Page 1 of 1 One of the most talked about releases of the 1968 Paris Motorshow was Ferrari's brand new berlinetta. Hot topic was the name, it was expected to be called Daytona to celebrate Ferrari's 1-2-3 finish in the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours race. At the launch however the press was proven wrong as it was just dubbed 365 GTB/4 but the name stuck and until this day it is still referred to as the 'Daytona'. Ironically it was intended to be called Daytona but when the name leaked out prematurely Ferrari reverted back to using the traditional system.
Competition was stronger than ever from Lamborghini, DeTomaso and Bizzarini. Both the Miura and the Pantera were mid-engined, but, even though the race department had built mid engined sports cars for more than half a decade, Ferrari stuck to the front-engine / rear wheel drive layout they were so familiar with. The engine was based on the 330 unit and featured double overhead camshafts first seen on a production Ferrari only two years earlier. The oval tube ladder type frame was as traditional as the engine layout.
It was the Pininfarina design that made the 'Daytona' stand out. Especially the front was a rough departure from the more rounded looking GTs that had rolled from the Maranello production line in the previous 10 years. The first models featured a full width plastic strip at the front that housed two double headlight unit on each side. Plastic covered headlights were not approved of by the US Department of Transportation so something new had to be designed for US customers. The retracting headlights Pininfarina had come with improved the look of the car so much that were the norm on all production 'Daytonas' from 1971.
Production ended in 1974 after almost 1400 Daytona Berlinettas rolled from the Scaglietti line where the bodies were fitted. It was replaced by the the mid-engined 365 GT4/BB and it wasn't until the 550 Maranello that Ferrari reverted back to the traditional front engine layout for their GT Berlinettas. Page 1 of 1
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365 GTB/4 Daytona
One of the most talked about releases of the 1968 Paris Motorshow was Ferrari's brand new berlinetta. Hot topic was the name, it was expected to be called Daytona to celebrate Ferrari's 1-2-3 finish in the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours race. At the launch however the press was proven wrong as it was just dubbed 365 GTB/4 but the name stuck and until this day it is still referred to as the 'Daytona'. Ironically it was intended to be called Daytona but when the name leaked out prematurely Ferrari reverted back to using the traditional system.