Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

1st March 2006-One of the more exciting releases of 2006 is the 599 GTB Fiorano. It replaces the 550/575 Maranello and offers more interior space and power than its predecessors. It also leaves behind the 575 as the last Ferrari to use a steel chassis and completes Ferrari's overhaul of their entire range which is now all-aluminum.

As with all Ferrari introductions, the 599's initial screening was completed over dinner with trusted dealers and friends, this time at the Palazzo Re Enzo in the Piazza del Nettuno, Bologna. By diner time, so many photos of the car had surfaced, that the Geneva Motor Show release was almost old news. However, the accompanying ladies at Pininfarina's and Ferrari's Geneva stands ensured excitement, even if the cars didn't.

But how can the 599 not impress? Underneath its purposeful skin, the 599 retains the same front engine V12 layout which the 550/575 Maranello line successfully reintroduced, and to make up for its longer chassis, the 599 uses a 6.0-liter engine engineered from the same one found in the Enzo supercar that can reach 612 bhp and 8400 rpm! With it, the 599 is the most powerful front engine Ferrari!

Attached to this engine and sitting in the rear, is a considerably upgraded flappy paddle transmission called the 'F1-Superfast' that changes gears in just 100ms. This is a huge improvement compared to 250 ms in the older roadcar systems, but lags behind the 80ms FXX and 30ms Formula One unit it's named after.

Unfortunately, Ferrari's fully electronic E-Differential, first seen in the F430, is absent. It is intstead replaced with intelligent mototronics called Manettino that adjust the brakes and engine to control power delivery. Ferrari says this type of system is more suitable for the front engine design. When the Manettino switch is turned onto Race or Sport mode a system called F1-Trac montors the difference between the front and rear wheels for optimum traction.

Providing a base for the the 599 are three extruded aluminum sections on which the body is rivited and welded to. This lightweight design makes the 599's chassis 100 kg lighter than the 575 desipte being 250 mm longer. And since the V12 engine is 8 percent lighter and more compact than previous versions, it can sit further back in the engine bay. This means almost 85 percent of weight is contained bewteen the wheels.

At first glance the GTB's styling seems to mimic its larger 4-seat brother, the 612 Scgalietti. Both were designed at the same time and share the common interior bits, as well as similar front end designs which Pininfarina now sets as the enduring face of Ferrari. But unlike the 612, the 599 has an entirely new roof line and much tidier rear end treatment with two sexy rear buttresses that create 25 percent of the 599's downforce. Specifically it produceses 160 kg at 300 kph.

One aspect that gets constant debate are the Delphi-sourced magnetorheological dampers that actively stabilize the car and are totally adjustable. They use special fluid in the dampers that can change viscosity almost instantly with a magnetic field. What this means is that 599 reduces about 30 % more bumps than the 599, and the damping can adjust to what ever suits the driver. The exact same system is used on GM cars such as the Corvette but Ferrari are adamite that their own controlling software is unique.

Like all Ferraris, the 599 comes with a range of options, and for the spirited customers the 'Racing and Track' options include CCM (Carbon Ceramic Material) brakes, 20 inch Challenge one-piece rims with run-flat tyres, four-point harnesses and a cockpit roll-bar.

With the 599, Ferrari seem well on their way. Each year they are selling more cars, and offer increased levels of uncompromising luxury and power. The next chapter for the 599 will hopefully start on the track and end at LeMans.

The 599 GTB Fiorano is Ferrari's most powerful V12-engined production car of all time. It features a 6.0-liter V12 engine derived directly from the Enzo supercar, producing 620 hp at 7,600 rpm and 446 pound-feet of torque at 5,600 rpm.

The car represents the latest interpretation of a theme that has seen such classics as the 250 GT, the 275 GTB, and the 365 GTB4. The Ferrari 599 GTB replaces the 575M Maranello, which followed the 550 Maranello introduced in 1996.

The 599 shares a basic design language and much of its chassis with the now-defunct 612 Scaglietti. Bodywork was penned by Italian design house Pininfarina. Dynamically adjustable MagneRide suspension enables the 599 to offer a smooth ride for cruising, while still taking corners like a track-oriented supercar.

Interior and Materials options include a new Enzo Ferrari-inspired carbon-fiber steering wheel with LED rev display which can be specified along with a special carbon-fiber trim kit for the door panels, instrument panel, gear stick surround and sill kick panels.

A choice of various types of leather trim are available for the seats and interior. The passenger areas of the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano are trimmed in leather while the driver area and controls boast more high-tech detailing in carbon-fiber and aluminum.

Some standard features include front bi-xenon headlamps and rear LED lights, dusk and rain sensors, dual-zone climate control, electrically adjustable steering-wheel column, hideaway radio/CD player and key with integrated volumetric anti-theft device with motion sensors.

Key Competitors
Though supercars are rarely cross shopped like Civics and Corollas, those considering the 599 GTB can also research exotic supercars like the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, the Aston Martin DBS and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG if they wish.