Ferrari looks to iconic past designs with new Monza models

[September 19, 2018]    MARANELLO, Italy (Reuters) - Ferrari <RACE.MI> on Tuesday unveiled the single-seater Monza SP1 and two-seater Monza SP2, a pair of open-topped, limited edition sportscars as part of a new segment dubbed "Icona" inspired by iconic past Ferraris.

 New Ferrari's CEO Louis Carey Camilleri arrives at the memorial service held in honor of former CEO Sergio Marchionne in Turin, Italy, September 14, 2018. REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo

The move is part of a mid-term strategy which Chief Executive Louis Camilleri will present on Tuesday.

The Monza models were inspired by the style of the ‘barchetta’, a term originally used for lightweight, open-topped racing cars of the 1940s and 1950s.

They will offer 810 horsepower and a lightweight carbon fiber body.

"Barchettas were the most intoxicating experience for any pilot," head of product marketing Nicola Boari told a news conference to unveil the new models.

Ferrari will build fewer than 500 of the two models combined and all have been assigned to eligible clients already.

They were first shown to investors and customers late on Monday. They will be shown to the public at the Paris auto show next month where the company will also unveil pricing details.

Ferrari will release photos of the cars at 1700 GMT on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Agnieszka Flak; editing by Jason Neely)

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