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Ferrari Almost Quit Formula 1, And This $1 Million Pace Car Tells the Story

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American Racing Dream

Ford and Chevrolet may be the most recognized brands in the American racing scene, but Ferrari once considered joining the fray. In the 1980s, company founder Enzo Ferrari was frustrated with Formula 1 politics and proposed regulation changes, and threatened to leave the sport. He commissioned the Ferrari 637 in 1986 for a potential entry into the CART Indy Car World Series and the Indy 500, but it never entered a race.

There was another vehicle that came out of that unusual chapter of the Prancing Horse brand’s history, which led CART entrants on the track. Well, the vehicle in question is a one-off Ferrari Mondial designed to serve as a pace car. A recent video uploaded by AVANTS

on YouTube brought the pace car, now part of The Caretakers Collection, back into the spotlight, sharing some interesting bits about an American venture that never fully materialized.

A Million-Dollar Traffic Cop

The Ferrari Mondial pace car was part of the PPG Pace Car program, which fielded different vehicles at CART events, including a 1983 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z and a 1992 Subaru SVX. While the Mondial wasn’t as celebrated as Ferrari models like the Testarossa, this particular pace car has some interesting provenance.

For one, the Ferrari pace car reportedly cost $1 million to build in 1987, which, adjusted to today’s money, is around $3 million. Designed by Italian firm I.DE.A Institute, the pace car came with an extended wheelbase, redesigned front and rear bodywork, and, of course, integrated warning lights. It also featured a brake-cooling system that sprayed water through nozzles. The cabin, meanwhile, featured a custom dashboard and steering wheel, along with Kevlar and suede accents.

Powering the PPG project was an experimental 3.4-liter V8 producing a reported 300 horsepower. Forza Magazine said that the engine was being developed for the upcoming Ferrari 348. So, aside from just leading the field, the pace car also served as an early showcase for the automaker’s upcoming powertrain technology.

AVANT/YouTube

A Ferrari With A Story To Tell

This Ferrari Mondial pace car isn’t for sale. But it offers a glimpse into a lesser-known era of the Italian marque’s history, especially considering the brand is better known for its strong presence in F1

.

Today, the IndyCar Series uses different pace cars depending on the event, with the 2026 Indy 500 paced by the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X

. In F1, the duties of the pace car, better known as the safety car, are handled by the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+.

About the author

News Editor

Rex Sanchez is a News Editor at Autoblog and an automotive journalist with over six years of experience writing car reviews and industry news for publications like Philkotse and the Daily Tribune. He’s a licensed aviation maintenance technician who brings technical expertise to his automotive writing.