The 1970s started much like any other year for Ferrari after the 40s. Ferrari had secured several racing titles around the world, crafted some of the most beautiful and successful cars availible, had a bright development team, and had the drive to continue the legacy that many of us hold Ferrari true to today. However, an outside force was about to change the direction of Ferrari and other automakers forever.

The Production Cars

Ferrari began the decade with the 365 GTB/4 Daytona. This beautiful car had secured victories in the late 1960s and was quickly becoming a very popular production of Ferrari, and as a result made the 365 GTS/4, the spider version of the Daytona. This car became so immensely in high demand that body ships were decapitating the coupe versions to convert them into the fresh, high in demand spider version. Something was changing, however. And it was beyond Ferraris reach. What could possibly change Ferraris direction after such success? The Safety emission and Regulations Commission

Ferrari and other automakers alike had to face regulations that were the toughest ever concocted, and even moreso in the critical U.S. market (rules varied country to country). This came about through the 1970 clean air acts amendment, which required the following; 90% reduction in emissions with short time horizons and established a 10,000 dollar penalty to such violators. As you can see, Ferraris are no prius today and if you were to make an intelligent guess that they wern't back then, you would be right. Ferraris designers set off to work on new cars that would comply with these newly passed regulations. The decade was riddled with other various regulations, going as small as bumper and light regulations.

Then came the Dino 246 GT and GTS (convertible), derrived from the early Dino of the 60s. During the same time Ferrari had made the 365 GTC/4 Daytona would be short-lived. It wasn't PininFarinas most successful design, and was made in an era when all automakers were struggling to meet new bumper and lighting regulations. By contrast, however, Ferrari produced the stylishly big and handsome 365 GT/4 2+2, which would stay in production in Marenello for nearly 17 years. It was later to become the 400 GT in 1976--the first Ferrari with automatic transmission, and the 412 in 1985.

While PininFarina had been designing all of the Ferrari production cars for many many years, Bertone was given a shot at the next ferrari innovation. He went with a smaller model. Initially called "The Dino", this car was powered by a 3.0L V8 and had 2+2 seating. To some, the styling was considered too "wedge-like", but the 308 GT4 was an amazing seller for Ferrari. Unknown as to the reasons why, this was Bertone's last car for Maranello.

In the early 1970s, exotic car makers were expected to have a big mid-engined machine: hence the Detamaso Pantera and the Lamborghini Countach. In 1971 at the Turin Auto Show, Ferrari with PininFarina introduced the 365 GT/4 Berlinetta boxer concept. With it finally reaching production in 1974, the car came with a mid-engined flat V12 that was mounted above the transmission and started at 4.4L, although later going to 5L in 1976. Other miscellaneous stats were the fact that it had 380 horsepower and could reach speeds of 180MPH. Also, Boxers were never officially sold in the United states, even though many were imported and sold as "grey market" cars. The car became a Ferrari hit, and was in production for nearly 12 years all the way into the 1980s.

Another long-lived Ferrari made its debut in 1975. The 308 GTB, which had a transverse 3L V8 engine, was a very good seller and expanded Ferraris customer base. In the 1970s, nobody could argue that the 308 GTB wasn't an amazing car. For its time, it was a wonder. Two years later, a convertible (removable top) version of the 308 came out. The 308 GTB/GTS would later, in 1985, become the 3.2L 328 and would stay in production until 1989.

While the profound era of special coach-built cars for wealthy owners had expired, Pininfarina vowed the world with one of the most outrageous concept cars ever, the 512 S-Based Modulo featured at the left. This car had almost an extra-terrestrial look to it, and really had zero resemblance of previous Ferraris. If anything, it slightly looked like the early Countach, but even then thats a far comparison to make.