Ferrari 857 S

The Ferrari 857 S was a race car bodied by Scaglietti, featuring the largest displacement version of the legendary four-cylinder inline engine, which had begun its victorious career with World Championship wins in 1952 and 1953. This engine was later enlarged to a three-liter capacity while maintaining the same external block dimensions. The very few Type 857 S models built served as the foundation for its successor, the Type 860 Monza, which featured several technical differences, including a four-speed gearbox instead of a five-speed and a refined Scaglietti-designed bodywork. The 857 S was developed to counter Mercedes-Benz in the competitive racing scene of the era. Ferrari’s previous race cars, such as the 750 Monza, the 376 S, and the 735 LM, failed to achieve this goal, prompting the creation of the new model. In the early 1950s, Ferrari primarily focused on two types of racing engines: the inline-four designed by Aurelio Lampredi and the V12 developed by Gioachino Colombo. Each had its advantages depending on their stage of development, with the inline-four being more fuel-efficient than the V12. For these reasons, Enzo Ferrari prioritized the refinement of the four-cylinder engines. Additionally, the 1952 Formula 1 World Championship adopted regulations derived from Formula 2, which further encouraged the development of this engine type. The first iteration of this engine, a 2.0-liter unit, was successfully used in the 500 F2, securing two consecutive Formula 1 World Championships in 1952 and 1953. Further development led to two more inline-four engines with 2.5-liter and 3.0-liter capacities, which were installed in the 625 TF, 735 S, and 750 Monza. The final evolution of this engine was the 3.4-liter version fitted to the Ferrari 857 S, making it the most powerful four-cylinder Ferrari ever built. The model’s name derived from its unitary cylinder displacement of approximately 857 cm³. The 857 S was soon succeeded by the 860 Monza, which retained many of its technical attributes and featured similar Scaglietti-designed bodywork. The most significant race in which the 857 S competed was the 1955 Tourist Trophy, though it failed to secure a victory, losing to the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. Following this race, Ferrari discontinued further development of the 857 S and shifted focus to new models, starting with the 860 Monza. Despite its brief factory-backed career, the Ferrari 857 S later achieved a series of successes in American racing events in 1955 and 1956, solidifying its place in Ferrari’s racing history.