Design brief: one-off Ferrari must foil Ferrari

The car collector insisted that styling changes to his 612 Scaglietti had to be super-subtle.

Ferrari says its 612 Scaglietti blends the performance of a Ferrari with the luxury of a four-seat car - but that alone wasn't enough for one American car collector.

Peter Kalikov wanted an understated level of uniqueness that would only be spotted by the most dedicated Ferrari expert.

So the Chairman of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority commissioned Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina to build a special version of the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.

The one-off model has been accepted by Ferrari as an enhancement of its traditional skills and as a strengthening of the relationship with Pininfarina, established when the Turin coachbuilder created exclusive Ferrari models for car enthusiasts.

Kalikov insisted that his Scaglietti had to be re-bodied with styling changes so slight and fine that no more than 10 per cent of Ferrari experts would catch them at a first glance.

Kalikov personally followed the development and contributed to the selection of features and colours and materials.

The special features of the car are the front grille, drawn from the Ferrari designs of the fifties and sixties; a glass roof with a combination of liquid crystals and photovoltaic cells similar to light-dimming technology in the Ferrari Superamerica; a wide air outlet on the front guards, evolved from the scalloped-style side view of the 612; fins enveloping the rear window and inspired by drawings made by Pininfarina; and rear lights reminiscent of the Ferrari Enzo.

Interior features have been custom-made to suit Kalikov's build and driving style.