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‘It’s a hard muscled thoroughbred, the Daytona - easily the mostawesome and yet disciplined road-going Ferrari in that firm’s brilliantquarter century of existence. The Daytona isn’t fast – it’s blinding. Itwill eat up a quarter-mile of asphalt in 13.2 seconds at 110mph andscream out to 175mph - or it will slug through traffic at 1,500rpmwith the Sunday manners of a FIAT. It is the perfect extension ofits driver. You can cut and weave through shuffling traffic with theagility of a halfback, or lope down the freeway with the piece ofmind that comes from knowing you can contend with anyone’sincompetence. To say, after you’ve driven it, that the Daytona isdesirable doesn’t begin to sum up your feelings - you would sellyour soul for it.’ - Car & Driver, January 1970.Every Ferrari is, to a greater or lesser extent, a ‘landmark’ car, butfew of Maranello’s road models have captured the imagination ofFerraristi like the 365GTB/4; the ‘Daytona’ name was unofficial,bestowed by the press in honour of Ferrari’s crushing victory at thatcircuit’s 24-Hour Race in 1967. Responding to the challenge fromLamborghini, Ferrari had introduced its first road-car V12 enginewith four overhead camshafts on the preceding 275GTB/4 and thissuperior type of valve gear was retained for the Daytona.The latter’s engine though, was considerably enlarged, displacing4.4 as opposed to 3.3 litres, in part to compensate for theDaytona’s increased weight but more importantly to guaranteeMiura-beating performance; its 352bhp and 318lb/ft of torqueensuring that these targets were met. Dry-sump lubrication enabledthe engine to be installed low in the multi-tubular chassis, whichfeatured all-independent wishbone and coil-spring suspensionfirst seen in the 275GTB, while a five-speed rear transaxle enabled50/50 front/rear weight distribution to be achieved.One of Pininfarina’s countless masterpieces, the influential sharknosedbody style combined muscularity and elegance in equalmeasure. An unusual feature of early Daytonas was a full-widthtransparent Plexiglas panel covering the headlamps, replaced byelectrically operated pop-up lights towards the end of 1970. At thetime of its introduction in 1968 the Daytona was the most expensiveproduction Ferrari ever and, with a top speed in excess of 170mphwas also the world’s fastest production car. Deliveries commencedin the second half of 1969 and the Daytona would be manufacturedfor just four years; not until the arrival of the 456GT in 1992 wouldFerrari build anything like it again.Motor Cars | 285