This Is The Riva Ferrari 32 – A 1980s-Era Floating Testarossa

This is the 28th of 40 Riva Ferrari 32s that were ever built as part of an unusual partnership between the storied Italian supercar maker Ferrari, and the similarly legendary Italian luxury boat builders Riva.

Riva have long been called “the Ferrari of the boat world,” largely due to the Riva Aquarama – one of the most beautiful wooden speedboats ever built and a common sight around piers in wealthy Italian locales like Lake Como.

The Riva Ferrari 32

• Riva was founded in 1842 on the shores of Lake Iseo in Northern Italy, the company developed a reputation for building fine boats, the most famous of which was the Riva Aquarama which was released in 1962.
• The Riva Ferrari 32 was co-conceived by Riva chairman Gino Gervasoni and Enzo Ferrari, Ferrari and Riva designers worked together to integrate the style of both companies into the vessel.
• At the time of its development, the Ferrari Testarossa was the top of the line Ferrari supercar, and so many of its design elements were used in the Riva Ferrari 32, including the side strakes, and full width slotted rear end.
• The Riva Ferrari is powered by twin 390 hp, 7,982cc BPM Vulcano 400 V8 engines, the top speed is listed at 54 knots (62 mph), and it has a cuddy cabin below decks that can comfortably sleep two.

Riva + The Famous Riva Aquarama

Riva was founded in the shores of Lake Iseo in Northern Italy by Pietro Riva in 1842.

As the story goes, there had been a sudden and violent storm that had devastated the fishing vessels that plied the waters of the lake – fish were a critical resource for the locals and so this was a major disaster for the region.

Pietro Riva set to work salvaging what he could and repairing as many boats as was humanly possible. He became a local legend in short order and the boat building company he founded is still going strong today over 180 years later.

Riva remained in the hands of the Riva family for many years, in 1962 Carlo Riva unveiled the boat that would remain forever linked with his family name – the Riva Aquarama.

The Riva Aquarama was an impossibly elegant speedboat that quickly became a must-have item for the rich and famous. It elevated Riva into a position they still enjoy today – world renowned builders of many of the world’s finest luxury boats.

A Ferrari Testarossa For The Water

Named for its length in feet, the Riva Ferrari 32 was jointly conceived by Riva chairman Gino Gervasoni and Enzo Ferrari in 1988.

While their arch rivals Lamborghini had been involved in the marine world for many years building high-end powerboat V12 engines, Ferrari had very limited prior experience working on vessels of any description.

The Riva Ferrari 32 would be one of the last Ferrari projects that Enzo Ferrari was a part of, the project was launched in 1988 and he would die later that same year on August the 14th at the age of 90.

Just 40 examples of the Riva Ferrari 32 would be built, making it considerably rarer than many of Ferrari’s most desirable supercars. While the classic Ferrari Rosso Corsa (red) was the most popular color, a small number were also finished in Giallo Modena (yellow).

Riva Ferrari 32 – Specifications

Each of the 40 vessels had the same engine configuration, it consists of twin 390 hp, 7,982cc BPM Vulcano 400 V8 engines each powering their own counter-rotating propeller, one on the left and one on the right. With a combined 780 hp the boat has a top speed of 54 knots (62 mph).

In the forward cuddy cabin the boat has sleeping quarters for two in a traditional V-berth, there’s also a simple marine toilet (head), and plenty of storage lockers.

Up on deck the Riva Ferrari 32 has seating for five as well as a day bed over the engines towards the stern. There’s a Formula 1-style carbon fibre wing over the seat of the skipper and first mate providing both shade and perhaps a little downforce too.

When it was released for the 1991 model year the Riva Ferrari 32 cost $396,000 USD, making it one of the most expensive non-racing boats, pound for pound, in the world.

The Riva Ferrari 32 Shown Here

The Riva Ferrari 32 you see here is the 28th of the 40 vessels built, it’s finished in Rosso Corsa with white upholstery, and it benefits from an engine-out servicing completed in 2015.

In total over over $100,000 USD has been invested in refurbishment and sorting, it’s now in excellent condition throughout and ready for a new owner.

The boat is due to cross the auction block with RM Sotheby’s later in March, the price guide is $100,000 – $150,000 USD and you can click here if you’d like to see the listing.

Images courtesy of Jasen Delgado ©2022 Courtesy of RM Auctions