why a replica and not a real Ferrari

[Guest myonlyvice]

My understanding of the "Ferrari" used in the first two seasons is that it was actually a Corvette that was made over to appear as a Ferrari. Is this correct? If so, why did they not use an actual Ferrari? Budget limitations? Licensing restrictions? They didn't want to wreck a real one? I'll bet this has been asked/addressed hundreds of times, so my apologies.

[jurassic narc]

At the time of production a real Daytona spyder was worth about $250,000. The production company would have wanted to have two cars to make sure at least one is available for shooting all the time. (Ferrari provided two testarossas for use on the show). Ferrari only produced 124 Daytona Spyders. Originally a black with tan leather Ferrari Daytona was used in the pilot. The Daytona based on a 1980 Corvette was (I believe) intended for stunt use. Once the Ferrari was out of the picture, the McBurnie car was used for the pilot. A second Daytona based on a 1976 Corvette was purchased for use by MV.You can read lots of the details about the Daytonas in an article in the Hardware section.

[COOPER&BURNETT]

One of our members actually has one of the original camera cars, and has the paperwork to prove it.

[timm525]

Check out this cool link and info from Jurassic Narc!Click ---> here

[Kavinsky]

I managed to snap a a fews shot of the real daytona in the pilot here for the glossaryhttp://www.miami-vice.ws/images/KDPics/realdaytona1.jpghttp://www.miami-vice.ws/images/KDPics/realdaytona2.jpghttp://www.miami-vice.ws/images/KDPics/realdaytona3.jpgand you can clearly tell that the car they used afterwards was not a real one just from the overal look of the car, the proportions are abit off with the C3 corvette they usedhttp://www.miami-vice.ws/images/KDPics/car18.jpgThey were using thee first daytona replica ever made after all for the stunts and the 4th one for the close ups, which is the current surviving carthere was also a real ferrari daytona in one of the season 2 episodes "One Way Ticket" but I think it was actually a recently completed spyder conversion rather than a geniune spyderhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLBZ69dVzWsseeing as the things missing a few key bits like the radio antenna on back of the car next to the trunk at the end of the episode and the seats look aftermarket compaired to the ones used here, which is a geniune spyderhttp://www.finecars.cc/en/detail/car/14122/index.html?no_cache=1&tx_anamerashowroom_pi1%5Bpointer%5D=1-2&tx_anamerashowroom_pi1%5BRET%5D=63&tx_anamerashowroom_pi1%5BMODE%5D=makeand this is a converted one:http://www.ferraricraft.com/topics/ferrari/daytona/http://www.rpmvt.com/uploaded_images/DaytonaSpider-702074.jpg

[airtommy]

If so' date=' why did they not use an actual Ferrari [/quote']It's been said that the original Ferrari used in the pilot was not treated well, so the person who lent it decided to take it back.

[CameraDaytona]

As Cooper&Burnett mentions, I do own the Daytona "replica" (the "camera car") used in the series and in the pilot. I have talked with Tom McBurnie, builder of the car, and I believe that when Universal decided to do the Miami Vice series (with a pilot first to gauge acceptance), they needed a high-end sports car to fit Sonny's image. The Mardikian "replicas" were available and the producer knew of them. (Of course, as Jurassicnarc says, real Daytonas were very expensive, so the "replicas" made sense financially.) From what I understand they contracted with Mardikian to use the only one of the four "replica" cars painted black (probably thinking it would be used for stunts) and were then able to borrow the real Daytona. (I do not know if they found the black "real" Daytona first and then leased the "replica" or vice versa.) I have also heard that the owner of the "real" Daytona withdrew it from the filming due to concerns about its treatment. So, Universal was left with the "replica" and that is what they used. Then, when the series was accepted to go forward, then went back to Mardikian and leased a second Daytona and had it painted black (the '76, called the "stunt car").

[Richie Rich]

As Cooper&Burnett mentions' date=' I do own the Daytona "replica" (the "camera car") used in the series .... the "real" Daytona [/quote']Awesome - you and Coop are both in good company as first class Vice collectors. I can only admire the collections from afar. The Daytona at the Swap Shop in Fort Lauderdale is shown as a "Real Daytona", for all those who want to check one out.

[jurassic narc]

Everything you see above is fact. Now, this part is just an educated guess.I thing that the production staff at MV discovered the Mardikian car and realized it would pass for a Ferrari Daytona. Most information indicates that the cars were marked as "Mardikians" (If you watch the scene in the pilot where Crockett confronts Scotty Wheeler while seated in the car you can faintly see the Mardikian logo in the original headrest of Car 4). Michael Mann was known as a Ferrari enthusiast, and the chance to use the Daytona as part of the character had to be a great idea.The owner of the authentic Ferrari may or may not have been looking to let the producers use the car for a long period of time. Either way, the real Daytona only appears in a single scene. The Mardikian/McBurnie car is completely absent until the second half of the pilot.I think the producers felt they could use the faux Ferrari because they figured, correctly, that few viewers would know what they were looking at. In the first few episodes, subtle references are made to the fact the car is a Ferrari (the "Ferrari" keychain in "Heart of Darkness" and Noogie's "365 Daytona party car" in "Cool Runnng").Remember that, at this time, a kit car was a dune-buggy body on a VW. When the Mardikian was chosen, only four cars like that existed in the world. McBurnie, and the popular media, got the exposure for the car, and the rest is history.It was much later that Ferrari began to sue the builders of the replicars. Now, there are replicas of several Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and of course the Batmobile.

[CameraDaytona]

If Michael Mann was a Ferrari enthusiast, he probably knew who owned the "real" Daytona, so it would have been easy for him to get it loaned for the filming. It all makes a lot of sense.

[timm525]

Great info! Thanks guys.

[COOPER&BURNETT]

Here's a shot from my collection.From the black window trim, one can tell that this is car number 4 from season one that was based on a 1981 corvette.The episode is from NO EXIT.

[COOPER&BURNETT]

...

[COOPER&BURNETT]

Here's a shot of the interior before the season 2 revamp.

[Kavinsky]

And note the silver front window trim of car one from this shot from the first season episode Milk Run: http://www.miamivice.info/screenshots/milk12.jpg I didnt know that Michale Mann was a ferrari enthusiast but it makes sense, the ferrari daytona was only really known for paul newmans use of it back in the 70's till vice came out and the ferrari boom hit in no small part thanks to MV and Magnum P.I.do any of you know if its true that an e type Jag was also considered for crocketts car?

[COOPER&BURNETT]

do any of you know if its true that an e type Jag was also considered for crocketts car?

I've never heard of that before. I dunno.

[jurassic narc]

do any of you know if its true that an e type Jag was also considered for crocketts car?

The pilot refers to a Porshe I think.

[jurassic narc]

By the way, just another shoutout to Coop, Timm and Kavinsky for the excellent materials and insight they add to this site. My knowledge is limited to certain aspects of Miami Vice, but you guys constantly broaden the horizons for fans like me.Thanks!

[timm525]

Your welcome. They all provide the background info, I only post it for them!Thanks to all who have contributed!

[COOPER&BURNETT]

By the way' date=' just another shoutout to Coop, Timm and Kavinsky for the excellent materials and insight they add to this site. My knowledge is limited to certain aspects of Miami Vice, but you guys constantly broaden the horizons for fans like me.Thanks![/quote']Jurrasic,It seems to me, if memory serves me correct, I still have an interview, and also photos of the Daytona, and testarossa from an article that I have yet to post on either website.Can't say for sure, but If I do run across it (I've got so much material to go thru), I'll post it.-COOPP.S. I love your car.

[Kavinsky]

Thanks JurrassicCooper do you remember coming across an article that showed the testarossa getting switched over to its white paint job along with one of the flat nose porsches used in the show in the background?and Also wasnt there actually a shot of DJ and Phillip standing next to the testarossa in its original paint job with don getting in it in one of the newspaper clipings?sorry if its abit out of the blue I'm trying to remember where I came across those two things.Also I dont think the porsche was ment for the Pilot, wasnt it Crockett's car before the daytona in season 3's "deliver us from evil"?

[COOPER&BURNETT]

Thanks JurrassicCooper do you remember coming across an article that showed the testarossa getting switched over to its white paint job along with one of the flat nose porsches used in the show in the background?and Also wasnt there actually a shot of DJ and Phillip standing next to the testarossa in its original paint job with don getting in it in one of the newspaper clipings?sorry if its abit out of the blue I'm trying to remember where I came across those two things.Also I dont think the porsche was ment for the Pilot' date=' wasnt it Crockett's car before the daytona in season 3's "deliver us from evil"?[/quote']I can't totally recall, but I believe that the interview was with Carl Roberts.Sounds like you either have a great memory, or you know of an article I don't have!

[Richie Rich]

...and Also wasnt there actually a shot of DJ and Phillip standing next to the testarossa in its original paint job with don getting in it in one of the newspaper clipings?

This is all I have seen' date=' part of S3 promotional photo shoot:[img']http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/538/87cal.jpgAnother shot:That's all that I have seen...

[Kavinsky]

I've never seen the bottom one, but I have seen the top all the more reason they should have left it blackthe one Im talking about looks like its a behind the scenes shot of the two with the testa taken from down the street looking at the rear of the car with DJ on the left getting into it and pmt on the right side wearing casual clothes, Ill try and find it again I know its hear somewhere.

[Kavinsky]

Found it, turns out its from the 1987 artice about the cars of Miami Vice:http://books.google.com/books?id=QuQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA85&lpg=PA85&dq=miami+vice+testarossa+painted+white&source=bl&ots=6nEb4NvHNQ&sig=OzEeBVJOcSqDZLK-23XB6GUvk-E&hl=en&ei=sDzkS8CkEcKAlAfCwsSuAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CDsQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=miami%20vice%20testarossa%20painted%20white&f=falseNow I just need to find the one about the respray.