Open-top hypercars and a track-bred V12: Ferrari just reserved some very loud names

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Ferrari has filed a batch of new trademark applications, and the list reads like Maranello is cooking up several headline special editions at once. Among the names that surfaced are F80XX, FXX80, F80 Targa, F80 Roadster, 12Cilindri MM Aperta, 12Cilindri GTO and 296 Challenge Stradale.

It is important not to confuse registering a name with confirming a production model. Ferrari often protects names well in advance to keep room for future projects. But these particular combinations are simply too telling: the XX suffix is traditionally tied to the marque’s most extreme track programmes, while GTO points to the rarest and most emotionally charged Ferraris of all.

The appearance of the F80 Targa and F80 Roadster is especially intriguing. If such versions really do arrive, Ferrari could expand its flagship hypercar range with open-top variants. For collectors that almost guarantees scarcity: a limited run, a loaded name and a link to the most expensive corner of the model range.

The 12Cilindri GTO badge also sounds like more than an ordinary special edition. Ferrari already has the V12 12Cilindri coupe, and the GTO prefix historically raises expectations to the level of a car with sharper aerodynamics, less weight and a more track-focused character. The 12Cilindri MM Aperta, judging by the name, could be an open version with a nod to the Mille Miglia.

One more hint is the 296 Challenge Stradale. A model like that could become a road-going variant with a more racing-oriented setup than the standard 296. Ferrari has already shown it knows how to build special versions on top of current models: the one-off SC40, for instance, was built on the 296 GTB and kept its hybrid powertrain.

For now these are only applications, but Ferrari rarely picks names by chance. Documents like these are sometimes the earliest sign of where the brand is heading next: more track, more open-top versions and more expensive cars for those who can’t snap up an ordinary Ferrari before it sells out.