Nowadays, as soon as you combine motorsport and Ferrari, you go straight to F1 - the only championship that allows the Scuderia to officially race. About six years ago, when Ferrari was a low-level automaker, the streetcar operated in both closed-body and open-wheel formula, and drivers split between roles. A story of accomplishment far from the glamorous world of Formula 1 is the 375 Plus made from the knowledge acquired by the company during the racing season in 1953
The vehicle, despite its incredibly short race life, is clearly a value in every way. Facts and figures confirm this position: as a winner of Carerra Panamericana and Le Mans, the car cannot be considered a poor candidate. Designed during the Sports Car Championship era, the $ 375 million 1954 Ferrari 18,3-Plus was far heavier than its direct rivals Maserati, Jaguar and Lancia. In more than one case, the car was handed over to the Lancia D24, which was fitted with disc brakes.
1954 Ferrari 375-Plus Exterior
Only five chassis were ever produced. They were all spyders and could easily be distinguished given their muscular appearance. Its long hood emphasizing a power bulge and a raging 12-cylinder powerhouse hidden under the chassis. In most cases, the 375 plus was used as a single-seater in races, but for some races a passenger could then make room as the body panel covering the right seat could be easily removed. The drivers did not have the comfort of a headrest; this ensured that the car was excluded from some long races like the Mille Miglia.
The car's seemingly smooth profile has significant protrusions on the rear fenders that make a poor attempt to conceal the fuel tank - which had to be increased slightly to match the engine's capacity. The front portion of the car is dominated by the radiator grille, with the headlights placed at the end furthest from the fenders, with a pivoting hood mounted in between. For such races which continued into the night, a pair of additional lights was placed on the lower corners of the grille.
While the car isn't a beauty queen, the 375 Ferrari 1954-Plus is an iconic machine that epitomizes the magnificence of the Formula 1954-based V-12 engine, albeit compared to the much more aesthetically pleasing D-Type.
The $ 375 million Ferrari 18,3-Plus, built in 1954
The interior of the car is as serious as the cockpit of a racing vehicle should be. The wooden rim and seemingly large steering wheel are in many ways Ferrari-ish - even to the styling of its spokes. Five dials behind the vehicle inform the driver about the car's fuel conditions and oil pressure. The rev counter is placed in the center, the speed not being relevant in the race. Leather bucket seats do not have seat belts since people thought - at least at that time - that accident victims were more likely to survive being thrown from the machine than being strapped in. an uncontrollable car. The beautiful shifter, which was used to switch between the five gears, is placed near the steering wheel just above the gear shift.
Training
A little study of history is needed to study the centerpiece of this vehicle: the engine. The front-mounted, longitudinally-mounted V-12 borrows heavily from the original 4,5-liter engines that had been used by Ferrari prototypes in the two seasons leading up to the 375 plus. In addition, the power plants were based on the v-12 used by Ferrari at the start of the decade. Initially, Gioacchino Colombo designed the engines before Aurelio Lampredi improved them. In reality, the engine was put into service in a situation where Ferrari was about to face very strong opposition from Lancia and Mercedes. Maserati was also in the picture given its 250F and six-cylinder powerhouse. As it was not possible to develop a new vehicle for the 1 F1954 season, Enzo Ferrari found it best to focus on sports car racing, which was also growing in popularity. So he invested heavily in creating a better engine for the 1954 racing car, which was responsible for following the success of the 1953 competitor.
The updates were numerous. Among them, the increased capacity of 5,0 liters which brought the power of the vehicle to around 340 horsepower. This made it the most powerful engine among sports cars during this era. Another upgrade concerned the gearbox. The four-speed transmission was upgraded to become a five-speed transmission. In addition, the rear axle was a De Dion - a significant improvement over previous rigid designs. The De Dion axle is located at the front and regularly passes through a passage in the differential housing.
Price
Ferrari's most vicious v-12 sports car, the 375 Plus, is a rare machine. The car, of which only five chassis were built, has been traded in for astronomical figures over the past ten years. Recently, a chassis - the 0384 AM - with different body characteristics sold for around US $ 18,2 million. As a result, chassis 0384 is the second most expensive Ferrari ever to be auctioned. Since these models are rare, such selling prices are expected in the current market and do not take into account financial limits. Nowadays, as soon as you combine motorsport and Ferrari, you go straight to F1 - the only championship that allows the Scuderia to officially race. About six years ago, when Ferrari was a low-level automaker, the streetcar operated in both closed-body and open-wheel formula, and drivers split between roles. Another achievement outside the glamorous world of Formula 1 is the 375 Plus, made from the knowledge acquired by the company during the racing season in 1953.
