You may find it hard to talk about a Ferrari without a hint of reverent nostalgia. In many cases, blind praise for all things red and Italian has been misplaced, but in other cases, the excellence and amplification are well-deserved. That said, the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano will go down in history as one of the greatest Ferrari road cars ever.
Rated at 612 horsepower, the 3,722-pound 599 GTB rivals many barely legal, slightly disguised racecars with its 6.1-pound/hp weight-to-power ratio. Launched properly and shifted via the improved F1-Superfast six-speed transmission, Ferrari claims a 3.7-second 0-to-62 mph (100 km/h) time. The wind-tunnel-tested Pininfarina-sculpted body and undercarriage produce more than 400 pounds of downforce at 186 mph on the way to a claimed top speed in excess of 200 mph.
The optional carbon-ceramic brake discs look like they came directly from a Le Mans racer. The semiactive suspension works miracles on nearly any surface. Yet the two-seat coupe can be driven comfortably, safely and with confidence all day, every day while it carries 11.3 cubic feet of luggage — custom-tailored, if you wish.
While the car hides a wealth of trickle-down racing technology, it also pampers like a luxury Grand Tourer. Latent fury, dormant volatility, elegant violence all sum up the newest creation from the dedicated marque that’s about to enter its 60th year. For between $250,000 and $260,000 and after a two-year wait, you, too, could enjoy one of the world’s most advanced and coveted cars.
In the Ferrari tradition
In the richest Ferrari tradition, the “Cheen-quay, no-vay, no-vay, Gran Turismo Berlinetta Fiorano” (599 GTB Fiorano) showcases the classic front-engine V12 rear-drive configuration that began with the very first production car to bear the founder’s name in 1947. While that formula has more or less remained, Enzo himself may never have been able to fathom to what extreme it would one day be exploited in the 599 GTB.
Or maybe he did. Writ large below a smiling portrait of Enzo Ferrari on a poster in one of the trackside briefing rooms deep within the company’s Maranello, Italy testing facility called Pista di Fiorano (track of Fiorano) is a quote that reads, “…if I had to say that when I started, I thought of making more than just one car, I would be lying.” It is with this dedicated stance that each Ferrari seems to be conceived, designed and built; as if each creation is to be the first and last car to ever bear the name Ferrari. Each car represents the absolute best the legendary maker can produce at that time (cost no object), but at the same time, leaves the door open for yet unimagined improvements. Such is the case with the 599 GTB Fiorano.