2000 Ferrari 550 Maranello

Ferrari re-established the front-engine layout with their 456 and then raised the bar even higher with the more spectacular supercar, the 550 Maranello, in July of 1996. When the world's press gathered at the Nurburgring to witness the unveiling of the car that replaced the F512M, many did not believe that a front-engine V-12 could outperform a mid-engine sports car. The results spoke greater than any press release, as the 550 Maranello proved quicker and far more practical.

The listed top speed by the factory was 199 mph, just 1 mph short of the exclusive group of road-going cars that could reach 200 mph. It was, however, a vehicle that was more than just a supercar, as it offered its customers drivability, luxury, and comfort. It came equipped with full leather, air conditioning, and electric seats, windows, and mirrors. There was a metal gearshift gate with a metal balled lever and drilled pedals.

Zero-to-sixty was accomplished in just 4.3 seconds, with 100 mph taking just 10.2 seconds. The car had a drag coefficient of just Cd 0.33. Befitting a proper Grand Turismo, the 550 Maranello was luxuriously appointed with leather.

Specification
The Ferrari 550 Maranello followed 23 years of mid-engine architecture and signaled the automaker's return to a front-engine, rear-drive configuration, resurrecting a line that had remained dormant since the demise of the 365 GTB/4 'Daytona' in 1974. Beneath the graceful bonnet was a new V-12 engine that was a 5,474cc dual overhead camshaft, 65-degree, twelve-cylinder (F133 A) engine fitted with Bosch Motoronic fuel injection and delivering 485 horsepower at 7,000 RPM. It had a variable-length intake manifold, four valves per cylinder (48 valve), a bore of 88 mm and a stroke of 75 mm. Although the Barchetta's engine has the same output and is very similar, it has the F133 C engine code.

The 550 Maranello received a six-speed gearbox located at the rear axle together with the limited-slip differential. Ferrari had discovered long ago that providing optimum balance in a front-engined sports car necessitated the use of a rear transaxle. Ventilated disc brakes measured 13 inches at the front and 12.2 inches at the rear and were hidden behind magnesium alloy 18-inch wheels. The chassis was a tubular steel space frame, to which the aluminum body panels were soldered. The wheelbase measured 98.4-inches, the length at 179.1-inches, and the width of 76.2-inches. The Berlinetta stood 50.3 inches tall while the Barchetta measured 49.5 inches. The Berlinetta was a two-door coupe and the Barchetta was a two-door roadster. Both wore styling courtesy of Pininfarina. The suspension was comprised of double wishbones with coaxial coil springs, damper units, and anti-roll bars. The steering was a speed-sensitive power-assisted rack and pinion unit.

Among the list of electronic driver aid systems was a four-way anti-lock braking system, and an anti-slip regulation that could be switched off completely or adjusted on two levels (normal or sport).

Styling
The Pininfarina styling was similarly proportioned to the illustrious 'Daytona' predecessor, adopting the classical combination of long bonnet, small cabin and truncated tail. The shape was honed through wind tunnel tunning with many hours of testing ensuring that minimum drag was combined with constant downforce regardless of set up, an important consideration in a 200mph road car. Among the styling features were a bonnet air scoop and hot air outlets behind the front wheel arches recalling the great competizione Ferraris of the past, in particular the immortal 250 GTO. In the back were the company's characteristic twin circular lights.

Production
A total of 3,083 examples of the 550 Maranello were produced including 448 examples of the Barchetta.

The Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina
The roadster version of the 550 was introduced in 2000 at the Paris Motor Show in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Pininfarina. As a true Barchetta, there was no real convertible top - only a cloth soft top that was intended only for temporary use to protect the interior from the elements.

The Barchetta rode on unique 19-inch alloy wheels and had a more deeply raked windshield than the coupe for improved aerodynamics. Additionally, it had roll-over hoops behind the seats and a longer rear section which resulted in greater cargo space than the coupe.

Ferrari intended to build 444 examples of the Barchetta but built an additional four examples due to concerns of superstition in the Japanese market about the number 4. Additionally, there were 12 prototypes that preceded the production cars numbered P01–P12 on their interior plaques. Both the prototypes and production vehicles were indistinguishable.

All the 448 Barchetta models had a numbered plaque on the dashboard with Sergio Pininfarina's signature.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2016