What's The Worst Ferrari Model? Here's What Fans Say
Ferrari has produced some highly desirable models over the year and regularly features in lists of the most expensive cars ever sold. If you're in the market for a particularly rare model, expect to spend tens of millions of dollars. According to Motor Trend, Ferraris make up seven of the top 10 most expensive cars ever sold at auction. A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO currently sits in the number two spot having fetched a staggering $48.4 million. That particular vehicle used to be number one, until a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe took the top spot earlier this year.
With that said, some Ferrari models are more desirable than others. We asked 607 of our United States-based readers what the worst vehicles the Italian sports car icon ever produced were, and ended up with a five-car shortlist. Things were tight at the top, or rather the bottom, with the two worst cars separated by just over 1% of the vote.
The results were close, and the cars had similarities
Opinions were split among our 607 readers, with three vehicles pulling between 15% and 17% of the vote, and two outliers getting over 25% a piece. The most popular of the least-popular prancing horse is the Ferrari 400, which 15.6% of our readers thought was the worst Ferrari of all time. A variant of the 400, the 400i, is one of the cheapest Ferraris on the market, though you'll still struggle to get your hands on one. The 400 isn't what you'd expect when you think of Ferrari. It can comfortably seat four passengers for a start, when a lot of the sportier models are limited to two seats. Despite being designed by Pininfarina, it has a 1980s sports coupe look about it. Even the 400's V12 engine can't redeem it, with a sluggish 0-60 time of just under seven seconds and a top speed of 152 miles per hour.
The Ferrari 348 TB is next on the list with 15.65% of the vote. It is noticeably faster than the 400, and arguably better looking, but it still doesn't have those notable Ferrari aesthetics or the performance of the company's better models.
The Ferrari Mondial comes in third place with 16.64% of the vote. Despite its 214 horsepower 2.9-liter engine, the Mondial was pretty sluggish. Testing in the U.S. clocked a 0-60 acceleration speed of up to 10 seconds, meaning there are a good number of pickup trucks that could leave it in the dust. The Mondial was initially popular and sold very well, but its performance issues have greatly affected the resale value, leaving it one of the least popular models.
Two Ferraris really stood out
Two unpopular Ferraris broke away from the pack but ended up neck and neck at the finish line. The 612 Scaglietti came in second with 25.70% of the vote, and the Dino 208 GT4 just snatched first with 26.85% of the poll. Like the 400, the 612 Scaglietti is a 2+2 coupe, however, unlike the 400 the 612 Scaglietti doesn't have any question marks hanging over its performance levels. Its 540 horsepower 5.7-liter V12 is capable of getting the coupe from 0-60 in around four seconds. In addition to its speed, it also has a reputation for being one of the most comfortable Ferraris available to buy. So why do our readers hate it? Who knows. Maybe it's the 612 Scaglietti's looks that turn them off. Its appearance is closer to a stretched-out Porsche than a true Ferrari.
Then there's the Dino 208 GT4. Ferraris are known for their large, powerful engines. The Dino 208 GT4 was designed when the mid-1970s fuel crisis was in full swing and car design suffered as a result. Just as the crisis nearly killed the muscle car, it caused issues on the other side of the Atlantic, too. The Italian government decided to heavily tax cars that were produced with an engine capacity of more than two liters, and the Dino 208 GT4 was built with a 1991cc engine capable of producing 180 horsepower. Like other Dinos, you don't even get the iconic "prancing horse" badge on it (via Supercar Nostalgia).
As unpopular as these are, you probably still can't have one
The cars on this list, in good condition, can still sell for six figures on the second-hand market. Then there are the obscene maintenance costs that come with owning a temperamental classic sports car. Costs aside, Ferrari sales aren't straightforward whether they be from a dealership or on the second-hand market. If you're buying new and want to get your hands on anything remotely notable, you have to be invited to buy it. Getting into Ferrari's good books is hard work, and includes getting to know your local dealer and attending the company's major events.
Even then, the company will allegedly check that you have the finances required to take care of its car before offering to sell you one. Some Ferrari sales come with buy-back clauses, meaning the company gets first dibs should you ever wish to sell it, and anti-flipping clauses that mean the cars can't be sold at all during a certain time period.
When you own a Ferrari, and that means any Ferrari, there are also rules you have to follow if you want to maintain a good relationship with the company. These rules include only having custom work done at approved shops, only painting your car in certain colors, and under no circumstances should you mess with the vehicle's iconic prancing horse badge. Breaching these rules is a great way to get yourself "blacklisted" as a number of A-list celebrities have found out.