---
title: "5 Things We’d Do With This Ferrari F1 Engine at Sotheby’s"
description: "Sotheby’s has a legit Schumacher Era V-10 straight from the Scuderia. It could be put to service in a number of interesting—and terrifying—ways."
date: "2015-12-23"
modified: "2015-12-23"
authors:
  - name: "Ben Keeshin"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/ben-keeshin"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/vintage/1424/5-things-wed-do-with-this-ferrari-f1-engine-at-sothebys"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "F1"
  - "Ferrari News"
  - "For Sale"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Racing"
tags:
  - "Ferrari"
---

# 5 Things We’d Do With This Ferrari F1 Engine at Sotheby’s

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/122215_ferrarif1engine_hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Racecars trail only iPhone in the rate at which perfectly serviceable, even beautiful, equipment becomes obsolete. Take, for example, [this wondrous piece of machinery](<https://www.rmsothebys.com/pa16/paris/lots/ferrari-f1-046-2-engine-1997-no-354/1078461>) up for auction from RM Sotheby’s without reserve: a legit Ferrari Formula 1 engine from the 1997 season. Forced into early retirement by environmental and performance regulations, engine No. 354 still has a lot of life in it. It’s a 730-horsepower, 40-valve, dry-sump, 75-degree V-10 that can rev to 18,000 rpm. And this lump is a historical one, too, originating from one of Ferrari’s most exciting years, the beginning of a what would become a decade of dominance.

While pieces this valuable usually end up as conversation pieces in a millionaire garages overlooking the Aegean Sea, we think it’s criminal to put such an instrument to task collecting dust. Here are 5 ways we’d use RM Sotheby’s used Ferrari F1 V-10.

**The Ultimate Intramural Engine Swap**

Ferrari, of course, is owned by Fiat. It’s a comical kind of hierarchy, the wee Punto hatchback making it possible for the mighty LaFerrari to exist. Why not bring those two poles together and shoehorn this F1 V-10 into a Fiat 500? Call it the Fiat 3000. Like Renault’s Clio V6 RS, that car would be mostly engine, incredibly fast and superlatively dangerous. *Delizioso.*

![122215\_ferrarif1engine\_art\_1.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/122215_ferrarif1engine_art_1.jpg>)
**Cymon Taylor 2015 © RM Sothebys**

**The Ultimate Noise Machine**

Anyone can purchase a high-feature clock radio from Brookstone and fall asleep to the sounds of fake ocean, or fake rain, or fake whales. Why not mount this Ferrari V-10 in the corner, hook up the appropriate fluids and exhaust, and fall asleep to the shrieks of horsepower as you feather the throttle from bed?

**The Ultimate Insult**

Car fans generally, and the Ferrari *tifosi* particularly, get precious about history. All of Maranello’s old Le Mans feuding makes for easy trolling. Idea: Piss everyone off by purchasing this pristine, prized racing engine, then donate to the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Enzo’d roll over in his grave.

![122215\_ferrarif1engine\_art\_2.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/122215_ferrarif1engine_art_2.jpg>)
**Cymon Taylor 2015 © RM Sothebys**

**The Ultimate Snowblower**

Do not just displace the snow; annihilate it with the power of one thousand Mediterranean fire gods. It can’t be that hard to rig up the appropriate rig to the driveshaft, right? Fans? Screws? Whatever.

**The Ultimate Mondial**

The Ferrari Mondial is the world’s least favorite Ferrari. Slow, ugly, chunky, sad...but still mid-engined. Fill the rear quarters Ferrari’s worst car with its best engine. It’s an inside joke everyone can enjoy.

![122215\_ferrarif1engine\_art\_3.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/122215_ferrarif1engine_art_3.jpg>)
**Cymon Taylor 2015 © RM Sothebys**

## Author
Ben Keeshin is a former staff writer for Maxim, and before that, contributed writing to the digital sides of Road & Track and Vanity Fair.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/BnKshn>)