You should either be a work of art or drive one

For many enthusiasts, the Porsche 911 is inextricably linked with the Targa roof design - hardly any other car epitomizes this design as much. Given the fact that Porsche has been offering the 911 in this variant since 1965, this is hardly surprising. But Porsche is not the only brand to release a Targa from time to time. You may be surprised to hear that Ferrari also introduced a Targa model in 2018. The reason why many people are not familiar with this vehicle is that it is one of the rarest modern Ferraris: the Ferrari J50.

The name of the J50 says it all. The ‘J’ stands for Japan, while the number 50 refers to Ferrari's 50th anniversary in Japan. This special model was specially developed to celebrate this special anniversary in the Land of the Rising Sun. The J50 was designed in collaboration between the ‘Special Projects’ department and the ‘Centro Stile’ in Maranello.

Technically, the J50 is based on the 488 Spider. The most noticeable differences are the Targa roof construction and a 20 hp increase in power from the familiar V8 engine. Ferrari's roof solution was inspired by the 328 and 348 models, which were also offered as Targa models in the 1970s and 1980s. The design of the J50 also draws on elements of iconic models such as the F40 and F50, giving it an unmistakable look and clearly distinguishing it from the 488 Spider.

At Ferrari, the Targa should not be confused with the Barchetta models. At Ferrari, the term?Barchetta?(Italian for ‘small boat’) traditionally refers to open two-seaters with minimal weather protection, which are often intended for use on racetracks or as exclusive roadsters. Over the years, Ferrari has introduced several models under this term. Here are some of the best known:

?1. Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta (1948):?one of the most famous early models. The 166 MM Barchetta won both the Mille Miglia and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949.?

2. Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina (2000)?This was a limited series (only 448 units) based on the Ferrari 550 Maranello. The Barchetta version had a simple fabric roof, which was considered more of a makeshift solution and was only designed to provide minimal rain protection.?

3. the Ferrari 575M Superamerica (2005):?This model is not explicitly a Barchetta, but the Superamerica is an interesting open-top variant of the 575M Maranello. With a revolving glass roof, it is more of a Targa than a true Barchetta, but is sometimes seen as a continuation of the 550 Barchetta.

4. Ferrari 599 SA Aperta (2010):?This model was an open-top version of the Ferrari 599 GTB and was built in a limited edition of just 80 units in honour of the Pininfarina design studio.?

5. Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2 (2018):?These two models, part of Ferrari's ‘Icona’ series, are modern Barchettas that echo the design and philosophy of Ferrari's historic race cars. The Monza SP1 is a single-seater, while the SP2 is a two-seater. Both have no windscreens or roofs and are extremely focused on the purist driving experience.

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But back to the J50 special model: as already mentioned, the J50 is one of the rarest modern Ferrari models. Only ten examples were produced, and these were reserved exclusively for a select clientele in Japan. Each vehicle was customised to the wishes of the respective buyer. In the press photos, the J50 can only be seen with left-hand drive, which is a rather impractical solution for everyday use given the left-hand traffic in Japan.

How much does a J50 cost? While Ferrari did not provide any information on price or performance when the model was unveiled, one of the ten examples was offered for sale in Tokyo in 2021 for around 3 million Swiss francs. The J50 is also of interest to the international market precisely because of its rarity and left-hand drive.

As a lover of the Targa roof design, I hope that Ferrari will take the J50 as a model and offer a Targa for the European market again in the future. However, it remains to be seen whether this will fit in with Ferrari's current design language. ‘Beautiful things are dependent on the unpredictable flow of time’ (Mishima Yukio, Japanese writer, poet, actor, model, 1925-1970).