This strange Ferrari has no doors or roof... and is compared to a shoe

At Ferrari, Each rare model is usually the talk of the town. The brand's one-offs are scrutinized, commented on and photographed from every angle. And yet, there is one almost forgotten exception: the Ferrari Conciso. A model so atypical that even some enthusiasts would struggle to identify it as a Ferrari.

Introduced in 1993, this unique creation does not come directly from the Maranello workshops, but from the imagination of German designer Bernd Michalak. Based on a 1989 Ferrari 328 GTS, the Conciso is the designer's radical interpretation of what a sports car can be: uncluttered, extreme, almost disconcerting.

At first glance, it's a visual shock. Where the Ferraris of the «80s had taut, aggressive lines, the Conciso adopts round, compact, almost playful shapes. Some have compared it to a »smiling shoe", others to a platypus or even a portable vacuum cleaner. These nicknames reflect the discomfort it can provoke among purists.

But behind this unusual silhouette lies a real approach. The name «Conciso», which means «concise» in Italian, perfectly sums up the project's philosophy. The idea? Remove everything that isn't essential for driving. The result: no roof, no doors, and barely a semblance of a windshield. To climb aboard, you literally have to step over the bodywork.

This minimalist approach has resulted in spectacular weight savings. Some 30 % lighter than the original 328 GTS, the Conciso weighs in at just 932 kg. This slimming down was made possible by a hand-finished aluminum body and the elimination of numerous comfort features.

Beneath this atypical exterior lies a familiar powertrain. The 3.2-liter Quattrovalvole V8 from the 328 GTS is still there, developing some 270 hp. Combined with an open-gate manual gearbox, it propels this unusual Ferrari from 0 to 100 km/h in around 5 seconds, with a top speed approaching 278 km/h. This performance is all the more impressive in that the driving experience is totally raw, unfiltered and exposed to the elements.

Inside, the atmosphere is resolutely performance-oriented. Bucket seats, harnesses, sport steering wheel and analog instrumentation remind us that the essential is elsewhere: in the direct link between driver and machine. To drive a Conciso is to feel every vibration, every mechanical noise, every breath of the engine.

Presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Conciso was never intended for production. It belongs to an era when independent coachbuilders still dared to experiment without constraint, pushing back the boundaries of automotive design. This boldness was rewarded in 1994 with a prize at the Eurosign Design Awards.

After changing hands between European and American collectors, the car was even exhibited... in a private salon, like a work of art. More recently, it has resurfaced at auction, fetching just over 117,000 euros in 2017. Today, the Ferrari Conciso occasionally emerges from the shadows, as is currently the case at the Petersen Automotive Museum, where it is on display. A rare opportunity for the curious to discover this eccentric Ferrari concept.