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Ferrari 375 Plus - the super racing car of 1954

Name: Ferrari 375 Plus 1954
Brand: Ferrari

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Created on June 6, 2014

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Bonhams

Marcel Massini - Courtesy Bonhams

Spitzley Collection - Courtesy Bonhams

GP Library - Courtesy Bonhams

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

Bonhams

Marcel Massini - Courtesy Bonhams

Spitzley Collection - Courtesy Bonhams

GP Library - Courtesy Bonhams

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - the sure-fire winner with the Cavallino Rapante

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - a thoroughbred racing car

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - View into the cockpit

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - the 4.9-liter engine

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - traces of a vibrant past on the unrestored aluminum skin

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - the unrestored body shell

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - classic racing cockpit

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - at the 1954 Mille Miglia with Umberto Magioli at the wheel

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - at the 1954 Mille Miglia

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - José Froilan Gonzales wins at Silverstone in 1954

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - at Silverstone in 1954, José Froilan Gonzales at the wheel

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - at Silverstone in 1954, driven by Ferrari chief mechanic Stefano Meazza

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - at Silverstone in 1954

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - Umberto Maglioli in the lead from the start at Le Mans in 1954

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - Le Mans 1954 - the car of Paolo Marzotto-Umberto Maglioli

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) at the Carrera Panamericana 1954 - Umberto Maglioli with the powerful Ferrari 375 Plus

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) at the Carrera Panamericana 1954 - Robinson was killed in an accident

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Ferrari 375 Plus (1954) - driven by Hiven in Kansas City in 1955

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Summary

For the 1954 season, Enzo Ferrari had five factory racing sports cars built, which, with 340 hp from 4.9 liters, were almost 300 km/h fast and dominated the races of the year if they lasted. The first of these five Barchettas will be auctioned on June 27, 2014, a good reason to take a closer look at their history.

This article contains the following chapters

Victories at Silverstone, Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericana
Missed victory
The odyssey of chassis 0384
Restored in Modena
Reunification

Estimated reading time: 3min

Preview (beginning of the article)

When you stand in front of it, the Ferrari 375 Plus looks huge, no comparison with the daintiness of some sports cars of the time. But compactness was never Enzo Ferrari's goal when he had his developers create a high-flyer for the 1954 season. These cars were to dominate the sports car world. The engine alone was a masterpiece. Twelve cylinders in a V arrangement with wet liners, 4954 cm3 in size and around 340 hp was the power unit. It was coupled to the gearbox from the Formula 1 racing car and bolted to a chassis with independent suspension on double wishbones at the front and a De Dion rear axle. The weight was less than one ton (957.5 kg). The obviously aerodynamic Barchetta shape allowed a top speed of almost 300 km/h in 1954.

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