Track Test Comparison of Ferrari Flagships

By Arison Knapp - December 3, 2015

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Salomondrin has coordinated another ridiculous supercar comparison video series, this time with nothing but evolutionary Ferrari flagships.

The height of Ferrari’s Formula 1 racing team technology trickles down into specific models known as flagships. Salomondrin’s grand three-part series compares Ferrari flagships, 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari. Part 1 below examines the analog era of Ferrari, with manual gearbox supercars, GTO, F40, and F50. It’s quite the revealing look into the evolution of the race-bred flagships.

Salomondrin’s active career in the professional film industry and devotion to speed helps him execute authentic and unbiased supercar comparisons, like this Ferrari one below. He wants to know what each car feels like, while he brings us along. He has expressed his passion for meticulously hand-built automobiles through these hot cake comparisons. I fully endorse his work, it’s worth watching, partly because has the right car collector connections to build interesting comparison scripts. He doesn’t have the most dynamic camera work, but editing and lighting are good, and I know he’ll evolve (hopefully as well as Ferrari has). The excellent orienting shots on track must have been taken with a remote-controlled, unmanned aerial vehicle. Molto bello!

The first vehicle Salomondrin tests is the 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO, and I definitely agree with him about the styling. Its modest Pininfarina design doesn’t represent its driving character. I have never driven one, but I imagine the twin-turbo 2.9L V8 with 400HP is uber peppy for age and weight. He wasn’t overly-amazed with the GTO, but when he hopped in the the F40 you could hear his tone change a bit.

The F40 is also a like the GTO without any electronic driver aids like ABS or power steering, but Salomondrin thought it felt more engaged than today’s supercars. He repeated that the raging twin-turbo V8 with over 500HP scared him, but I think that is what makes a memorable experience: fear.

The last vehicle tested was the F50 equipped with a refined V12, ultra-lightweight carbon fiber chassis, and electronic aids that seem toned down from the F40. Speed-wise, however, Salomondrin thinks it’s the peak in performance for the analog era. I still think it’s the F40, along with the excitement factor.

Which analog-era manual gearbox Ferrari supercar do you think is the fastest? F40 or F50? Which one do you think would be more exciting? Is there no replacement for the displacement of the F50’s V12?