Daytona SP3 599+1: Ferrari's New Mechanical Manifesto of Art & Design

The Essence of Design

When Ferrari unveiled its Tailor Made 812 Competizione in 2023, it wasn't just a car; it was a canvas. A bold stroke in the ongoing conversation between automotive engineering and artistic expression. Its hand-drawn look, a visual echo of the designer's first sketch, set a new standard for how a car could communicate its very beginning.

The entire car appeared hand-drawn: a yellow body crossed by black lines that called back to the original sketch – the first marks on paper in the design studio. As one of just 999 units, it became a visual tribute to the "zero moment": that precise instant when an idea starts to take shape.

Its color choice also told a story. The 812 wore a Giallo Tristrato opaco body, marked by bold graphic lines in Nero DS Sketch. This was a sharp, deliberate choice – almost like a concept car.

Now, with the Daytona SP3 599+1, Ferrari returns to the same two colors but in a different way: Giallo Modena on one side, exposed carbon on the other. It's a clear visual contrast. Yellow and black – two Ferrari colors, used again with clear purpose. Two car designs, opposite yet working together, which now feel like parts of the same conversation.

It's important to remember that while Ferrari road cars are famously red, yellow is actually the official color of Modena, Enzo Ferrari's hometown. He chose it as the background for the iconic Prancing Horse badge from the very beginning. So, this pairing of yellow and black – black also being a color of strength and sophistication, often used in their racing liveries and now with exposed carbon – isn't just a new design choice. It is a powerful nod to Ferrari's deep roots and its very identity, a clever move that connects these modern "statement" cars directly to the brand's core. This decision is certainly a clear and intentional piece of marketing, using colors that are profoundly connected to the Ferrari story.

[→ Read the full story on the 812 Competizione Tailor Made here.]

A Deliberate Statement

Two years later, Ferrari makes another unique move: a Daytona SP3 numbered 599+1, beyond the official production. It will be auctioned for charity. This car exists outside the usual production plan – a planned and careful act. It's not just a style exercise, though style is clearly central. It’s not just a marketing effort, though marketing is certainly present, refined and intentional.

This car works on many levels: it's a vehicle created to communicate, to position, and to exist as a clear icon. After all, this SP3 is part of the Icona series – and today, the Icona has truly become iconic.

If the 812 celebrated the birth of a form, this SP3 gives it official status. With a more confident, almost formal tone. It's not built to surprise. It's built to be seen, remembered, and auctioned.

Visually, it's impressive: Giallo Modena and exposed carbon, with black glossy details on the splitter, side skirts, and rear diffuser. But what makes it special is the upper body. Instead of lines or sketches, a giant "Ferrari" logo stretches across the surface in yellow. This is the first time this kind of signature has been placed so clearly on a Ferrari. More than a custom design, it's a statement of identity.

There's no client behind the creation of this car. No specific request. Only Ferrari, signing a car for itself. This reinforces Ferrari's position at the top of exclusivity and artistic vision, setting them apart even from other supercar makers. It also deepens engagement with their top clients and collectors, making them feel part of an exclusive story. These concept-like cars can even serve as testing grounds for design ideas or materials that might later appear in future production models.

Form, Substance, and Future

Inside, the most talked-about detail is the seat material: a technical fabric made from recycled tires, stamped with a stylized Cavallino. This is an unusual choice for a car that might sell for over $5 million at auction – as the 812 Competizione Tailor Made did, selling in New York in 2023 for around $5.1 million.

It's an interesting solution, certainly experimental. But for those who believe in consistency between appearance and material, it may raise questions. In a piece like this, material isn’t just about function – it’s visual language. And when the whole project speaks, every element should speak the same language. The recycled tire fabric, while innovative, creates an interesting point of tension. For those who expect traditional luxury materials in such an exclusive object, it might make them wonder about the link between its look and its materials. Is Ferrari, known for its focus on performance and luxury, subtly moving towards a new idea of 'prestige' that includes sustainability? Or is this a unique experiment where the material choice seems a bit out of place with the "mechanical manifesto" the car otherwise embodies?

The SP3 is set to be unveiled and auctioned during the Monterey Car Week, California, in August 2025 – a defining event in the contemporary automotive collector world, where aesthetics, performance, and financial valuation converge. Before that, it will be on public display at the Ferrari NYC Showroom starting July 11th. And if the 812 Tailor Made, selling for around $5.1 million USD, set a new benchmark for the value a unique Tailor Made livery could command, the question is inevitable: will this SP3 go even further in terms of its auction price?

One thing is certain: whoever takes it home will own more than a car. They will own a mechanical statement, signed with precision and clear intention.

That, after all, is the spirit of Still Motion: to choose what lives beyond the road – what has presence, importance, and purpose. Because certain machines aren’t just collected. They’re cared for. For me, that means seeing these Ferraris as supreme objects of design, works of art that exist beyond their performance capabilities. And if dreams are allowed, I would want this SP3 sitting in my living room right next to her older sister, the 812 Competizione. Not as cars to drive, but as two visual signs of what Ferrari can still be, when it chooses to answer to no one but itself.