Saratoga Automobile Museum Has a Fantastic Ferrari Exhibit

Saratoga Springs, New York, was founded around the natural mineral water bubbling up from the ground. Horse racing was added to the list of attractions in 1863 when a horse track was built, and just a few weeks ago they held the Belmont Stakes there.

But for your purposes as a car enthusiast, the most interesting thing in Saratoga Springs may be the Saratoga Automobile Museum, especially since it opened its Ferrari exhibit.

Enzo Ferrari: An Obsession With Speed runs through Oct. 27. It takes up the whole ground floor of the museum, housed in a former plant that once bottled the water for which the place is famous.

“An Obsession with Speed delves into the life, legacy, and the machines of automotive maestro, Enzo Ferrari, tracing his journey from a racer to the founder of one of the most celebrated automobile brands in the world,” the museum says. “Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a rare, curated collection of Ferraris from around the globe.”

I visited the Saratoga Automobile Museum last week and saw the exhibit. It’s well worth the drive if you’re anywhere in the Tri-State Area. Plus, Saratoga is a nice little town all on its own. There’s even a haberdashery.

While there were only about 12 or so Ferraris on the day I visited, they were all notably cool each in their own ways. The first one you see is the very same blue Daytona Coupe driven by Dan Gurney and Brock Yates in the original Cannonball Run. It still has their names on the side. Very cool!

There was also:

Ferrari 250 Testarossa

This one wasn’t part of the original run of cars built from 1957 to 1961. The museum says it’s a genuine 250, but it was made in the late 1970s for European racing driver Regis Fraissinet from a four-seater Ferrari 250 GTE.

The GTE used the same chassis and engine as the 250 Testarossa so it’s not too far from being a real example. This one belongs to the museum.

1997 Ferrari F310B Formula 1 Car

This car is on loan from the Audrain museum in Newport, Rhode Island. This exact car was never raced but was used in practice, the museum says.

While the first iteration of the F310B (designed by John Barnard) was troublesome, the museum notes that a redesign by Rory Byrne and Ross Brawn cured its woes. Later iterations of the car went on to win six constructors’ championships and eight driver’s titles.

1966 365 Berlinetta Speciale Prototype

This is one of only two three-seaters Ferrari ever made. It was nicknamed Tre Posti and Guida Centrale for its three-seat configuration, with the driver in the center seat. This example was owned by driver and Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti, while the other Tre Posti was owned by Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli.

It rides on a 365/P2 racing chassis, powered by a 4.39-liter Columbo V12 fed by triple Webers. The mid-engine supercar made 375 hp, which was huge for 1966.

Ferrari F40

The successor to the 288 GTO was meant to be a celebration of Ferrari’s 40th anniversary in 1987, as well as Enzo’s final farewell, and what a sendoff.

The twin-turbo V8 made 471 hp and 426 lb-ft of torque, all spinning the rear wheels with no traction control in sight. Thus, it rewarded skilled drivers. The body and chassis were made mostly of composites—a very advanced car for its day.

Also, on the walls of the museum are various timelines recounting the life of Enzo Ferrari, from his birth to the day he died in 1988 and everything in between. What a life.

The museum is just outside of town at 110 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866. From May to October, it’s open seven days a week from 10 am to 5 pm Entry is $20.