Buying a Ferrari is a cherished experience that is sure to be right at the top of the bucket list for anyone. However, what if you already own ten of them, and a new bespoke color or interior is not enough anymore? Well, Ferrari has an answer to that with a special division to cater to the whims and fancies of its top tier clients who want a Ferrari like no other. The “Special Projects” division was created in 2008 to create one-offs for the very best of the Ferrari customers and let the imagination of its customers run wild along with the design team working on creating some of the most desirable Ferrari’s which will never be replicated again.
You cannot just get that “privilege” as Ferrari selects customers who have amassed a huge collection of their cars over the years and also happens to go beyond just being a simple buyer. This special division can only create one or two cars a year while currently, the order book runs into 2024 and beyond! These special cars are based on current Ferraris. Yet, the bodywork is completely changed while Flavio Manzoni (Design Boss) and the Design Center work with the owner over a period of time to create a unique and bespoke creation that pushes the boundaries which a standard production model faces.
The latest Omologata is the 10th V12 one-off and is based on the sublime 812 Superfast. Being taken two years to make, the Omologata can claim to be one of the prettiest creations to leave the Maranello gates as the design pays homage to some of Ferrari’s greatest hits, namely the 250 LM and 250 GTO. The shape is handcrafted using aluminum and turns the edgy 812 design into a gorgeous shape being festooned with classic Ferrari design cues. The rear is reminiscent of the F12 TDF or even the 250 GTO with a large spoiler adding further down-force along with the svelte front-end, which is much more streamlined and which also lets go of the aggression which the 812 possess.
Everything is bespoke right down to this luscious shade of red, which is an entirely new color made just for this car! It is a layered Magma red while the carbon fiber all over the car sits perfectly with the “modern road racer” image, which this exudes. Inside there are metal parts in the dashboard and steering wheel to evoke the golden age of motor racing and the 50s/60s racing Ferraris, with even a ‘cracked effect’ to the design. There are also the inside doors handles and the F1 bridge, which has a special hammered effect to its paintwork. We reckon the owner wanted to create a modern-day interpretation of some of the greatest Ferraris. The infusion of retro and modern is a brilliant design by the special projects team.
The 6.5 liter V12 is left untouched, but the operatic soundtrack accompanying a Ferrari V12 revving to dizzying heights and producing 789 bhp did not need changing in the first place. But we reckon the Omologata, with some of the modifications, would actually be quicker than an 812 and might just be the quickest V12 that Ferrari has made. But of course, this is not a series production model or even a limited edition car like the LaFerrari, so the actual performance numbers or even the astronomical cost involved will never be disclosed. After all, owning your own bespoke Ferrari is a priceless experience!
While this special projects division is a relatively new phenomenon that has taken off very well, the art of custom-built bespoke cars was quite popular in the early days of Ferrari. The famous Italian design houses would get commissioned to design a gorgeous body on a Ferrari chassis. Thus it is Ferrari bringing back the old ways of doing a coach-built car, and in today’s world where personalization and exclusivity are one of the biggest things desired, this will bound to grow. The SP1 was the first such Ferrari, and over the years, we have seen some stunning cars like the F12 based TRS and more.
Thus while the chances of ever seeing the Omologata on the road are slim and next to impossible, the world would be a much poorer place without these extraordinary automotive creations.
