Ferrari’s most famous police car cruised Rome in the 1960s

The talented video crew at Petrolicious unearthed this historical nugget from Italy: In 1962, as a reward for fighting back the Mafia, the city of Rome acquired two special police cars — V-12 powered Ferrari 250 GTE coupes, given by Enzo Ferrari himself as a way to test the market for police vehicles. While one was destroyed in a fatal accident on its test day, the other patrolled the streets for years — and while Ferrari never built another patrol car, the 250 GTE became a part of Roman lore.

Similar Ferrari models in good condition sell for about $275,000 today, and the uniqueness of this version along with its personal connection to Enzo Ferrari would make it far more valuable if it ever came to auction. But nevermind the modern market; can you imagine being a street crook in Rome in the '60s and getting hauled away in the back seat of a Ferrari? The crime would almost be worth the time.