives hot on the heels of the 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo, a mass-production model that’s intended as a replacement for the Ferrari 488 GTB. Basically, the F8 Tributo is a facelift for the 488, but with a new name to boot, incorporating a number of aero components lifted from the 488 Pista. The F8 Tributo is also 90 pounds lighter than the 488 GTB. Mounted just behind the cabin of the of the F8 Tributo is a 710-horsepower 3.9-liter turbo V-8, just like the Pista. The F8 Tributo also matches the Pista in terms of acceleration posting a time of 2.9 seconds in the 0-to-60 mph benchmark.

So then, perhaps Ferrari is looking to milk as much as possible from the 488 as it makes way for its successor. And to our eyes, the P80/C certainly makes for an impressive sendoff.

Further Reading

We’re All On The Edge Of Our Seats Waiting For Ferrari’s Next One-Off Project

Read our full review on the 1968 - 1969 Ferrari Dino 206 GT.

Read our full review on the 2016 Ferrari 488 GT3.

Read our full review on the 2018 Ferrari SP38.

Read our full review on the 2016 Ferrari J50.

Read our full review on the 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB.

Read our full review on the 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo here.