Is Ferrari planning something new? Another small-volume production car, perhaps? CarBuzz found a trademark application filed for a new name that could become that next vehicle. Is it a random set of letters and numbers, or does it call back to something from the company’s past? This question arises when considering that its US importer once created its own limited-edition special for American buyers.
The new trademark is for the name Ferrari LC67. It applies to cars, including race cars and road cars, as well as parts. And, of course, to clothing, merch, and other gear including downloadable emojis. But Ferrari has a habit of dropping some very exclusive cars with similar names.
Ferrari Has More Icons To Celebrate Than We Can Count
ferrari hc25 one-offFerrari
Ferrari likes to use unique names for its low-volume and one-off cars, such as the SP48 Unica, based on the F8 Tributo, or the GTC4-based BR20. Many wear the SP for Special Projects name, but not all.
It’s far too early for Ferrari to have said something officially, which means we’re open to speculation. And we have some ideas.
At Ferrari, LC means Luigi Chinetti. The Italian-American businessperson became Ferrari’s US importer after meeting with Enzo Ferrari in 1949. He was a racing driver as well, and ran what was called the North American Racing Team (NART), which played a part in some of Ferrari’s greatest 1960s racing successes.
In 1967, a NART race car finished third in a one-two-three at the Daytona 24. That race was the inspiration for the Ferrari Daytona and its name. The same year, Chinetti and NART also tried to launch its own Ferrari road car. Ferrari could be trying to recapture that magic.
It had been years since Ferrari sold a V12 convertible road car, and Chinetti wanted one. Badly. US buyers loved their convertibles, and he was willing to go a long way to make them happy.
Could A New NART Be On The Table?
1967 ferrari 275GTB/4 NART Spider front 3/4 shot redRM Sotheby’s
The result was a two-seat convertible based on the 275 GTB/4, called the 275 GTB/4S NART Spider. The plan was for 25, though only 10 were built over two years. These Ferraris had a 3.3-liter V12 with dual overhead cams, making a claimed 300 horsepower. It was stunning on its own, but as a convertible it was transcendent.
With only 10 built, the cars are now incredibly desirable. There hasn’t been a public sale of a NART Spider since 2013, and that one sold for $25 million. Today, the value could be double that.
It sounds like the perfect car for a modern low-volume or one-off model. Perhaps even one that’s built for an owner of an existing original. Where would you find a starting point? The 12Cilindri, which just got a manual transmission version, is the spiritual successor to the 275 GTB.
Are we letting our imaginations run wild here? Yes. But here’s what we know for sure: Ferrari has just snagged a new name that is unlike any name it has used before. It will reveal its plans in due time, and we’ll have the full scoop as soon as possible. For now, just picture a very special open-top version of the 12Cilindri and imagine the possibilities.
Trademark filings do not guarantee the use of such nomenclature in future vehicles and are often used exclusively as a means of protecting intellectual property. Such a filing cannot be construed as confirmation of a production-bound application.
Source: MEMT
