Designing a product that pays homage to a company’s golden era is a delicate challenge. It risks suggesting a lack of fresh ideas, yet Ferrari’s Daytona SP3 proves that honoring heritage can ignite innovation instead. Drawing direct inspiration from the brand’s legendary 1967 race-winning cars, the Daytona SP3 is not just a tribute—it’s a stunning, modern masterpiece that bridges decades of automotive excellence. This article explores how Ferrari masterfully balances reverence for its past with bold strides into the future through the design and spirit of the Daytona SP3.

There’s a risk that comes with designing any product aimed at evoking a company’s golden era. It could indicate that the organization has nothing new to offer. However, anyone with even a slight knowledge of Ferrari knows this legendary automobile manufacturer is the opposite of risk-averse. The Daytona SP3 is a masterclass in showing how to highlight heritage while also soaring into the future.

1967 is remembered as a defining year in ways impossible to summarize in a single article. Over the course of February 4th, 5th, and 6th of that year alone, two landmark events took place within 100 miles of each other. In Florida, a lunar orbiter—which would take critical photographs of the Apollo Moon landing locations—launched from Cape Canaveral. Just 60 miles to the north, the 24 Hours of Daytona racing event resulted in Ferrari vehicles clinching first, second, and third place. This feat alone would be impressive enough; yet even more astounding is the fact that two of the three finalists maintained their lead for twenty hours of the race’s runtime. The Daytona SP3 takes direct inspiration from the three cars that pulled off this victory.

As a vehicle intended to evoke Ferrari’s 1967 track dominance, the Daytona SP3 needed to be nothing less than stunning. It’s impossible to deny that the finished product looks like anything other than how a Ferrari should—with its beak-like hood extending smoothly in harmony with an aerodynamic windshield and prominent cobra-neck-like backbone rear engine cover, providing that stand-out “Wow!” factor only one automobile organization on the planet can deliver with such panache.

Naturally, the Daytona SP3 echoes a number of key design elements from all three of the winning 1967 vehicles. A photograph of the cars aligned at the finish line of the race shows slightly different iterations of that iconic cobra-neck backbone, for example. Yet the subtle modernizations that have gone into the Daytona SP3, such as its curtailed headlamps and metallic paint finish, ensure that it is a product of the twenty-first century. Possibly the most notable change to the exterior of the Daytona SP3 is the addition of two nostril-like hood scoop air vents, which deboss where the circular bump wings on either side of the vehicle meet the hood. This feature differs from the Daytona race vehicles that inspired the modern automobile, which all feature a large, singular hood scoop. It’s easy to see why this change was made. These inset nostril slits enhance the impression that the Daytona SP3 is somehow reptilian, suggesting that it may strike out with fury at any second.

Ferrari describes the exterior view of the vehicle’s cabin as akin to “a dome set into a sensual sculpture with sinuous wings emerging boldly on either side.” From the inside, this sensuality manifests itself in an entirely different manner. The vibrant blue seats, which are built into the chassis to enhance performance, stand in stark contrast to the red exterior, encouraging the driver to be fearless when taking their place behind the wheel. The bulky five-point harness seat belts would look silly in most cars, even the majority of sports cars. However, the clear influence of track vehicles makes this addition feel like a natural choice and works with every other feature to incite adrenaline in even the most steadfast person.

Once again, Ferrari has been unashamedly bold, and the result is yet another car that pushes the limits of sports car design.

Ferrari is synonymous with luxury sports cars and the very best in motoring excellence. To date, it is responsible for by far the most Formula 1 wins of any automobile company. The Daytona SP3 is a prime example of Ferrari creating an exciting vehicle.

Social: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

Discover other products in the Graphis Journal, #384.