1986 - ACA SBarro

Sbarro Tipo P4 - 1986

Every self-respecting tiffosi dreams of having a Ferrari 250 GTO and a Ferrari 330 P4 in his garage. Unfortunately, both are rare. Only forty examples of the GTO were produced (in defiance of the regulations of the time, which called for 100!). As for the P4, only 3 examples were built in 1967 (a 4th was built later, but many don't consider it a "real" P4). So, to satisfy the need for ownership, you first have to find one of the owners and convince him to sell his car, then raise a sum of around $10.5 million (the price of a 1989 transaction for P4 n°0856). I don't think you can meet these two conditions, as I can, so you're all set to go in search of a replica!

The Ferrari P4 is one of the most beautiful competition cars. The Sbarro takes up its general lines (photo by Dingo for Option Auto magazine).

Replicas

There are a few Ferrari P4 replicas. Noble Motorsport presented one in 1988. The copy was of good quality but, according to some purists, the engines lacked nobility (V6 PRV or V8 Rover). More faithful were the V12-engined Ferrari replicas produced by Norwood in the USA. But they were not homologated in Europe. At this stage, there's only one person who can help you: Franco Sbarro.

The Sbarro P4 in action

A Ferrari 308 base

Sbarro knows the Ferrari P4 inside out. He spent many years as chief mechanic at the famous Scuderia Filipinetti, where his daily routine was populated by Ford GT40s, Lola T70s and Ferrari P4s. That's why a wealthy enthusiast, who had already ordered a Ford GT40 from Sbarro, asked him to look into the case of a P4 replica. Rather than start from a blank sheet of paper, which would have exploded the cost estimate, the chosen solution was to recondition a Ferrari 308 GTS. The choice of the 308 allowed us to remain faithful to the Ferrari brand and retain a certain legitimacy. On the other hand, the 308 was a relatively common car, which facilitated routine maintenance of the replica. Above all, the Sbarro Tipo P4 is perfectly compliant with legislation, since the structure of the 308 remains original.

The P4 at the Geneva show in 2011

Evocation

The donor car was stripped down to its bare essentials, then re-clad in a polyester shell that takes up the general shape of the P4. This is not an exact copy, as the ribs of the original do not match those of the 308. This is the price to pay when you don't want to touch the donor car's architecture. The line is therefore inspired by the P4, in order to preserve its philosophy. The Sbarro Tipo P4 thus inherits the subtle harmony of softness and aggressiveness of the real P4. The objective has been achieved.
(photography by Dingo)
The interior was treated in the same spirit, Sbarro seeking to reproduce the ambience of the 1960s prototypes from the more modern and civilized interior of the 308.

The mechanical part remains unchanged: the Ferrari 308's engine block is unchanged (version with twin Weber carburetors), developing 255 hp. The suspension components are also original. In 2005, at the request of a customer, Franco Sbarro will produce a version powered by the 12-cylinder Ferrari 365 GT4 BB, bringing the car closer to the original.
Franco Sbarro presenting his P4 (photo by Dingo)

A true success

Once again, Sbarro has created a true masterpiece with the Tipo P4, allowing you to rediscover the driving sensations of the legendary sports cars of the sixties, without fear. After all, how can you dare to drive freely in a real P4 costing $10 million?

In brief
1- Evocation of the Ferrari Tipo P4
2- Ferrari 308 base
3- A 12-cylinder Testarossa is said to exist
  • Ferrari 308 8-cylinder V engine
  • Displacement: 2926 cm3
  • 255 horsepower
  • Rear-wheel drive
  • 5-speed manual gearbox
  • Length approx. 4.20 m
  • Estimated weight 1100 kg
  • Top speed around 230 km/h