Ferrari Scale Models: History, Icons and How to Collect Them – Chapter 1: Road Cars
From the 166 Inter of 1948 to the F80 of 2024: the Ferrari road cars that defined each era, and the 1:43, 1:18 and 1:12 scale models that represent them.
In short
Ferrari's road cars began with the 166 Inter of 1948, the marque's first grand touring car, and today run from the 12Cilindri to the F80, unveiled in October 2024 in a run of 799 examples. This first chapter follows the road cars through their key eras, from the coachbuilt V12s of the 1950s to the 250 GT, the Dino V6 and V8 models, the Testarossa and the supercars from the GTO to the F80, with the scale models that represent each one in 1:43, 1:18 and 1:12. Chapter 2 covers the racing cars.
With more than four hundred Ferrari scale models in the catalogue, the story is told here in two chapters. This first one is about the cars Ferrari built for the road. The second follows the racing cars, from the 125 S of 1947 to the 499P and the current Formula 1 cars.
The 166 Inter and the coachbuilt V12s
The 166 Inter was launched in 1948 as Ferrari's first grand touring road car, with a race-derived 2.0-litre V12. It was the road version of the 166 sports racing cars such as the 166 MM barchetta, and was produced between 1948 and 1950. Customers chose their coachbuilder: Carrozzeria Touring built the most examples, alongside Stabilimenti Farina, Bertone, Ghia and Finale.
Kess Model covers this period in 1:43 with the 166 Inter Touring Coupé 1949 in red, also available in black and bordeaux, and with the 166 Inter Farina Berlinetta chassis 037S. Matrix Scale Models adds a Ghia-bodied coupé from the same years, the 212 Inter Coupé by Ghia of 1952.
The 410 Superamerica marked the next step. Its engine was shown on a 375 America chassis at the Paris Motor Show in October 1955, and the complete car, bodied by Pinin Farina, was unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show in 1956. Three very limited series were built between 1956 and 1959.
Maxima has made the 410 Superamerica III Series Coupé of 1958 in 1:18, in black and silver, green, and white and silver. The same maker covers the 250 GT specials, such as the 250 GT Drogo Speciale of 1962.
The 250 GT and 275 years
The short-wheelbase 250 GT Berlinetta was presented in Paris in October 1959. Designed by Pininfarina and built at the Scaglietti works in Modena, it used a 2400 mm wheelbase, hence the later name SWB, and was the first Ferrari production road car with disc brakes as standard. With a few changes it could race in the GT class, which made it the ideal road racer of its time.
KK Scale's 250 GT SWB Coupé 1961 in 1:12, in red or yellow, is the largest version of the car in the catalogue. In 1:43, Matrix Scale Models offers the 250 GT 2+2 Coupé of 1960, the four-seat member of the family.
The 275 GTB replaced the 250 GT Lusso at the 1964 Paris Motor Show. It was the first Ferrari road car with a transaxle, combining gearbox and differential at the rear, and with independent rear suspension. Around 450 were built by Scaglietti across the first and second series.
The open versions are where KK Scale has focused in 1:18: the 275 GTS Spider that belonged to Steve McQueen, the 275 GTS owned by Jay Kay of Jamiroquai, and the 275 GTB/4 NART Spider of 1967 in red or blue metallic.
Dino and the first V8
The Dino 246 GT made its official debut at the Turin Motor Show in November 1969. It was an evolution of the Dino 206 GT, with a 2.4-litre V6 in place of the 2.0-litre, and was built until 1974 in three series. Norev has the Dino 246 GT in red in 1:18.
At the Paris Motor Show of 1973 came the Dino 308 GT4, which brought several firsts: Maranello's first production road car with a V8, its first mid-engined 2+2, and the first design by Bertone rather than Pininfarina since 1953. Like the 246, it carried only the Dino name at launch.
KK Scale makes the Dino 308 GT4 of 1974 in 1:18, in red or black, and the 208 GT4 of 1975. The 308 GTS that followed is in the catalogue in 1:12, including the 308 GTS Quattrovalvole from the Magnum P.I. TV series.
GTO, Testarossa and F40
The GTO was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1984 and is known by the unofficial name 288, for its 2.8-litre eight-cylinder engine. Planned as a run of 200 cars for homologation, it sold out at once and 272 were eventually built. It is considered Ferrari's first supercar.
The Testarossa followed at the Paris Motor Show in October 1984, as the successor to the 512 BBi. Its long side strakes, needed for the larger side intakes, became its best-known feature, and its flat-12 now had four valves per cylinder. KK Scale makes the Testarossa 1986 in 1:18, in red or silver, and the early Testarossa with single mirror and single-nut wheels in 1:12. The 288 GTO is also available in 1:12.
The F40 was presented on 21 July 1987 to mark forty years since the first Ferrari road car. It was a race car for the road, built with composite materials, and the last car unveiled in the presence of Enzo Ferrari, who died in August 1988.
KK Scale's 1:18 F40 is available with red interior or as the black-interior personal car of Gianni Agnelli. BBR Models has made the F40 in Azzurro with showcase in 1:18.
F50, LaFerrari and F80
The F50 was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1995, ahead of Ferrari's fiftieth anniversary, and Ferrari announced that only 349 would be built. Kess Model makes a 1:43 of a special version, the F50 Bolide built for the Sultan of Brunei.
Geneva 2013 saw the launch of LaFerrari, Ferrari's first hybrid road car. BBR Models has it in 1:18, from the Rosso Corsa with black rims to matt black and the one-off built for Lewis Hamilton.
The F80 was unveiled in Maranello on 17 October 2024 and will be built in a limited run of 799 examples. It is already well covered in scale: BBR Models in 1:18 and 1:43, including the Rosso Corsa with silver rims and showcase, Burago in 1:18 with the Rosso Corsa with black wheels, and Looksmart in 1:43 with the Giallo Tristrato. See them all in the Ferrari F80 collection.
Today's range
The SF90 XX Stradale is a limited-series special edition. In October 2023 it set a lap record for road-homologated cars at Fiorano, in 1'17.309". MR Models makes it in 1:18 with showcase, coupé and Spider, such as the SF90 XX Stradale in Bianco Artico, while BBR Models offers a wide range of colours in 1:43.
The 12Cilindri was presented at Miami Beach on 3 May 2024: a two-seater berlinetta with a front-mid-mounted, naturally aspirated V12 of 830 cv, inspired by the Ferrari grand tourers of the 1950s and 1960s. MR Models makes the coupé and the Spider in 1:18, including the 12Cilindri in Rosso Corsa. BBR Models and Polistil, with the numbered Rosso Imola with showcase, also cover it in 1:18.
The Purosangue, unveiled on 13 September 2022, is the first four-door, four-seat Ferrari, with a naturally aspirated V12 of 725 cv. It is available in 1:18 from BBR Models, such as the Purosangue in Verde Dora, and from Polistil.
The newest model is the Amalfi, unveiled on 1 July 2025 as the successor to the Roma: a 2+ coupé with a 640 cv twin-turbo V8. MR Models has made the Amalfi in Giallo Montecarlo in 1:18 with showcase. BBR Models' 812 Competizione A Spider in French Racing Blue completes the V12 line-up.
How to build a Ferrari road car collection
1:43: the whole history on one shelf
1:43 is the scale for following the many coachbuilt cars and special versions. Kess Model and Matrix Scale Models cover the 1950s and the one-offs, BBR Models the current range in many colours, and Looksmart the latest models.
1:18: the main format
1:18 has the widest choice. KK Scale covers the classics from the 250 GT to the Testarossa and F40, Maxima the 1950s coachbuilt cars, and MR Models, BBR Models, Burago and Polistil the current range.
1:12: one or two statement pieces
KK Scale's 1:12 range includes the 250 GT SWB, the 288 GTO, the 308 GTS and the Testarossa. At this size, one model is enough to anchor a shelf.
Collect by era
A simple structure is one model per era: a 166 Inter, a 250 GT SWB, a Dino 308 GT4, a Testarossa or F40, and a current model such as the 12Cilindri or F80. You can then grow each era, for example with every supercar from the GTO to the F80. See every current model in the Ferrari collection.
Frequently asked questions
Which scale is best for Ferrari road car models?
1:18 offers the widest choice, from KK Scale's classics to MR Models and BBR Models for the current range. 1:43 suits collectors who want many models, including the coachbuilt cars of the 1950s. 1:12 is for one or two key cars, such as the KK Scale 250 GT SWB or 288 GTO.
Which makers produce classic Ferrari road cars?
KK Scale covers the 250 GT SWB, 275 GTS, Dino 308 GT4, Testarossa and F40. Maxima makes the 410 Superamerica and the 250 GT specials in 1:18. Kess Model and Matrix Scale Models cover the early and coachbuilt cars in 1:43.
Which makers produce the current Ferrari range?
MR Models makes the SF90 XX Stradale, 12Cilindri and Amalfi in 1:18 with showcase. BBR Models covers the F80, 12Cilindri and Purosangue in 1:18 and 1:43. Burago and Polistil offer the F80, 12Cilindri, Purosangue and Roma in 1:18.
Which Ferrari road cars should a new collector start with?
A 250 GT SWB, a Testarossa or F40 and a current model such as the 12Cilindri. Three cars that cover more than sixty years of Ferrari road cars.
Where are the Ferrari racing cars?
They are in Chapter 2, which follows Ferrari in racing from the 125 S of 1947 to the 499P at Le Mans and the current Formula 1 cars.
Sources
- Ferrari 166 Inter – Ferrari
- Britain's oldest Ferrari: the 166 Inter – Ferrari
- Ferrari 410 Superamerica – Ferrari
- Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta passo corto – Ferrari
- Ferrari 275 GTB – Ferrari
- Dino 246 GT – Ferrari
- 1973: the Dino 308 GT4 arrives – Ferrari
- The Ferrari Legacy Tour celebrates the GTO – Ferrari
- Ferrari GTO – Ferrari
- Ferrari Testarossa – Ferrari
- Ferrari F40 – Ferrari
- Ferrari F50 – Ferrari
- Ferrari stars of the Geneva Motor Show – Ferrari
- F80, Ferrari's new supercar – Ferrari
- SF90 XX Stradale lap record at Fiorano – Ferrari
- Ferrari 12Cilindri – Ferrari
- Ferrari Purosangue – Ferrari
- Ferrari Amalfi – Ferrari