Description
The Ferrari 330 P4 Coupé, introduced in 1967, is often regarded as one of the most beautiful and iconic racing cars Ferrari ever built. It represented the culmination of years of development that began with the 250 P and moved through the 330 P and P3 series. By this point, Ferrari was locked in a fierce battle with Ford, whose GT40 Mk II had humiliated the Scuderia at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 330 P4 was Maranello’s answer: a car that combined technical sophistication, improved reliability, and breathtaking design in an effort to reclaim Ferrari’s dominance in endurance racing.
At its core, the 330 P4 Coupé used a 4.0-liter V12 engine derived from the P3, but now producing around 450 horsepower. The engine featured three valves per cylinder and Lucas fuel injection, which improved both performance and efficiency. The powerplant was paired with a Ferrari-designed five-speed gearbox, replacing the less reliable ZF transmission used in the P3. The chassis was constructed with a mix of steel tubing and bonded aluminum panels, creating a structure that was both light and rigid, while the suspension was tuned to handle the demands of long-distance racing.
The bodywork of the 330 P4 Coupé was sculpted by Pininfarina and built by Carrozzeria Drogo, and it remains one of the most admired designs in racing history. Its long, low stance, muscular wheel arches, and flowing curves combined beauty with aerodynamic purpose. The closed berlinetta body gave drivers greater comfort and protection in long races, while the car’s compact proportions and low drag allowed it to reach speeds in excess of 320 km/h. Few racing cars have ever managed to balance elegance and aggression as perfectly as the P4.
On the track, the 330 P4 Coupé was immediately competitive. Its most famous triumph came at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona, where Ferrari scored a historic 1-2-3 finish with the P4 and 412 P, a stunning response to Ford’s dominance the year before. The car also secured victory at the 1000 km of Monza and finished a strong second at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1967, where Ford once again brought overwhelming numbers and resources. Though it could not completely overcome the GT40 program, the P4 restored pride to Ferrari and demonstrated the marque’s enduring engineering brilliance.
Only three original 330 P4s were built, and just one remains in its original coupé form, making it one of the rarest and most valuable Ferraris in existence. The others were either converted into different configurations or modified for later use, leaving the surviving coupé as a unique and priceless artifact of Ferrari’s golden age.
Today, the Ferrari 330 P4 Coupé is celebrated not only as a technical and racing masterpiece but also as a work of automotive art. Its rarity, competition pedigree, and beauty have made it one of the most desirable cars in the world, representing the height of Ferrari’s prototype era and its legendary rivalry with Ford during one of the greatest periods in endurance racing history.