Ferrari America Superamerica Superfast

There is very little specific literature available on the Ferrari Americas, Superamericas and Superfasts; but here Bruno Alfieri has brought together a concise look at the “Americas”. The "American" adventure lasted 13 years, from 1951 (340 America) to 1964 (500 Superfast). The last Superfast came out of Maranello in 1967. Virtually all the Italian coachbuilders had a go at the concept: a fast, powerful GT coupe and sometimes, albeit rarely, cabriolets and, in the case of the 340, the barchetta body. The "America" slant was actually more symbolic and auspicious than real. Many 340s, 342s, 375s, 4IOs, 400s and 500s "Americas" were in fact sold in Europe to Kings (Leopold of Belgium), Princes (Bernard of the Netherlands) and business magnates. The reference was basically a tribute to the opulent Stateside styling which so captured the European imagination (cars with fins!) in an attempt to extend sales to the richest market in the world, which Ferrari was already dynamic in through its importer Luigi Chinetti, founder of the glorious North American Racing Team. The ingenious, craft-based Italian coachbuilders of the era —Alfredo Vignale, Touring, Ghia, Boano, Scaglietti and Pinin Farina — got down to the task with commitment and imagination, and there is a varied array of their work with in these pages. Ghia and Vignale (who employed the brilliant designer, Giovanni Michelotti) were intimidated by the brief and tended to lose sight of the true spirit of Ferrari. Ghia's celebrated "Gilda", designed by Giovanni Savonuzzi, was built on the 1956 410 Superamerica chassis, and it looked very American and very un-Ferrari. Model by model, the genius of Pinin Farina gradually emerged. He was the Italian designer who grasped the idea best, enhancing it in a string of lovely bodies. As well as a focus on coachwork, Alfieri also details the technical specification of the cars and has compiled a register of 340 America (1951), 342 America (1952-1953), 375 America (1953-1955), 410 Superamerica (1955-1959), 400 Superamerica (1959-1964), and 500 Superfast (1964-1966).