About this episode
Ferrari expert and collector Ryan Sabka joins the show to demystify the skyrocketing values in the Ferrari market. Sabka shares his unique perspective on why new wealth is driving prices to unprecedented heights, comparing certain eras of Ferrari to fine art. The discussion dives into the psychology of modern collectors, the surprising value disparity between models like the 512 BBI and 512 TR, and why the legendary F40 remains the ultimate benchmark. It is an insider's look at the passion, speculation, and market dynamics shaping the Ferrari world today.
Today on That Car Show, it’s all Ferrari with collector and market expert Ryan Sabga. We discuss why Ferrari values keep rising, what makes Ferrari owners different, whether early Ferrari F1 transmission cars deserve another look, and why the Ferrari F40 may be the greatest car ever built. It’s Ryan Sabga, talking Ferrari. And it’s That Car Show.
Ryan Sabka
"Today on that car show, it's that Ferrari show with our buddy, the Ferrari whisperer himself, Ryan Sabka."
An expert who knows almost everything about Ferrari cars. He helps wealthy collectors find and buy rare models, and he owns an impressive collection of his own.
A highly respected Ferrari collector, expert, and regular participant in prestigious vintage rallies like the Colorado Grand. He is known within the enthusiast community for his deep technical knowledge and curation of world-class classic Ferraris.
F1 transmission
"Why it might be time to reconsider the F one transmission cars, at least on cars like the 355."
A type of gearbox that lets the driver change gears using paddles behind the steering wheel instead of a gear stick and clutch pedal. It was high-tech in the 1990s but can feel jerky compared to modern automatic transmissions.
An electro-hydraulic manual transmission system developed by Ferrari, derived from their Formula One technology. It uses steering-column-mounted paddle shifters to actuate a mechanical clutch and change gears without a traditional clutch pedal.
Ferrari F355
"Why it might be time to reconsider the F one transmission cars, at least on cars like the 355."
A famous 1990s Ferrari sports car known for making one of the most beautiful, high-pitched engine sounds in automotive history.
The Ferrari F355 is a mid-engine sports car powered by a high-revving 3.5-liter V8 engine featuring five valves per cylinder. It is celebrated for its iconic exhaust note, classic Pininfarina styling, and for introducing the first F1-style paddle-shift gearbox to a road car.
Ferrari F40
"And why yes, the F 40 isn't just the best Ferrari ever made. It's quite possibly the best car ever made."
Widely considered one of the greatest supercars ever built. It has a twin-turbo engine, no driver aids like traction control, and was designed to be a raw, street-legal race car.
The Ferrari F40 is a mid-engine, twin-turbocharged V8 supercar built to celebrate Ferrari's 40th anniversary and was the last car personally approved by Enzo Ferrari. It features a lightweight Kevlar, carbon fiber, and aluminum chassis with a spartan, race-car-like interior.
Colorado Grand
"He's a regular part of events like the Colorado Grand, which is where I first met him."
A famous yearly road trip in Colorado where owners of incredibly rare and expensive vintage cars drive together through the mountains.
An annual non-competitive vintage car rally that covers approximately 1,000 miles through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. It is open to ultra-rare, historic sports and racing cars built in 1960 or earlier.
Ferrari Luce
"...on the Ferrari world has gotten even crazier. The luce EV was announced. Ferrari values across the board..."
The Luce is an upcoming, high-end electric car concept from Ferrari, designed to run entirely on battery power while maintaining the speed and luxury the brand is known for.
The Ferrari Luce is a highly anticipated, ultra-exclusive electric vehicle concept or upcoming production model representing Ferrari's transition into high-performance electrification. It aims to combine the brand's legendary driving dynamics and luxury with cutting-edge battery technology.
Ferrari 288 GTO
"So I think last time I think one of the examples I use was like a 288 GTL. Somebody now has just a ridiculous amount of money."
An incredibly rare, twin-turbocharged Ferrari from the 1980s that was built so the company could qualify for a racing series that was ultimately canceled.
The Ferrari 288 GTO is a mid-engine, twin-turbocharged V8 homologation special originally designed for Group B racing. It is highly coveted for its muscular Pininfarina bodywork, extreme rarity (only 272 built), and status as the first of the modern Ferrari halo supercars.
Ferrari 512 BBi
"One of the cars that's near and dear to my heart that I own is my 512 BBI. I have one of the last basically 100 512 BBI's."
A classic 1980s Ferrari with a wide, flat 12-cylinder engine mounted behind the driver. It is famous for its wedge shape and high top speed.
The Ferrari 512 BBi (Berlinetta Boxer) features a mid-mounted 4.9-liter flat-12 engine equipped with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection. It represents the final evolution of Ferrari's wedge-shaped Boxer series before the introduction of the Testarossa.
Ferrari 512 TR
"But I was deciding between a 512 BBI and a 512 TR, both black, which is my favorite color for Ferraris..."
An updated, faster version of the famous 1980s Testarossa sports car, featuring improved handling and a flat 12-cylinder engine.
The Ferrari 512 TR is a comprehensive evolution of the iconic Testarossa, featuring a mid-mounted 4.9-liter flat-12 engine. It offered improved weight distribution, a stiffer chassis, and updated styling to enhance handling and performance over its predecessor.
Testarossa Testarosas
"They've made 10,000 Testarosa's and all and there's I think 2,500 512 TR's..."
The ultimate 1980s poster car, instantly recognizable by the long horizontal slats (strakes) on its sides and its very wide rear end.
The Ferrari Testarossa is a mid-engine V12 sports car famous for its dramatic side strakes, ultra-wide rear track, and pop-up headlights. It became a defining cultural icon of the 1980s, popularized by its appearance in media like the TV show Miami Vice.
Ferrari F50
"...m. And that's why you see the cars going up. F40, F50 Enzo, F12 TDFs going up. I mean, even things like..."
The F50 is a very rare, high-performance Italian sports car built in the 1990s. It was designed to bring the technology and sound of a Formula One race car to public roads.
Introduced in 1995 to celebrate Ferrari's 50th anniversary, the F50 is a mid-engine supercar powered by a 4.7-liter naturally aspirated V12 derived directly from a Formula One engine. With only 349 units produced, it is highly sought after for its raw, analog driving experience and carbon fiber chassis.
Ferrari 575M Maranello
"I think it's not a coincidence that I think the newest for our you own is a 575. 575. Okay, yeah."
A powerful, front-engine V12 grand touring car from the early 2000s designed for comfortable, high-speed road trips.
The Ferrari 575M Maranello is a front-engine V12 grand tourer that updated the 550 Maranello with a larger engine, adaptive suspension, and the introduction of the F1 paddle-shift transmission to Ferrari's V12 road cars.
Ferrari 360 Modena
"Are we going to revisit cars like, you know, the 355 and the 360? Are those going to continue to go up?"
A popular early-2000s Ferrari sports car that was the first to be built entirely out of lightweight aluminum.
The Ferrari 360 Modena is a mid-engine V8 sports car that marked a technological leap for Ferrari with its all-aluminum space-frame chassis. It featured a highly organic, aerodynamic design and a glass engine cover showcasing its 3.6-liter V8 engine.
Ferrari F430
"But then when you get to the 430, the 430 is the first V8 car with it brand new engine architecture."
A mid-2000s Ferrari sports car that introduced a steering wheel dial to change driving modes and featured a highly advanced V8 engine.
The Ferrari F430 succeeded the 360, introducing a brand-new 4.3-liter V8 engine (the 'Ferrari-Maserati' F136 family) and advanced electronics like the steering-wheel-mounted 'Manettino' dial and an electronic limited-slip differential.
Porsche 959
"...there was I'll name a couple of the cars. They're 959 a couple career GTs. There were a couple guys wit..."
The 959 is a rare, high-tech Porsche sports car from the 1980s. It was built to showcase the absolute limit of what technology could do at the time, featuring an advanced four-wheel-drive system and twin turbochargers.
The Porsche 959 is a technological tour de force from the late 1980s, originally developed for Group B rallying. It featured a twin-turbocharged flat-six engine, an advanced sequential turbocharging system, and a highly sophisticated all-wheel-drive system that paved the way for future high-performance sports cars.
Porsche Carrera
"Well, I drove shout out to my, my best friend, Anand. I drove 1973 Porsche Carrera RS 210 horsepower."
One of the most famous and valuable vintage Porsche 911s ever made, built for racing with a lightweight body and a distinctive ducktail spoiler.
The 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS is a legendary homologation special built for racing. It featured a lightweight body, a larger 2.7-liter flat-six engine producing 210 horsepower, and the iconic 'ducktail' rear spoiler.
Lamborghini Countach
"...came out. And my favorite car before that was the Countach. Actually. And the F40 was amazing because Ferrar..."
The Countach is a classic Italian sports car famous for its extremely flat, angular shape and doors that open upward instead of outward. It was one of the most famous poster cars of the 1980s.
The Lamborghini Countach is a legendary mid-engine sports car produced from 1974 to 1990 that pioneered the iconic 'wedge' shape and scissor doors. It defined the aesthetic of the modern supercar and became a pop-culture icon of the 1970s and 1980s.
BMW 335
"...like, what are the biggest tires we can put three 335s in the back. That is traction control. It has two..."
The 335 is a sporty, mid-sized luxury sedan or coupe made by BMW. It is popular because it looks like a normal luxury car but has a powerful turbocharged engine that makes it very fast.
The BMW 335 (specifically the 335i) is a performance-oriented trim of the BMW 3 Series, most notable for introducing twin-turbocharged inline-six engines (N54 and N55) to the lineup in the mid-2000s. It gained a massive following in the tuning community due to how easily its turbocharged engine could be modified for significant power gains.
Alfa Romeo 164
"...p, well, they happen to be the same as Alfa Romeo 164. You don't hear that from me. You know,"
The 164 is a mid-sized luxury sedan made by the Italian company Alfa Romeo in the late 1980s and 1990s. It was designed to be a stylish and sporty family car.
The Alfa Romeo 164 is a front-wheel-drive executive sedan produced from 1987 to 1997, sharing a platform with the Saab 9000, Fiat Croma, and Lancia Thema. It is highly regarded for its Pininfarina styling and the legendary 'Busso' V6 engine, which offered a distinct exhaust note and strong performance.
Porsche 911
"...ple. But yet everybody in their brand new Porsche 911 turbos, once stick their nose underneath me, goin..."
The Porsche 911 is a famous German sports car known for its distinctive rounded shape and for having its engine located in the very back of the vehicle. It is designed to be both incredibly fast on a racetrack and comfortable enough to drive to the grocery store.
The Porsche 911 is an iconic, rear-engine sports car that has been the benchmark for performance and everyday usability since its introduction in 1963. The Turbo variant represents the pinnacle of its everyday supercar lineup, offering massive all-wheel-drive acceleration and high-end luxury. It is frequently discussed as the gold standard against which all other sports cars are measured.
Porsche Career Gt
"... know, or whatever the in my first roof, my first career GT. I mean, this is that car. It has a it has a grav..."
The Carrera GT is an extremely rare and expensive high-performance sports car made by Porsche in the mid-2000s. It is famous for its incredibly loud, high-pitched engine sound and for being very difficult to drive because it lacks modern computer driving aids.
The Porsche Carrera GT is a mid-engine supercar produced between 2004 and 2006, famous for its naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V10 engine derived from a defunct racing program. It is widely regarded as one of the last great analog supercars due to its manual transmission, lack of electronic stability control, and notoriously challenging driving dynamics.
Lucid Gravity
"...r GT. I mean, this is that car. It has a it has a gravity. Oh, yeah, I look, I think it's really important ..."
The Gravity is a large, luxury electric SUV made by a company called Lucid. It runs entirely on battery power, has three rows of seats for families, and is designed to travel long distances on a single charge.
The Lucid Gravity is an all-electric luxury SUV from American EV manufacturer Lucid Motors, designed to offer long range, high performance, and three-row seating. Built on a proprietary high-voltage architecture, it aims to set new efficiency and packaging standards for premium electric family vehicles.
Ford F-150 Lightning
"...so there's some equivalent. They're like, this is lightning in real life. Right, you're a superhero. Yeah, ri..."
The F-150 Lightning is an all-electric pickup truck made by Ford. It looks very similar to a standard gas-powered truck but runs entirely on batteries and has a large storage space under the hood where the engine used to be.
The Ford F-150 Lightning is an all-electric version of America's best-selling pickup truck, introduced for the 2022 model year. It combines traditional truck utility and towing capacity with modern EV benefits, such as a large front trunk (frunk) and the ability to export power to run tools or even back up a home during an outage.
Ferrari 348
"...hink he was in a 200 SI Maserati. And I was in my Ferrari 348 challenge. And he and I had the best time duking ..."
Chrysler PT Cruiser
"...l, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he's an active member of the PT Cruiser Spotters anonymous group that I'm a part of. So w..."
The PT Cruiser is a small, affordable family car from the 2000s designed to look like an old-fashioned vehicle from the 1930s. It has a tall roof and a hatchback design for extra cargo space.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a retro-styled compact car produced from 2000 to 2010, blending elements of a hatchback, wagon, and minivan. While initially a massive sales success due to its unique styling and versatile interior, it eventually became a frequent target of automotive internet culture and memes.
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
Help improve this episode
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.