This Is How Ferrari Celebrates 60 Years in North America

Photography by Yoav Gilad

The festivities actually began on Saturday night with a party at Beverly Hills City Hall in Beverly Hills, California, that featured Italian conductor Carlo Ponti Jr. and violinist Caroline Campbell, who provided entertainment for attendees including celebrities like Mary J. Blige and Megan Fox.

But the main event was yesterday when Ferrari North America held a birthday party for itself. And what a party it was! Not only did they reveal the F60 to the general public, a one-of-ten, North American market-only car based on the F12 Aperta, but virtually one of every significant Ferrari ever built was in attendance. Cars such as the 330 P4, 312PB, a couple of GTOs, Testa Rossas, this year’s Pebble Beach winner, FXXs, and even the first Ferrari in America, a 1948 Barchetta, were on display. Ferrari even brought an F2014 (Fernando Alonso’s current Formula One car).

Additionally, over 1000 Ferrari club members showed up with their rides and thundered through Beverly Hills’s streets all afternoon long. At one point, two La Ferraris raced up a parallel street, engines screaming. But the best moment for me came before sunrise, as I neared Rodeo Drive.

I slowed to make a left turn on the next street and to my left, perpendicular to me and turning right, barely braking, was a 1962 GTO. Its lusty engine was audible over mine and it quickly disappeared down Wilshire and up Rodeo. I continued down the road, alone in my car, yelling “GTO!” over and over again like some possessed idiot. I’ve seen GTOs before, but never driving down the street. I’m glad I didn’t have to share that moment with anyone, it made it more special. Anyway, enjoy the photos and start planning for Ferrari North America’s next party, probably their seventy-fifth. I’ll be there early.