1968 Ferrari 365 GTB/4

Strangely enough, the iconic and well-respected Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” might never have been produced in the first place. Its eventual successor, the 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer, was supposed to have been released long before, but its development ran behind schedule and the 275 GTB/4 was getting long in the tooth. Ferrari turned to their old partner Pininfarina to style an update of the older car, and the resulting 365 GTB/4 is stunning. Early examples, like this 1968 model, have plexiglass-covered headlights, while later ones adopted pop-up headlights to comply with US market regulations. The overall wedge effect is both elegant and aggressive, and also widely imitated. Like many front-engine Ferraris, the Daytona sports a powerful V12. In this application, the 4.4-liter engine produces 405 horsepower, which is capable of accelerating the car to more than 173 mph; incredible for the time and still quick today. A torque tube driveshaft, rear transaxle, and independent rear suspension make the GTB/4 a very nimble car, and these features helped competition versions of the Daytona win great success in GT-class racing. Incidentally, the “Daytona” name was never officially used by Ferrari; the motoring press gave the car this nickname in honor of Ferrari’s podium sweep at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona race—all three 330 P4s crossed the finish line together—and the name stuck.