1995 Ferrari F50 Targa Coupe

Any car wearing a black prancing horse on a yellow background already holds a place of respect amongst automotive enthusiasts. But to be the model designed by the company to celebrate 50 years of automotive excellence bears an even greater weight of authority and respect. For not only would the Ferrari enthusiast seek to own the anniversary model, but even the novice, everyday citizen would long for one. Some models become classics just because of the purpose for which they were built. The 1995 Ferrari F50 Show Car is one of those.

Though only a little over fifteen years old, the Ferrari F50 is already a classic as it typified everything Ferrari had been in its 50-year history to that point in 1995. The car itself reflects all that is Ferrari, everything that Ferrari has come to be known for throughout the years, as well as, everything that has come to be expected.

Every part of Ferrari was on display when Piero Lardi Ferrari and Sergio Pininfarina unveiled the car to the world at the 63rd Geneva Auto Show. As Luca di Montezemolo was quoted as saying when he introduced the car, 'Fifty years of racing, fifty years of winning, fifty years of hard work.' With that statement, he explained the F50. The past, present and future could all be seen or imagined in the car.

Almost every facet, or department, that is Ferrari comes through every single one of its cars. This is because Ferrari doesn't just produce cars and components merely for racing. What is developed for the track, eventually makes it into its company's road going machines as well. It provides its owner the unique experience of owning not merely a concept sports car, but one that has already proven itself out on the race track. Each one of the company's cars provides its owner the opportunity to take to the road in a car that just as easily could take to the race track and win. This was never more typified than with the F50. In the F50, the world could witness Ferrari's sports car racing history running throughout its design, and this was part of the car's appeal.

The bodywork design bore some resemblance to its predecessor, the ever-popular F40. Ferrari drew also on some other already existing technology when it came to the engine. First of all, Ferrari used technology derived from its Formula One team. Then, the stock V-12 had already been used as the powerplant for its 333SP in the American IMSA series. This engine was chosen over the twin-turbocharged V-8 that had been utilized in the F40. To accommodate this change, the design of the chassis was enlarged slightly to make room for the 520 bhp, 4.7 liter V-12.

Drawing from its experience and talent for making road cars, the F50 came with the ability to either be a Berlinetta, closed coupe design, or, the hard top could be taken off to become a Barchetta, open-top car.

While the gated gearshift was traditional Ferrari, new technology of the day was employed in conjunction. Almost everything was computer controlled, but adjustable according to a certain mission profile. All of the instrument displays were displayed by LCD and controlled by a microcomputer.

Many other advancements in technology came and met together with classic Ferrari design in the F50. Virtually every component, such as the gearshift, benefited from new technology although still retaining classic Ferrari detailing. The bodywork design drew from past Ferrari lines and styling, but the entire body was comprised of carbon-fiber and weighed less than 230 pounds. The F50 was the first time in Ferrari's car production history the engine, gearbox and differential assembly acted as a load-bearing structure and bore an incredible similarity in layout to that of its Formula One cars. Even aircraft-style rubber fuel bladders were used within the chassis.

The Ferrari F50's longitudinal gearbox was another similarity with its Formula One brethren and could help deliver the car's incredible power to the wheels so that it could cover a mile in 30 seconds and could go from 0 to 60 in merely 3.7 seconds. The quoted top-speed of the F50 was 202 mph. It offered a truly remarkable driving experience that was far from forgettable. Its incredibly light chassis and abundance of power made it roar off the line, throwing its passengers into the backs of the seats. The 520 bhp meant the power and acceleration kept coming. Its double wishbone suspension and large Brembo brakes ensured that it cornered and handled in a way reminiscent and worthy of its Formula One pedigree.

The F50 was truly a remarkable car and a worthy example to demonstrate Ferrari's 50 years of motor racing and car manufacturing experience. Every F50 held a place of honor and is good reason why 349 would be built and sold. Yet, there is one F50 that holds an even greater place of honor and esteem.

That one F50 that holds greater honor and esteem is the one that crossed the auction block at the RM Auction in Arizona in 2011. It is the last five-digit chassis numbered Ferrari in the world and it is the one that introduced the F50 to the world audience in Geneva in 1995!

As with all other F50s, chassis number 99999 boasts a 520 bhp, 4.7-liter V-12 engine, six-speed longitudinal transmission, four-wheel independent suspension and large four-wheel Brembo hydraulic disc brakes. The braking power on this, and all F50s, was so good it allowed Ferrari to scrap the idea of worrying about using ABS. As expected, the car comes with a Rossa Corsa red finish and literally looks and performs like, as some commentators have said, 'a Ferrari F1 machine with a second seat and a sports-car body.'

Ferrari dealer, Jacques Swaters of Belgium, purchased the car and it has actually been driven less than 900 miles since it was debuted back in 1995. Speaking of drivability, the F50 uses a Bosch Motronic 2.7 unit to control fuel injection and ignition. When used in conjunction with the car's ECU, Ferrari was able design two different length exhausts. One helped with top-end performance, while the other helped create the greatest amount of torque from the engine. The ECU balanced all of this in order to have the least amount of backpressure in the exhaust system. And because it used technology and components used in its Formula One program, the car's V-12 was more than capable of turning 10,000 RPM. Surprisingly, this computer-controlled exhaust system even made the car able to pass California's strict emission laws.

Chassis 99999 was sent all over the world to be Ferrari's 50th anniversary ambassador. Even today, it still performs that role with almost absolute perfection. The car is ready to be re-unveiled as a prominent feature of any car collection. And, it should retain a prominent place in any collection as it is a captured conglomeration of everything Ferrari.

Sources:
'Buy: Featured Lots (Lot 246: 1995 Ferrari F50 Show Car)', (http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ11&CarID=r140). RM Auctions Arizona. http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ11&CarID=r140. Retrieved 4 January 2011.

Wikipedia contributors, 'Ferrari F50', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 December 2010, 14:24 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ferrari_F50&oldid=402517381 accessed 4 January 2011

Wikipedia contributors, 'Ferrari F40', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 4 December 2010, 14:52 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ferrari_F40&oldid=400490931 accessed 4 January 2011

By Jeremy McMullen