Inspired by motorsport greatness, beautifully styled, exceedingly rare, and powered purely by internal combustion. The Daytona SP3 makes a compelling case to be considered the most desirable Ferrari of the 21st Century.

The marque established its Icona limited series to offer closest clients a blend of modern drivetrains cloaked in retro-themed bodywork. After paying tribute to its open-top sportscars of the late 1940s and 1950s with the Monza SP1 monoposto and two-seater SP2, Ferrari used the third Icona creation to honour its mid-engined prototypes of the 1960s.

Between 1960 and 1965, the Scuderia set a record in the 24 Hours of Le Mans by snaring six outright victories. Then Ford brought the hot streak to a halt with its GT40 the following year. But, in a show of strength, Ferrari started the 1967 sportscar season with a remarkable podium lockout in the 24 Hours of Daytona as the factory 330 P3/4 and 330 P4 led the North American Racing Team-entered 412P. The three cars crossing the line side-by-side was an unsubtle riposte to Ford’s photo finish at the Circuit de la Sarthe eight months earlier.

Unveiled in 2022, the Daytona SP3 was named to celebrate Ferrari’s historic achievement at the American circuit. The most apparent design cues taken from motorsport past are the wrap-around windscreen, pronounced wheel arches, removable roof panel, prominent wing mirrors, and slatted rear bodywork that combine to create the SP3’s astonishing, clean silhouette. Not employing active aerodynamics, engineers focused on passive systems such as the “chimneys” that extract low-pressure air from the underbody. This helped make the SP3 the most passively aerodynamically efficient Ferrari ever produced at the time of its launch.

The underpinnings are no less significant. The Daytona SP3 employs a derivation of the 65-degree V-12 used in the 812 Superfast and LaFerrari halo hybrid hypercar. Driving the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the 6.5-litre engine launches the SP3 from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.85 seconds. With an output of 829 brake horsepower, the Daytona SP3 houses not only the most potent non-electrically assisted 12-cylinder engine in Ferrari road car history but, incredibly, even eclipses the might of its V-12 Can-Am and Formula 1 cars.

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The breathtaking Daytona SP3 offered here, chassis number 277499, was completed by the Maranello factory in left-hand-drive form in June 2022. As denoted by the special plaque—positioned on the carbon fibre monocoque between the two seats—that reads “Vettura Di Sviluppo”, it was a designated development car.

This SP3 therefore holds the distinction of being specified by Ferrari. Perfectly showcasing the design, it was configured in the Extra Range colour of Giallo Triplo Strato—Italian for ‘triple-layer yellow’. The exterior is complemented by Rosso Ferrari leather upholstery—adorning the dashboard, large-size integrated seat cushions and backrests, while the headrests feature the Cavallino logo—and upper and lower Alcantara accents. Adding to the attraction: the removable hardtop roof panel, lower bodywork, and lid lip were selected in carbon fibre, Scuderia shields are airbrushed onto the doors, and red callipers chosen to sit behind the five-spoke 20-inch forged diamond wheels. Conveniences include Apple CarPlay, front and rear parking cameras, plus a suspension lift system.

While the limited run of 600 stated customer examples of the Daytona SP3 were delivered to their proud new owners, chassis 277499 was instead retained by Ferrari SpA and registered in Italy. Set for a busy start to life in its prominent role as a factory press car, it was steered by Andrew Frankel for the October 2022 issue of Motor Sport Magazine. Emerging from his test at the Circuit de la Sarthe in France, Frankel wrote: “I have never in my life been in a road car that has attracted so much attention, and for almost exclusively the right reasons… You could argue that cars like the SP3 are not to be taken terribly seriously. But am I glad it exists and even happier to have driven it? With every bone in my body.”

The Daytona also thrilled the American automotive media during drives by Car and Driver (at Dutch Grand Prix host venue Zandvoort) and Road & Track (Belgian Formula 1 circuit Spa-Francorchamps). Then, having already cemented itself as a darling in print, the SP3 would earn it television break in series 33, episode five of Top Gear. Aired on primetime BBC One on 18 December 2022, the Ferrari featured in what currently stands as the final instalment of the famed motoring show.

Chassis 277499 remained with Ferrari SpA through to March 2025, at which time it was purchased by the vendor—the first and only private owner—via H R Owen (Ferrari Hatfield) and registered for road use in the United Kingdom. The car heads to RM Sotheby’s London auction accompanied by its owner’s guides, ECC Certificate of Conformity, tool and tyre inflator kits, plus both the removable carbon fibre roof panel and its collapsable canvas setup. The odometer displayed 2,948 miles at the time of cataloguing.

Built and specified in Ferrari’s own image and only ever driven by those chosen by the factory, chassis 277499 already touts a compelling backstory. Due to its outstanding provenance as a development vehicle, it will surely rank among the most collectible of Daytona SP3s in the fullness of time.

So powerful that it made marque history, this development car was kept as part of Ferrari’s inner circle and boasts single private ownership thereafter. Presented in extraordinary three-coat Giallo paint, it is poised to shine no matter the quality of its star-studded company.