2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta

Ferrari introduced the 550 Maranello to great acclaim in 1996, filling a void left by the 365 GTB/4 Daytona for a two-seat, front-engined V-12 coupe. The 550 Maranello was a long overdue Grand Tourer successor to that iconic model and represented a return to the company's golden days of the 1960s, offering a spacious trunk, a rear parcel shelf that could accommodate luggage for a weekend road trip, and outstanding performance.

Ferrari replaced its traditional front-engined Daytona with a mid-engined Berlinetta Boxer, later developed into the Testarossa, the final evolution of which was the 1994 F512M. The replacement for the 512M was the 550 Maranello, signaling a return to the traditional front-engined V12 grand tourer.

The 550 Maranello was named for its 5.5-liter total engine displacement in decalitres and to the town of Maranello, home to the Ferrari headquarters and factory. The interior and exterior styling was courtesy of Pininfarina and followed 30 months of development, the new grand tourer was introduced at the Nürburgring racing circuit in Germany in July of 1996.

The chassis was a tubular steel space frame structure that was clothed with aluminum body panels. Elvio D'Aprile under the supervision of Lorenzo Ramaciotti is credited with creating the slippery exterior design which had a drag coefficient of 0.33. The suspension used double wishbones with coaxial coil spring and damper units, along with anti-roll bars. The steering was rack and pinion with variable power assist. The magnesium alloy 18-inch wheelbase concealed the ventilated disc brakes which measured 330 mm (13 inches) in the front and 310 mm (12.2 inches) at the rear. Electronic driver aid systems included an anti-lock braking system and anti-slip regulation. These systems could be adjusted on two levels or switched off completely.

The interior design was styled by Goran Popović.

Under the bonnet was a naturally aspirated F133 A, 65-degree V12 with dual overhead camshafts, a variable-length intake manifold, and four valves per cylinder. It had a bore and stroke of 88mm and 75mm respectively, with a displacement size of 5,474cc. Horsepower was rated at 478 bhp at 7,000 RPM and 419 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 RPM. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 4.4 seconds and the top speed was achieved at 320 km/h (199 mph).

Production of the 550 Maranello lasted from 1996 to 2002 with 3,083 examples built along with 448 Barchettas. The Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was introduced in 2000 at the Paris Motor Show to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Pininfarina. Its arrival corresponded with a prosperous point in Ferrari's history, as Ferrari chairman, Luca di Montezemolo, was reaping the efforts of his work in bringing the entire organization into the modern era. At its heart was a Formula 1 team that was manned Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne, and Michael Schumacher. After twenty-one long years, the Formula 1 Drivers title was back in the house of the Prancing Horse. The F2001 Grand Prix car dominated the competition and proudly wore the number 1 for Michael, and number 2 for teammate, Rubens Barrichello. Each of the aforementioned team members was presented with a 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, in gratitude for their efforts at returning the Scuderia Ferrari to the top of motorsport competition.

The relationship between Ferrari and Pininfarina has resulted in some of the most sublime fusions of art and automotive technology over the years. To celebrate these accomplishments, Luca di Montezemolo invited Sergio Pininfarina to submit designs for a front-engined roadster embodying the spirit of past Maranello classics. With the 550 Maranello coupe as the starting point, the maestro proposed a return to the traditional Barchetta style. In Ferrari's own words: 'Functional and unadorned with a simple manual soft-top, the Barchetta-style solution has enabled Ferrari's engineers to offset the additional weight gained by reinforcing the chassis and fitting rear roll bars. Consequently, the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina weighs no more than the 500 Maranello.'

Along with the convertible top, distinguishable features included a more deeply raked windshield, roll-over hoops behind the seats for safety, unique 19-inch alloy wheels, and a longer rear section offering more cargo space than the coupe. Standard equipment included a six-speed manual transaxle gearbox, electric windows and door mirrors, air conditioning, remote alarm and central locking, and split-rim alloy wheels. The production run was limited to 448 cars, each individually numbered and carrying a plaque inside with its own serial number and Sergio Pininfarina's signature. 12 prototypes numbered P01-P12 preceded the 448 cars.

'The 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was designed to recall the glories of successful road racers of the past, such as the 166MM, and thoroughbred front-engined 12-cylinder Ferrari roadsters of the caliber of the 250GT California and 365GTS/4 Daytona. Ferrari has always created very special runs of cars, and the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was developed with the aim of being a unique Ferrari - one that deliberately seeks to be more provocative and less rational than the rest of the range.' - Ferrari.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2013