Universo Ferrari: Past, present and future

Few brands in the automotive space have the heritage, pedigree and emotion akin to that of the Prancing Horse. So, volunteering to go for Universo Ferrari, which was being held in India for the first time, in New Delhi, was something I was well beyond excited for and had great expectations of. Once through the dark hallway and inside, every expectation was well exceeded. 

Multiple race cars, including the current SF-26 F1 car, were on display.

The very first car in this exquisite display was a Formula 1 race car. And not just any – it was the SF-26, which is taking part in the current Formula 1 season and the one that has propelled Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to race wins. Just alongside it was another living legend. The all-conquering Ferrari 499P, which has been racing in the Hypercar category of the World Endurance Championship for the past few years. And it’s been incredibly successful too, winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race three times in a row and also winning the championship last year. Witnessing these purpose-built race machines in the flesh, with all their carbon fibre bits and aerodynamic wizardry, was a great start to what promised to be one unforgettable display of cars. 

But that wasn’t all as far as race cars went. There was the 296 GT3, which is based on the road-going 296 GTB minus the hybrid system, and it competes in GT3 racing around the world. The car on display at Universo Ferrari was the winner of a race in Macau, driven by former F1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi. Then there was the 296 Challenge, which can be bought by Ferrari’s A-list customers to take part in a one-make racing series. Together, these exhibits demonstrated the range of Ferrari’s motorsport involvement, from Formula 1 and endurance racing to GT competition and customer racing.   

The 499P has won 24 hours of Le Mans three times in a row.

Then came the classics, or “Classiche”, as Ferrari likes to call them, and these were my personal favourites from this exhibition. The standout by far was the Ferrari F50, and it’s one of my top 3 cars of all time. I’d never thought I’d get to see one ever, as they’ve only made about 349 of them, let alone in my own country. Seeing it there just brought back memories of me choosing it as my go-to car in Need for Speed II SE as a child. They say never meet your heroes, but the F50 debunked that theory as it looks just as jaw dropping in the metal as it does in pictures. 

Legendary NA V12-powered F50 was present, flared nostrils and all.

Alongside it was another classic, the 365 GTB4, which is more fondly known as the Daytona. This too, like every other car here, was in pristine condition, and I absolutely loved the Light Blue paint and three-stripe livery it wore, which made it really stand out. 

A car of particular interest to all of us at Autocar was the 612 Scaglietti. This very car participated in the 2008 Magic India Discovery tour, covering about 13,000km through our country’s varied landscapes and landmarks. And Autocar India played a key part in making that happen and was a part of that journey, covering over 600km, so it was a nice full-circle moment. The 612 was an early demonstration of Ferrari’s presence in India and gave Universo Ferrari a tangible connection to the marque’s Indian journey. 

Classics and modern classics were well represented, too.

There were a few models making their India debut as well. Ferrari’s latest halo hypercar, the F80, was present. This car was considered very controversial in terms of design, especially when you consider its lineage of stunning-looking cars like the LaFerrari, Enzo and F40, but seeing it in person made me a convert. It has a presence like few others and absolutely deserves its place at the top of the current Ferrari tree. 

The other major debut was the Ferrari Luce. It, too, has been controversial, to say the least, and represents a few Ferrari firsts, the most prominent one being its first-ever all-electric model. The Luce, though, still didn’t manage to win me over with its design, but it is impressive in terms of the technology it offers and the cabin, which is superbly finished and a great blend of modern and classic bits. 

Ferrari’s latest halo model, the F80, was special to witness.

There was a curveball, too, in the form of a Ferrari test mule. The prototype of the Daytona SP3 supercar was disguised as a LaFerrari. You rarely get to see these test mules and prototypes, especially from a brand like Ferrari. This prototype was, of course, very special to see, with its unfinished interior with loads of wires and buttons and exposed rivets and extra panels on the exterior. Alongside, there was also the actual scale model of the Daytona SP3 that was used in the wind tunnel to test its aerodynamics, accompanied by a blown-up display of its naturally aspirated V12 engine in all its glory. 

Apart from the aforementioned cars, there was also a display of Ferrari’s current road cars like the Purosangue SUV, the Amalfi Spider, the 849 Testarossa Spider and the 12Cilindri Spider. Even the 12Cilindri Manuale was on display, a Ferrari that’s been creating a lot of hype lately. It’s a naturally aspirated V12-powered GT with a manual gearbox – in 2026! And yes, I know it’s a simulated manual gearbox, but still, anything with that big of an engine paired with three pedals and an H-pattern gated gearbox is to be celebrated. 

The possibilities with Ferrari’s bespoke programme – Tailor Made – were also displayed, with a variety of interior materials, alloy wheel designs and steering wheel options adorned on a wall. But there was more than cars too. The Ferrari Hypersail project was also on show, well, a scale model was. It’s a 100-foot prototype racing yacht, which displayed Ferrari’s engineering and technological prowess beyond the road and race track.

SP3 Daytona prototype dressed as a LaFerrari was unexpected.

And then there was the brand’s collaborative work with students from the National Institute of Design (NID), tasked to create bespoke specifications of cars inspired by India. Inspired by the identities of ten cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Varanasi and Goa – their concepts were subsequently interpreted by Ferrari as ten digital configurations, comprising five Ferrari 12Cilindri models and five Purosangue models. 

On the business end, Ferrari also announced two new dealerships by the end of 2026, in Chennai and in Ahmedabad, expanding its India reach to five locations. Ferrari’s top brass, including CEO Benedetto Vigna, were in attendance too, which further signified how important this event and its presence in India was for the marque.

Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna was present for the Luce’s India debut.

In the lead-up to Universo Ferrari, the wider Ferrari community in India was also involved. 25 different Ferraris drove from Mumbai to New Delhi, passing through Vadodara, Udaipur, Jaipur and Agra before finally culminating at Universo Ferrari.

For enthusiasts, Universo Ferrari was an opportunity to witness a broad cross-section of Ferrari’s world in one place. For the company, the exhibition represented an opportunity to strengthen its presence here and showcase its best from the past and the present while building its future.

Bringing the spirit of Maranello some 6,000km to New Delhi was an ambitious undertaking, but Universo Ferrari successfully managed it and how. It celebrates the machines that have defined and will continue to define the Prancing Horse, while looking towards a future in which Indian customers and enthusiasts become an increasingly important part of its story. Universo Ferrari signalled the marque’s intention to build a deeper, long-term relationship with India. And for that, we want to say, grazie mille!