The skies may have been grey, but that didn’t stop plenty of red cars from coming out and their owners from enjoying being the center of attention down Colorado Boulevard in Old Pasadena on Sunday. Despite the somewhat grim weather, the turnout for the 2011 Concorso Ferrari was higher than expected, with nearly 150 cars nosing off the curb or pointed eastward on the city’s most noteworthy stretch of Route 66.


One of the most drool-worthy of cars at the event wasn’t even a Ferrari at all but a 1954 Lancia D50 Grand Prix car. Designed by legendary Italian engineer Vittorio Jano the D50 rivaled Mercedes’ W196 for advanced engineering, and the Lancia team was led by Alberto Ascari, a driver in all ways the equal to the car. Unfortunately, Ascari died in a sports car accident, crushing the team and company’s morale, and that, along with Lancia’s ongoing financial difficulties, led to the company selling their racing efforts to Scuderia Ferrari. The cars were continued to be developed under the name Ferrari-Lancia D50, and eventually just Ferrari D50, hence its inclusion here. This car is described by its owner as having enough original parts to be considered an original car, and not one of the few – there are five in total claimed in existence today – that were cobbled together from various spares.

The D50 is powered by an offset 3-litre twin-plug V8 which also serves as a structural member evidenced by the alloy bosses notable at each end of the heads. Along side the cockpit are two pannier-type fuel tanks which also serve to calm the air between the open wheels, an early form of aerodynamic aids. The entire car – from the finned alloy drum brakes to the De Dion rear end – represents the height of contemporary technology at the time, and remains beautifully realized today.

A full-on Ferrari racer from the same year is the 375MM and you can marvel at the sound of its large-displacement Lampredi V12 firing up in this video below.
Ferrari 375MM Start Up from Rob Emslie on Vimeo.
That’s 4522-ccs of all alloy single overhead cam V12 ticking over there, and the Typo 108 engine was originally claimed good for 350-bhp. The car in which it sits is one of twelve Pinin Farina Spyder bodied 375 MMs, cars that were built over the period of 1953 to 1954.

Lots more were on hand at the show, both old and brand-spanking new, including the 458 Italia and 599 GTO.Check out the slide show below for a full-on Ferrarigsm of pics. Hell, it’ll almost be like you were there.