2007 Ferrari 599 GTB

With the release of the 599 GTB Ferrari is presenting its most powerful V12-engined production car of all time.

Amedeo Felisa, Ferrari's Vice General Manager will announce today at the Detroit Motor Show the birth of the latest model developed in Maranello.

The new car is a concentration of Ferrari's most innovative and technologically advanced engineering solutions applied to a mid-front engined two-seater coupé. The result is a new benchmark for performance, driver involvement and design.

The Ferrari 599 GTB boasts class-leading power thanks to its 5,999cc V12 - derived directly from the Enzo Ferrari supercar - which produces no less than 620hp at 7,600 rpm for a weight/power ratio of just 2.6 kg per horsepower.

Ferrari has adopted the latest evolution in its tried and tested all-aluminium construction technology for the body and chassis.

The unmistakable Pininfarina design gives the Ferrari 559 GTB aggressive yet elegant lines which are perfectly integrated with the advanced aerodynamic solutions adopted to reach the performance figures attainable.

This new model is the symbol of Ferrari's production - the V12 berlinetta - and 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 last in that great line of berlinettas, the 575M Maranello, of which - together with the 550 Maranello introduced in 1996 - no fewer than 5,700 have been produced, a record for this type of model for the Prancing Horse.

The new car will be officially unveiled on the 28th of February 2006 at the Geneva Motor Show.

Source - Ferrari S.p.A.

The Ferrari 599 GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta Fiorano) is a front-engine V-12 rear-drive vehicle that is in the tradition of the first production car to bear the founder's name in 1947. The aluminum space-framed 599 GTB is not an evolution of the 5748cc 508-horsepower V12 found in the bonnet of a 575M. Under the guidance of Ferrari powertrain director Jean-Jacque (his Formula 1 engine guru), the 6-liter 65-degree V12 from the Enzo supercar has been evolved, reined and tamed for everyday road-car use. The engine in the Enzo produces 650 horsepower, whereas the one in the 599 GTB makes 612 horsepower with an 8,400 RPM redline. Though that is hardly tame, it is the most powerful naturally aspirated two-seat production road car in the world.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2011

A spectacular new challenge to complete the launch of the most powerful Ferrari ever, the 599 GTB Fiorano.

Maranello, July 20 th, 2006 - After the enormous success of last year's 'Ferrari 15,000 Red Miles' tour of China by two 612 Scagliettis driven by a team of international journalists, Ferrari is delighted to announce another tough challenge for this year, the Panamerican 20,000.

On August 24th, two gleaming examples of the Prancing Horse's just launched 12-cylinder model, the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, will begin a long journey from Brazil that will take them through 16 countries and across 20,000 miles (32,000 km) to New York where they are scheduled to arrive on November 17th. A total of 50 different international journalists, each one representing the most important publications from all over the world, will take turns behind the wheels of the two sports cars, during the 15-stage, 84-day tour.

Every Ferrari naturally conjures up images of the track and motor racing at its finest. As the most powerful production model ever to be built at Maranello, it is easy to imagine the 599 GTB Fiorano going through its paces on the world's circuits. Uniquely, however, not one but two of this stunning new model are about to embark on an adventure that will take them to the precarious mountain roads of the Andes and the dirt tracks of Central America, along a route so tough that they really will experience the same conditions as the very earliest racing cars.

A new challenge that really will put the cars and their reliability to the test in no uncertain terms.

This is far from Ferrari's first foray into this kind of adventure, however. To celebrate the marque's 50th anniversary in 1997, a F355 embarked on a massive world tour over five continents with 147 journalists taking turns at its wheel as it passed through their various nations. The 'World Tour', as it was known, was designed not only to communicate how strong the company was but also the reliability of the F355, a model that would prove of enormous strategic value in Ferrari's development. The 'World Tour' proved an extraordinary success and the car arrived back at the very spot in New York from where it had started on March 18th, after a massive 75 days on the road.

The latest and most spectacular Prancing Horse road trip was, of course, last year's 'Ferrari 15,000 Red Miles' tour. This was a feat never before achieved by any other car manufacturer: a 24,000-kilometre dash right across China in two virtually unmodified production 612 Scagliettis. This time 51 Chinese and international journalists drove the cars from the start line in Beijing all the way to the finish in Shanghai over 45 days. En route the cars visited 37 different cities and climbed to an altitude 5,231 meters in the mountain passes of Tibet.

The Panamerican 20,000 will be divided into 15 stages over 84 days and will take the two Ferrari 599 GTB Fioranos through 16 different countries. The route will also wind its way through the most famous areas of Pre-Columbian and Native American historical interest. They will visit the Foz do Iguazu falls on the Argentinean-Paraguayan border having first stopped off at the beaches of Rio de Janeiro and Saõ Paulo and then crossed the tropical rain forests around Curitiba. After the Falls, they will drive through the Argentinean pampas before powering up through salt plains of Chile and Bolivia. From there they will make their way along dirt roads to La Paz and through the spectacular countryside around Lake Titicaca, which, at 4,000 meters, is the world's highest lake. The 599 GTB Fiorano's entry into Peru will be the first contact with the Inca civilisation: the sacred valley of Cuzco, the peaks that guard Macchu Picchu and the mysterious lines of Nazca. But then it's on to Lima and back to sea level again. From there the Tour makes its way past the towering volcanoes and deserts of Ecuador to get to Colombia. Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala will make up the tropical South American leg of the Tour and will also provide the first encounters with the vestiges of the Mayan civilisation. One of the most magical views on the entire American continent, the ruins of Palenque, will greet the Tour which, after it passes through Mexico City, will make its way up into the United States via Baja California. The American leg of the Tour will take the cars all the way from Los Angeles to Houston taking in Monument Valley en route, before they drive on to Miami and then Washington.

After that they continue on to Chicago and Toronto (Canada) before finally making their way to the finish line in New York.

The Panamerican 20,000 will be receiving invaluable assistance from the various Italian diplomatic services in the states it passes through, particularly with regard to security and customs issues. Its partners on the Tour will be some of the Prancing Horse's most loyal sponsors: Shell (V Power, Helix and Q, fuel and lubricants), Alcoa (technical partner and manufacturer of the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano's aluminum chassis), Case IH (a Fiat-owned company worldwide leader in the production of agricultural machinery) Pirelli (supplier of specialist tyres for the different terrains being covered), the Fiat Group (support vehicles), Puma (clothing), Saima Avandero (transport of cars and spare parts), Buonitalia (a company working to promote Italian products worldwide).

Assistance and spares will be provided by six support vehicles: three Fiat cars which will be replaced by three Alfa Romeos in Mexico, and three specially equipped Iveco trucks. As the Tour's technical partner, Shell will be providing a specially equipped vehicle and its own team of technicians for the entire duration of the Tour.

Around 50 journalists from across the world will take turns behind the wheels of the two Ferraris.
In addition to the journalists, an official photographer and a video cameraperson, a technical assistance and logistics team will accompany the Tour along its entire route.

The www.ferrariworld.com and www.media.ferrari.com websites will feature regularly updated news and high definition photographs from the Tour.

The Tour begins from Fiat's Brazilian headquarters at Belo Horizonte and will visit the main Case IH plants at Curitiba (BR), Racine and New Holland (USA), and the Iveco facility at Sete Lagoas (BR) to pay homage to these important members of the Fiat Group.

The route and main stages

The Panamerican 20,000 route is divided into 15 stages. The stages also correspond to the changeover points for the various teams of journalists taking part. The Tour gets underway on August 24th from Belo Horizonte and six days later the cars will make their way into Foz do Iguazu 2,000 km away.

From there they head west to Argentina and onto San Pedro de Atacama in Chile which they will reach after five days and 1,800 km of driving through pampas and the first of the salt plains.
This is where the toughest part of the tour begins and will see the cars climb to altitudes of more than 4,000 metres in the Andes. They will head north setting a course for La Paz in Bolivia which they reach on September 7th after four more days on the road and having added another 1,100 km to their mileage as they zoom down the dirt roads through the salt plains.

After 1,700 km and 6 more days on the road, the cars will drive into Lima where they will encounter the vestiges of the ancient Inca civilisation.

The next four stages to Mexico will take them through spectacular landscapes en route to Quito, Pasto, Cartagena, Panama, Managua on an 8,000 km, 18-day dash.

The two Mexican stages, which start from Palenque on October 13th, traverse the lands of the Aztecs and the Mayans as well as Baja California. It will take 10 days to cover this 4,500 km distance.

From Las Vegas, the Tour turns east, calling to Houston and also making its way through Monument Valley and Dallas, before arriving into Miami on November 3rd. This 6,000 km stretch will take 9 days to complete.

At this point, the Tour will move north to Washington before arriving into New York on November 17th having first called to Chicago and Toronto. A 5,000 km dash that will take 11 days in all.

The cars

The two specially-liveried 599 GTB Fioranos (one a Tour de France blue and the other a Rossa Corsa red) will only be very slightly modified to help them cope with terrain in the toughest parts of the route.
They will each be fitted with a special underbody protector made from 4 mm thick duralumin rather than plastic and their suspension set-up will be slightly higher to cope with the difficult road conditions. Apart from this, however, they will be regular production models powered by a 620 hp 65° V12 engine which delivers 62 kgm of maximum torque at 5,600 rpm. Both cars will be equipped also with the electro-actuated six-speed F1 gearbox and transaxle transmission.

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is the most high performance 12-cylinder berlinetta ever produced at Maranello.

The new model boasts the most innovative and technologically advanced features ever to be used by Ferrari in a mid-front engined two-seater, setting a whole new standard in terms of sportiness, design and exhilarating driving. The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano delivers absolutely stunning performance, putting it right at the very top of its category. In fact, its 5,999 cc V12 engine is directly derived from the one that equipped the 'Enzo Ferrari' supercar. It punches out a breathtaking 620 hp at 7,600 rpm, giving the new model a weight-power ratio of 2.6 kg/hp. Both the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano's chassis and bodyshell are all-aluminum and the most accomplished example Ferrari's already well-honed skills in this area. Thanks to an inimitable Pininfarina design, the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano's aggressive, elegant styling incorporates cutting-edge aerodynamics to ensure nothing short of absolute excellence in terms of performance. The new car replaces the 575M Maranello of which, like the 550 Maranello unveiled in 1996, 5,700 were produced, a record in their segment for the Prancing Horse.

From the legendary 250 GT to the 275 GTB, the 365 GTB4 and the 575M Maranello, the powerful 12-cylinder two-seater has always been the most symbolic of Ferrari's stunning sports cars, and the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is a powerful addition to that list of illustrious names.

Ferrari on the American continent

With around 1,150 cars sold there each year, the North American market accounts for 30% of Ferrari's output and is thus its largest single market worldwide. Within North America, the largest market is California which accounts for 27% of sales in the US. This is followed by the North East (16%), Florida (11%), Texas (7%) and Chicago (6%).

Two new dealerships (one in Silicon Valley, California, and the other in Las Vegas) were added to the Ferrari dealership network in North America in 2005, bringing the total up to 36 (32 in the US and 4 in Canada). However, our existing distributors have also made significant investments in recent years in upgrading their facilities and processes. In 2004, Ferrari North America opened a showroom at 410 Park Avenue in New York to showcase its extraordinary cars at one of America's most prestigious locations.

In January 2006, Ferrari North America also took over responsibility for Central and South America to enhance and consolidate the Prancing Horse's presence there. The main markets involved are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Venezuela which offer a total of 12 dealerships in all. This consolidation will also boost the distribution network and increase customer satisfaction.

Ferrari North America Inc., which has its headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and is headed by CEO and President Maurizio Parlato, is now in its fourth year at the helm of Ferrari's largest market worldwide. Ferrari North America is the only authorised Ferrari importer and distributor in North, Central and South America. It is responsible for all of the marque's organisational and operational activities in the United States and Canada, including technical training and spares assistance. Ferrari North America also has one dealership on the West Coast, in San Francisco.

The sponsors

Shell. Long-time Ferrari partner Shell is behind the 599 GTB Fioranos every mile of the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 in a very visible demonstration of the close technical partnership between Shell and Ferrari already familiar to Formula 1 fans world-wide.
Shell is providing important technical support and a suite of performance fuel and lubricant products to support the marathon journey. Shell fuel stations along the route will play a critical role in keeping the Ferrari 599 GTBs supplied with Shell V-Power fuel and celebrating the passing of the Ferrari Panamerican with special events and promotions. A Shell technical support team will accompany the cars from the start in Brazil to the finish in New York. Reflecting Ferrari's uncompromising approach to performance, the Prancing Horse uses Shell V-Power fuel and Shell Helix lubricant products, including Q (USA), exclusively both in Formula 1 and in its GT cars, such as the new 599 GTB Fiorano.

Alcoa. Ferrari's strategic partner for the creation of advanced aluminum spaceframe technology. The companies began working together in the 1990's and have collaborated on four successful generations of spaceframes for Ferrari's Gran Turismo vehicles, beginning with the 360 Modena. Alcoa currently builds aluminum spaceframes for the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, F430 and 599 GTB Fiorano in Modena. Alcoa is the world's leading producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and aluminum products. The company supplies all key sectors of the aluminum industry, including aerospace, automobile, packaging, building and construction and commercial transportation. Alcoa is present in 44 countries and employs a workforce of more than 130,000 people.

Fiat Group. Founded in 1899, Fiat is an industrial enterprise focused on the automotive sector, serving customers in more than 190 countries around the world with an annual turnover of about 47 billion euro. With some 170 000 employees in 120 R&D centres and 189 plants worldwide, the Fiat Group is a global leader in the production of passenger cars (Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo), agricultural and construction equipment (CNH Case New Holland), industrial vehicles (Iveco), production systems (Comau and Teksid) and automotive components (Magneti Marelli). Fiat Group is present in the American continent through 120 companies ( 80 in North America and 40 in Mercosur) with revenues of over ¿ 10 billion in 2005. It employs 41,700 people in 48 plants and 27 R&D centres. One of the pioneer companies in the automobile industry, Fiat Auto has produced more than 87 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, including no less than 400 models. Fiat Auto operates world-wide with the following brands: Fiat, celebrated for value, economy, and innovation and whose mass produced cars and light commercial vehicles are distributed over almost the entire price class spectrum; Lancia means prestige cars noted for their elegant styling, and comfort; Alfa Romeo is famous as a maker of sport and luxury vehicles of style and distinction.

Case IH. A global leader in agricultural equipment. With headquarters in the United States, Case IH has a network of dealers and distributors that operates in over 160 countries. Case IH provides agricultural equipment systems, flexible financial service offerings and parts and service support for professional farming operations through a dedicated network of professional dealers and distributors. Productivity enhancing products include tractors; combines and harvesters; hay and forage equipment; tillage tools; planting and seeding systems; sprayers and applicators; and site specific farming tools.

Iveco. Full-range manufacturer of commercial vehicles for transport of goods and passengers, that offers operators a thorough offer of innovative products integrated with financial tools as well as flexible and customized services. Iveco runs 49 production units in 19 countries giving priority to exploitation of talents and resources in emerging areas. More than 4,500 service outlets in over 100 Countries guarantee technical support wherever in the world an Iveco vehicle is at work.

Pirelli. A group with a long history stretching back over 130 years. The work done by Pirelli Labs in photonics, broadband access and new materials fields as well as its MIRS (Modular Integrated Robotized System) for tyre manufacture are just two examples of the Group's technological excellence in action. Pirelli Tyre has 24 tyre factories in 12 countries and is one of the world's foremost high performance tyre companies.

Puma. A global athletic brand that successfully fuses influences from sport, lifestyle and fashion. Puma's unique industry perspective delivers the unexpected in sport lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories, through technical innovation and revolutionary design. Established in Herzogenaurach, Germany in 1948, Puma distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories in over 80 countries worldwide. It is also Official Supplier for the Scuderia Ferrari.

Saima Avandero. A leading Italian group in the international transportation and courier sector. It has turned logistics, transportation and assistance network organisation into an art form. The company manages all aspects of product logistics for its clients (strategic management of collection, warehousing and distribution) and also offers the back-up of an avant-garde computerised and robotic industrial set-up.

Buonitalia S.p.A. An Italian company established by the Ministry for Agricultural and Forestry Policies in July 2003 to promote, market and raise the profile of the Italian food industry worldwide. Buonitalia aims are to promote, enhance and raise the profile of Italy's agricultural and food heritage throughout the world by coordinating State promotional policies, provide services to agricultural and food companies to help them market Italian food products internationally, protect Italian products by ensuring the international registration and legal protection of the brands associated with original Italian products.

Source - Ferrari

Maranello, 21 August 2006 - The new challenge facing Ferrari, the Panamerican 20,000, will start on Thursday 24 August. The expedition will begin from the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte in the country of Minas Gerais.

The journey will see two Ferrari 599 Fioranos travel over 32,000 km (20,000 miles), with journalists from around the world behind the wheel on alternate stages. The tour will grant Italy significant visibility: Ferrari is known as a symbol of Italy and for this reason the cars will visit embassies in the sixteen countries through which the convoy will travel. There they will meet members of the Italian community and the local media.

From Brazil, the convoy will travel through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, the USA and Canada, and end up in the United States at the beginning of October. The expedition will then move on to visit several US states until it reaches Canada, before concluding in New York on 17 November.

The Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 gets underway from Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte, 24th August 2006 - Four thousand Fiat staff, the entire Brazilian management team and the Minas Gerias state officials from Belo Horinzonte in Brazil today saw off the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000. Ferrari decided to begin the Tour from the Fiat plant as a celebration of the thirtieth year of its presence in the country. Another landmark is the 9 million vehicles that have been produced by Fiat Automòveis.

The 32,000 km route is divided into 15 stages. These stopovers will give the crews a chance to switch over. The crews will be formed by journalists from all over the world.

Today's first stage leaves from Belo Horizonte and races through Rio De Janeiro, Sao Paolo and Curitiba. Foz do Iguazu will be reached after six days of driving and after having covered over 2000 km.

Rio de Janeiro, 25th August 2006 - Following the transfer from Belo Horizonte to Rio de Janeiro, the Panamerican team today enjoyed the fascinating city situated on the Atlantic Ocean. The expedition took the chance to visit famous sites such as Corcovado, the Pan di Zucchero and the beaches at Ipanema and Copa Cabana.

Rio is a marvellous city with a host of attractions and a temperate climate. It is a metropolis that, as is common in South America, presents many contrasts. The gap between rich and poor is evident though here the social groups interact. The city's districts house residential quarters and favelas with no clear distinction between them.

One cannot visit Rio de Janeiro without paying a visit to one of its many samba schools. In order to celebrate the passage of the Panamerican convoy, the schools organised an August carnival that saw over forty amazing musicians parade through the Sambadrome. Tomorrow's start is planned for Brazil's capital, Sao Paolo.

San Paolo, 26th August 2006 - The Panamerican convoy left Rio this morning, destination Sao Paolo. The cars took the motorway that links the two cities which lie some 400 kilometres apart. The trip was incident-free and the only talking point were the sadly massed favelas that surround the Interlagos circuit. It is on this track that the last race of the 2006 Formula 1 calendar will be held.

After an eight hour journey through south-eastern Brazil, the Panamerican teams will have tomorrow to rest.

Curitiba, 28th August 2006 - The Panamerican 20,000 has reached the large and wonderful city of Curitiba. The city is one of the richest in Brazil where well-being, cleanliness and excellent public services assure the population a superb standard of living. The route did not present any particular problems. The scenery was spectacular as the road that links the two cities winds through a dense forest of banana plantations and the climate here is subtropical.

The convoy arrived in the city to be greeted by the unusual sight of rain and fog. However, this did not prevent the 599s from sampling the famous 'Gracious Road'. The highway is considered by the locals to be one of the most scenic in Brazil. It is thirty kilometres of paving stones, breathtaking curves and lush vegetation. Using the road is like negotiating the driveway to a grand villa rather than the main thoroughfare which it is.

Foz du Iguaçu, 29th August 2006 - The Ferrari team members today enjoyed the final day of the Brazilian section of the tour. The day began at eight in the morning from the beautiful city of Curitiba. The destination was Foz du Iguaçu, famous for its stunning waterfalls. They are the widest in the world at some two kilometres in width. The other characteristic of this city is that it is situated on the border of Argentina and Paraguay.

After yesterday's cold and rain, the sun shone splendidly this morning. The clear skies meant that the cars proceeded in pleasant temperatures though there were big differences between the day and the night-time temperatures. The chilly climate meant that the team wore heavy clothing in the early hours of the day.

Today's route was ideal for exploiting the 620 bhp of the 599 GTB Fioranos. The Maranello berlinettas were perfectly at home on the ups and downs of this hilly region of Brazil. The excellent road surface, long straights and enjoyable curves meant that the journalists got the most out of the drive. The two 599s often cruised at over 140km/h through scenery that recalled Tuscany.

The first stage of the Panamerican 20,000 concluded in the evening. Tomorrow the crew will enter Argentina with the ultimate destination being Calama, in Chile. The programmed arrival date is Monday 4 September.

Saenz Pena, 31st August 2006 - The expedition today entered Argentina. The route taken by the cars began in Posadas and ended in the town of Saenz Pena. The scenery through which the expedition travelled is typical of Argentina: flat with scrub vegetation.

Meeting other people here is rare and the convoy encountered only a few Gauchos intent on raising their cattle. The 599 GTB Fioranos arrived in Saenz Pena in late afternoon, giving the mechanics enough time to remove the fine dust particles that had built up on the car.

Posadas, 30th August 2006 - A natural spectacle of rare beauty and power: the day for the Panamerican Tour 20,000 expedition began with a visit to the Foz do Iguazu waterfalls.

In this period the falls are less spectacular than usual due to the lack of rain. The crew and journalists spent the entire morning in the area as the Parco Nazionale di Iguazu offers a vast variety of flora and fauna. In the afternoon the team continued on towards Posadas. On the way they had to negotiate customs at the Brazilian border. The 599 GTB Fiorano's racing red and Tour de France blue livery was modified in honour of Argentina, the country that the granturismos will cross over the next three days.

The Argentine stretch of road between the Brazilian border and Posadas differed from the highways on which the cars had travelled on over the past few days where the road wound its way through the countryside. Now huddles of residences were sprinkled along the road. The climate was cooler and a storm accompanined the arrival of the 599 GTB Fioranos.

Tomorrow, the route continues through Argentina from Posadas to Saenz Pena.

Salta, 1st September 2006 - The tour vehicles covered some 400km today, the distance that separates Saenz Pena from Salta. Salta is a colonial city in the south of the country. The totally straight road crosses the Pampa dell'Inferno and was negotiated by the 599 GTB Fioranos at top speed. The journalists behind the wheel focused on evaluating the car rather than enjoying the scenery

The countryside around them offered only the site of cattle grazing on a otherwise featureless horizon. On the final section, the cars climbed to Salta, situated at an altitude of 1187 metres. The expedition made a stop at the village of Campo Santo, a place where the oldest fazenda (constructed in 1715) in Argentina can be found. The fazenda still functions as the traditional family centre for the production of tobacco, coffee and sugar. In the evening, the caravan pulled into Salta, set in the hills between the Pampa and the high desert plains.

San Pedro de Atacama, 3rd September 2006 - The rest day at San Pedro allowed the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 journalists to take in the city's natural beauty. San Pedro is a good base from which to strike for Valle della Luna and the Valle della Morte, enormous salt plains that give off a bright white light.

After a visit to the geysers that spurt hot water from dawn until dusk, the expedition left for Calama. On the way, it passed the Gran Salar de Atacama where red is the dominant colour and the sunsets are memorable.

Calama, 4th September 2006 - A quiet day for the 599 GTB Fioranos as they covered only 100 kilometres to reach Calama. Though the distance was a short one, the work to bring the photographic and video session to a close called for a lot of effort.

However, it was worth it as the images captured the vehicles against the Andean mountains. The Panamerican team then took care of the Maranello berlinettas and gave them a thorough clean after two dusty days.

Source - Ferrari

- The Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 tour restarted early this morning. At 8.30 the 599 GTB Fioranos left Calama for Uyuni. The expedition crossed the immense Salar, populated by pink flamingos. The crews were surrounded by 3000 metre high mountains and volcano craters. The sparse Andean fauna gave the area a spooky feel.

Having crossed into Bolivian territory, the plant life became a more common sight. The greenery was not lush but there was enough of it to suggest that life is possible here, despite the cold. The uneven road surface meant that the convoy travelled slowly for over 300 kilometres before reaching Uyuni in the middle of the night.

Lima, 15th September 2006 - Organised by the Italian ambassador in Lima, Fabio Claudio de Nardis at the headquarters of the Banca di Credito Popolare, a huge party was thrown for the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 on the evening of 15 September. Thousands of people were invited, from members of the Italian community, diplomats from other countries, government and council representatives and local business people.

Red was the colour used extensively while images of previous tours in North East Europe and China as well as from F1 GPs scrolled across the walls. The ambassador welcomed the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 team in a celebration of Italian enterprise across the world.

Lima was the setting, a city in which the modern triumphs over the old. There is an almost permanent cover of cloud that hovers over the city. This means that its inhabitants see the sun only at dawn and dusk. The establishment of the city in this position is probably due to the easy access to the sea. The other feature that charaterises the city is the chaotic traffic, common to all large cities in this zone. Here a host of minibuses criss-cross the city, cutting up other drivers as they stop suddenly to pick up passengers.

Source - Ferrari

- The crews left Lima at 8.30 under the customary low skies and humidity. As the expedition neared the desert the road climbed and the cars entered the clouds that cloak the city. The mountains change in character towards the interior as vegetation appeared that accompanied the cars almost to the Conococha pass at 4100 metres. From there it was a descent to the Huarez valley.

The Huaraz valley is similar to many found in the Italian Alps. Here the valley lies between the Cordigliera Nigra and the Cordigliera Blanca. The plains that come after the Conococha pass recall the 'Piana delle cinque miglia' in the Abruzzo Appennines. However, the cloudy skies prevented the two ranges from coming into view and Huarez was reached in showery conditions. Having refuelled for the morning departure, the expedition turned in for the night.

Trujillo, 17th September 2006 - The 599 GTB Fioranos left at 8.30 under cloud cover.

The Swiss owner of the hotel where the Panamerican 20,000 team stayed had moved to the area from his home country. The 599 GTBs began the descent to take them back onto the Panamericana.

The Alpine features of the valley continued for a while before it narrowed in a canyon called 'Canyon del Prato'. It is an arid, enclosed place with steep sides boxing in the most uneven roads.

Holes and landslides fully tested the Ferrari journalist drivers. They often came across abandoned mine shafts and villages. Evidently, the economic downturn forced the workers to move away from the area. The rough surface went on for more that a hundred kilometres.

Finally, after a long and dusty day, the expedition drove onto an asphalted road as evening fell. The Panamerica then led the crews into Trujillo.

Piura, 18th September 2006 - In the morning the journalists, the operators and the photographer visited the archeological ruins around the pre-Colombian city of Trujillo. Among the most famous of these are the pyramids of the sun and the moon. In the meantime, the drivers removed the dust that had settled on the cars on the route between Huaraz and Trujillo. There was time for a quick lunch and a tour around Piazza Mayor, situated around a monument to celebrate the declaration of independence in the city. Then, at around 13.00, it was off towards Piura.

A desert of sand and black rock alternated in this area with fertile ground and farmland. The most commonly spotted crops were sugar cane and rice. Having passed Chiclayo, the field disappeared and flat desert zones with the odd bush took over. This terrain extended as far as the horizon. This was the Sechura desert.

The road was more or less straight and ferried the crews across the desert to Piura.

Cuenca, 19th September 2006 - The Maranello berlinetta left Piura at 8.30 on the desert road. The highway climbed gradually and the greenery thickened until it dominated over the desert. The border between Peru and Ecuador was set over a river on the scenic Macara bridge.

Thanks to the enthusiasm that Ferrari always generates, the customs procedures were quick. The countryside became ever more rocky and uneven. The road rose and fell continually and the curves came one after another. This meant that the average speed was kept rather low. There were not many people spotted in this area and the villages were situated many kilometres apart. Once over the border, however, the 599 GTB Fioranos and support vehicles needed to refuel. For over one hundred kilometres, the Iveco vehicles had driven with the risk of running out of fuel.

The crews were travelling at an altitude of between two and three thousands metres. The road descended to Loja and then the road continued winding through the mountains until Cuenca.

Medellin, 24th September 2006 - The Panamerican 20,000 expedition left Cali at around 6.30. The destination was Medellin for a date with the Italian Consul in Colombia.

A large group of cyclists on its customary Sunday ride accompanied us out of the city as the road snaked its way to Tulua. This type of road differed to that which climbed the slopes of the Cordillera, with its curves and dips.

Many varieties of flower appeared along the roadside as the crews enjoyed their weekly rest day. The 599 GTB Fioranos were then caught out by a tropical storm while they crossed a coffee growing area.

The last stage of the day was windy and uneven for the last 60 km into Medellin. The city was reached in the afternoon and the team members settled into their hotel, one that enjoyed a privileged position over the city.

Cartagena, 27th September 2006 - The Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 expedition today enjoyed the final day of its stopover in Cartagena. Tomorrow the crews will board a ferry for Panama, crossing the famous canal that divides the American continent in two. The two days spent in this city have given the crews a chance to rest after the heat of the Brazilian coast, the winds of the Argentinean pampas and the swings in temperature experienced in the peaks and valleys of the Andes.

Now came 48 hours of doing next to nothing and even the 599 GTB Fioranos took a break. The Prancing Horse cars have performed admirably and proved to be more durable than the crew on the tour.

Source - Ferrari

- It was a very busy day for the Panamerican 20,000 crews during their two day pause in the city of Cartegena. The passing of the berlinettas generated much enthusiasm with the locals crowding around the 599 GTB Fioranos, if only to touch the livery.

The city of Cartagena, was the setting for the passage of the vehicles and put on a spectacular show that re-enacted the battles between pirates that have taken place here over the centuries.
Today the crews completed the customs procedures that will allow the 599 GTB Fioranos to board the transport ship 'Anna K'. Tomorrow the tour will touch down in Panama, a destination the crew members will reach by air. Then the Panamerican 20,000 will continue its journey through Central America.

Panama, 30th September 2006 - While the Ferraris boarded the ship that would take them to Panama, the team members were on a flight to the same destination. There they took the chance to visit the famous canal. In the meantime, the new group of journalists that will accompany the tour on the next stage joined the expedition.

The canal that links the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean is now almost one hundred years old. Construction began in 1904 and the canal was inaugurated ten years later. Today, it is still widely regarded as one of the most imposing structures on earth and, recently, a plan to build new locks was approved meaning that even larger ships will be able to transit through the canal.

Panama, 1st October 2006 - The Ferraris left a little late on their journey to Panama. The crew benefited from the enforced stop to meet a community of Indios from the Emberà ethnic group in the Rio Ciagre river basin.

These peoples moved to the area from the Darien region, a mountainous area covered in rich vegetation that divides Panama from Colombia. Even though the signs of modern society are evident and inevitable, the group jealously try to guard their traditions, culture and language.

Panama, 2nd October 2006 - The ship with the 599 GTB Fioranos on board has arrived in the port of Colon. As it was unloaded in the afternoon, the crew made the most of its free time by visiting the city. The expedition saw colonial buildings, historic churches and remains of the store rooms where the riches from the south were kept. There were also incredible attractions like the presidential palace, testimonies from the struggle for indepedence, modern skyscrapers, and the popular huts that surprised the crew members waiting to restart.

In the afternoon, under the daily tropical downpour, the vehicles were unloaded and the expedition returned to Panama as dusk fell. The stint on the road was the cars' first in Central America.

David, 3rd October 2006 - The two 599 GTB Fiorano leave the hotel in Panama at 8 o'clock in the morning to reach the lock of Miraflores at the channel where the Italian Ambassador is waiting to greet us before we proceed to the road for our seventh stretch. The rain season continues to accompany us and our Berlinettas through Central America.

The downpours settle in, and heavy rain drenches the cars along their way until the hours of the afternoon. The tour hits the highway, direction Santiago where the landscape features cultivated land, farms and villages scattered along the road. Beyond Santiago you can find the tropical rainforest and the road which runs like a tunnel through the forest where people are few and far between.

After more or less 20 kilometres driving on a straight and non-asphalted track, which turns into a new and very pleasant road ride, taking the team to David.

San Jose, 4th October 2006 - The team with its two 599 GTB Fioranos leaves David early to get on the road in the direction of the Costa Rican border using a modern four-lane road. After only a short ride the team has to stop at the border for the formalities to leave Panama. The formalities to get into Costa Rica take a little bit longer and long hours pass by. The team also worries about the other borders they have to cross in Central America. Once the border has been passed the road leads along impressive vegetation, interrupted by banana, pineapple and coffee plantations once in a while. At lunchtime the usual tropical rain begins to fall.

130 kilometres to go to San Jose and the road starts to lead upwards, turning narrow and very curvy, until its peak at 3200 metres is reached. While driving down the rain stops but it becomes foggy so that the cars have to slow down. From up above they can finally see the city lights of San Jose' and after a quick ride the team arrives at the hotel. Tomorrow the troop will take up the journey in direction of Puntarenas.

Managua, 6th October 2006 - The Panamerican 20,000 team leaves Puntarenas early in the morning to reach the border to Nicaragua. Soon the narrow traffic-jammed street leads through tropical vegetation.

The landscape resembles the ones seen the days before, with houses and shops next to the road just in front of the usual luxuriant vegetation. Lots of signs indicating tourist villages along the shores of the Pacific Ocean accompany the tour of the 599 GTB Fiorano. While approaching Nicaragua the forest slowly gives way to wide plains with livestock farms. It takes a long and exhausting time to cross the border into Nicaragua. The tour hits the road again along the Lake Nicaragua with its splendid volcanoes The last kilometres leading to Managua are especially testing as the narrow road traffic jam-packed with potholes and the usual tropical rain. At Managua the Italian ambassador welcomes us with a party and lots of local guests and members of the Italian community.

San Miguel, 7th October 2006 - Departure from Managua is at dawn, because of the long time it takes the team and the two 599 GTB Fiorano to cross the two borders waiting for the Ferraris today. The troop sets off on a flat road through incredibly green vegetation with livestock farms. Later the road leads upwards through forests to end on a plateau and at the border to Honduras. There are more livestock farms on the plateau and vultures looking for prey circle above. Leaving Nicaragua doesn't take long but the long procedures to enter Honduras make it speeding up the treck unlikely.

The cars remain stalled for several hours. Once the procedures are done the cars start again and the road leads down to the plane of Choluteca. The tour proceeds on a high-speed road and finally the cars arrive at the border between Honduras and San Salvador. Here the team has to wait again for several hours. After passing numerous roadblocks finally, under moonlight, the shape of the volcano that sits above the city of San Miguel becomes prominent.

Ciudad de Guatemala, 8th October 2006 - After the last night, watching the Japanese GP, the tour members dolook a little worn out and disappointed. The tour leaves San Miguel in the direction of the capital San Salvador cruising on a pleasant , fast speedway to meet the local Ferrari dealer. The welcome is warm-hearted and compensates last night's disappointment; the delightful party was prepared by an Italian cook what excited about the presence of the two 599 GTB Fiorano. The cars left in the direction of Guatemala. The vegetation is still incredibly green and along the road livestock farms and tropical forest can be seen, interrupted by long stalls where coconuts are sold. The usual tropical rain welcomes the cars at the border town of Las Chinamas in El Salvador to Valle Nuovo in Guatemala, connected via a bridge across the Rio Imposible. This time the border is rapidly passable and the cars follow the road in direction of the capital Ciudad De Guatemala.

Before they arrive in Ciudad De Guatemala the team rides by two splendid volcanoes to their left, one of them adorned with a wonderfully towering smoking crater. It's picture perfect. As the team reaches the hotel, as usual, guests and personal admire the two 599 GTB Fiorano.

Antigua, 9th October 2006 - The morning was dedicated to visiting the Ciudad de Guatemala. Unfortunately the city was hit by several devastating earthquakes, the last one in 1976, so the city has not much to offer architecturally. A couple of modern skyscrapers which have been built earthquake-proof can be spotted replacing the original buildings destroyed by earthquakes. The team is impressed by life, colours and the traditional dresses of many of the women.

The chaotic traffic in the city quarters the 599 GTB Fiorano are passing is similar to the ones in many other metropolies. At noon the team meets the Italian ambassador, local businessmen and representatives of the Italian community. As usual the Berlinettes are admired. The ambassador gave a touching speech regarding what Ferrari represents in the world.
Later the team leaves in the direction of Antigua, the ancient capital, the third in Guatemala's history. A visit to the city is scheduled for tomorrow.

Atitlan, 10th October 2006 - Antigua, world cultural heritage, is the city from where the two 599 GTB Fiorano set off for today's section in to Atitlan, situated in the 'Valle de Pauchoy' or 'Valle de los Lagos', besieged by three volcanoes, Agua, Fuego and Acatenango - only several kilometres away from confusion, pollution and the dangers of Ciudad de Guatemala lies the jewel of Antigua. The city shows signs of past earthquakes, but the urban structure stands absolutely intact and almost all the buildings were restructured or rebuilt as hotels or public offices. The local population is unintrusive and the team can peacefully explore the city until the two Ferrari Berlinettes are discovered. Tourists, locals and just curious people happily huddle around the Berlinettas.

Leaving Antigua the team drives through colourful villages, passing vegetable fields where forests had been levelled. The team stops at the archaeological site of Iximche' to later hit the road again in the direction of Lake Atitlan dominating the conical pyramid of the volcano with the same name. As usual the rain is our loyal travel companion throughout the ride of our two 599.

Source - Ferrari

- Today the two 599 GTB Fiorano - already on the road for more than six weeks along the most impressive roads through Southern and Central America - reached the border to Mexico, leaving Guatemala after passing through it for three days. The city is famous for its vast and marvellous lake, surrounded by three volcanoes and lots of little villages, which mirror themselves in the water of the lake.

The tour left Atitlan in the early morning but the members of the team reached the Mexican border only in the late afternoon. They had to be very patient before they could finally pass the border and continue with their journey. The Panamerican 20,000 will continue tomorrow with the section from San Cristobal de las Casas to Palenque, concluding the eighth stage of the tour.

Palenque, 12th October 2006 - The team stopped for a short visit of the city of San Cristobal de las Casas, with its unique urban structure, low houses with only one floor, buildings and churches. Finally the tour leaves in the direction of the archaeological site of Palenque. The landscape is hilly and the two 599 GTB Fiorano come all the way down from the 2.000 metres in altitude in San Cristóbal to 200 metres in Palenque. Along the road pine trees and firs accompany the cars. The vegetation here looks just like that of Southern Europe. The street narrows and the ups and downs continue with lots of turns and without break.

There are many speed bumps along the road, called 'tope' in the local language. According to the local people this is the road with the most speed bumps in Mexico. The tour arrives in Palenque just in time to visit its archaeological site and the two Ferraris arrive at the ancient Maya pyramids.

Veracruz, 13th October 2006 - The two 599 GTB Fiorano leave Palenque with its humid and slightly unpleasant climate. You can tell that this is the season with heavy rains because of the fields often under water along the road. In this region mainly animal farms can be seen while there are hardly any cultivated fields. For the next 150 kilometres, until the city of Villahermosa, the street is very narrow but flat.

Along the road, the dense vegetation sits up close to the tarmac. The Berlinettas from Maranello can ride with a good average speed. In Villahermosa the tour takes the highway in the direction of Veracruz. Riding along this road the landscape is not particularly interesting. At Cosamaloapan, around 130 kilometres from Veracruz, the cars leave the highway to ride along the coastal road that leads to Veracruz.

The members of the tour can admire another jewel: the village of Tlacotalpan on the shores of the Rio Santo Domingo, featuring its typical colonial style houses and fishermen shacks along the shore. A short stop to take some photos and then the two 599 GTB Fiorano proceed along the shores of the Mexican Gulf in the direction of Veracruz accompanied by a wonderful view of the setting sun.

Ciudad de Mexico, 14th October 2006 - The two 599 GTB Fiorano ride along the sandy coastline of Veracruz to reach the highway in the direction of Puebla. At first, the road is flat and there are plantations of sugar canes, bananas and pineapples. Soon, the cars arrive at a road leading up through forests of pine and fir resembling European flora. In Xalapa, at an altitude of 2,000 metres, the tour reaches a plateau where several volcano craters surround the fields. The cars stop by the side of a splendid lake bordering a former volcano.

Proceeding, the cars drive over highways and normal roads. After having crossed the industrial periphery of Puebla the tour arrives at the archaeological site of Cholula, famous for the biggest pyramid built by the Maya, where the Spaniards built the Santuario de los Remedios church.

After shooting enough photos the tour proceeds in the direction of Ciudad de Mexico and already 32 kilometres before the actual city begins the first dwellings of this enormous Mexican metropolis emerge.

Mexico City, 15th October 2006 - Today the two 599 GTB Fiorano stopped in Mexico City, where the team members had the possibility to visit the city. The night of the 14th October they participated at a marvellous event and press conference organized by the Mexican Ferrari importer, Ricardo Vega. During the day the team visited Mexico City and organized a photo shoot using the city's buildings as a backdrop, while some other staff members visited the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Guadalupe.

The cars from Fiat who have accompanied the tour from the start have now been changed to Alfa Romeo.

Tomorrow the troop starts in the direction of Guadalajara, where the eighth section of the Panamerican 20,000 will end.

Guadalajara, 16th October 2006 - The two 599 GTB Fiorano left the metropolis Mexico City, after the members of the team had spent two interesting days in this urban space with the Mexican hospitality. After a testing exit from the city through the morning rush hour, the team took the highway in the direction of Guadalajara. The road with its long slopes was straddled by forests and fields. One could still see by the side of the road that earlier the heavy rains had flooded fields and street under.

The team decided to take a different road so the members could pass the colonial cities Morelia und Patzcuaro. Later the cars went back on the highway that ran along the ground, which originally was a volcano: fertile land with many fields where the landscape is flat. Around it all lay thick forests, while the highway was easy to use because it was almost without any traffic.

Thanks to the better performance of the Alfa Romeo 159 - compared to the former vehicles - the two Ferrari were able to use the performance of their V12 engines the Berlinettas call their own. So the journalists behind the wheels were more than pleased. The sunset in 'Rosso Ferrari' followed the cars to Guadalajara, where the ninth section of the Panamerican 20,000 ended in the evening.

Mazatlan, 17th October 2006 - A second section on the way to Baja California and the United States. The cars leave Guadalajara riding along the highway along agaves and mescal cactuses in the direction of Tequila, the city after which the famous Mexican spirit is named.

The two 599 GTB Fiorano stop to visit a distillery in the historical centre, before they take up their journey on the highway in northern direction. The road is twisty and the team members can spot green forests, agaves and tobacco farms amongst the volcanoes. But those volcanoes have been inactive for a long time and only the central parts, the so called 'organ pipes', can still be seen.
Finally the first orchards can be spotted. Because the highway ends here the cars have to use a normal road where they nevertheless can ride with a good average speed.

The tour arrives in Mazatlan to watch the sundown over the Pacific Ocean, a wonderful experience.

Topolobampo, 18th October 2006 - The Panamerican 20,000 has left Mazatlan, with its throng of hotels dominating the beach on the Pacific coast. Once on the motorway to Topolobambo, the 599 GTB Fioranos traverse an area of cultivated land and the occasional poultry farm. The scenery around here is somewhat desolate and free of urban conglomerations.

However, the team recognises the gradual westernisation as the road heads north. The motorways are controlled by electronic barriers and private jets soar over the extensive fazenda lands. The journey proceeds without fuss courtesy of the extraordinary handling of the Maranello 12 cylinders. This evening we board for La Paz, a night long trip before the Mexican metropolis is reached.

La Paz, 19th October 2006 - After a night spent in Italy, given that the ship is Italian and, thus, Italian territory, we docked again in Mexico. Once the numerous drug enforcement checks were over, the crew headed towards La Paz. The city is situated on the Baja California, the 1,300 kilometre long Mexican peninsular. The zone emerged from the sea two million years ago and is now famous for its infinite beaches.

The region is well known for its cave paintings and the churches built by Catholic missionaries in the 1650s. Hotels, ports, restaurants, shops and boats are everywhere. The climate is different as one nears the desert, vegetation is sparser and the first cacti are spotted. The 599 GTB Fioranos pay a visit to Dos Santos to see the small Hotel California made famous by the Eagles hit song.

Source - Ferrari

- A sprint along the motorway from Ensenada to Tijuana saw the Ferrari berlinettas draw up to the United States border.

The highway runs along the coast, parallel to an uninterrupted series of beach front houses. The customs clearance for the 599 GTB Fioranos and Alfa Romeo 159s took some time but eventually were waved through. However, the Daily Iveco trucks were denied entry for reasons of bureaucracy and were left in Tijuana. It was late evening before the expedition could cover the 130 miles that lay between the border and Los Angeles.

The sense of being in the United States was obvious once past the customs point. The houses were typically owned by single families, some fairly simple, and extended as far as the eye could see. San Diego did not present much of a distinction with nearby Los Angeles. The Panamerican 20,000 began exactly two months ago today and the 599 GTB Fioranos have covered a total of 18,662 kilometres.

Las Vegas, 25th October 2006 - The journey of the two V12-Berlinettes stops for half a day so the team can visit the city of Los Angeles - city of cars, of hundreds of highways, and of thousands of parking spaces. Life in Los Angeles happens in cars. But once the two 599 GTB Fiorano leave this city, they immediately enter another desert.

The desert begins right behind the last houses of the periphery of Los Angeles; a highway leads the cars in the direction of Las Vegas. Along the road the railway can be spotted with long trains cutting the horizon. The road leads through the Mojave desert, to the left the team can see the famous Death Valley and to the right the Mojave National Park.

At that point the two 599 GTB Fiorano are leaving California and enter the state of Nevada. From time to time an oasis is spotted in the distance, where next to springs diners have been built for hungry travellers: truck stops of an incredible modernity, considering that they were built in the desert, in the middle of nowhere. In Las Vegas the cars and the team are welcomed with a Cocktail Party at the local Ferrari dealer. Later the team members take the cars and explore the city by night: an incredible place smack in the desert of Nevada.

New Orleans, 1st November 2006 - After the walk of fame in Houston the Ferrari Berlinettes are leaving for New Orleans. The team takes the highway eastwards heading through the flat terrain, passing various rivers flowing towards the sea. The team stops infrequently on their way, only when neccessary to arrive at their destination as soon as possible: in the city of jazz with its characteristic spots, with what remains from the era of land owners, the wide water expanses between the Mississippi and the Pontchartrain lake.

The two chinese journalists, Baoqing Dong and Qun Xu, behind the wheel of the Berlinettes during this section have shown incredible enthusiasm, were impressed by the performance of the two 599 GTB Fiorano and by the warm welcome they received in the state of Louisiana passing with the two Ferrari cars. To arrive in the city wide lagoons have to be passed via aqueducts. Trees which were destroyed by the hurricane Catrina can be seen along the road. Signs of this devastating storm cover the city and it will take years to rebuild New Orleans to its former splendor. As the cars arrive in the city the usual crowd gather around the two cars from Maranello. In the evening the team visits the French Quarter to listen to music in the various hot spots on Royal Street.

Miami, 3rd November 2006 - After leaving the university town of Gainesville, the two Ferrari Berlinettes drive southbound in the direction of Miami. The highway runs through woods, passes lakes, and the cars cross bridges where they can see numerous ships and yachts in this tropical climate of Florida , America's pensioners' paradise. Driving along the coast the team can sport various tourist harbours packed with yachts and small fish trawlers. This is an area famous for deep sea fishing. In Miami the team rendezvous with the local Ferrari dealer for the presentation of the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. Naturally the two Panamerican Berlinettes are the evening's toast of the town and welcomed, with a roaring applause together with the team.

The evening proceeds with interviews for the press and the local TV stations, while a wonderful cocktail party rounds off the day. Tomorrow the tour will stop in Miami for maintenance and a deserved break for the team of the Panamerican 20,000.

Source - Ferrari

- The highway that leads from Miami northbound runs along the long beaches of Florida, visible between the houses and apartment blocks built close to the beach. From time to time the cars cross a bridge where they can spot numerous yachts on the rivers or channels. When the road leaves the beach, the two 599 GTB Fiorano drive through woods with pine trees like in Southern Europe. The first stop is in Cape Canaveral. Because of the high security around the site the team can see the base only in the distance. The second stop is at the Daytona race track, the famous oval of the Indy car series. After Jacksonville the tour leaves Florida and drives to Georgia.

The landscape is still more or less the same and the tour proceeds along the coast, while the two Berlinettes from Maranello can show off their performance. The historical buildings of Savannah, named after the river running through it, and the harbour, which was of a strategic importance during the Civil War, are still perfectly intact. It starts to get cold and the warm days and nights of California, the desert and Miami are already only a memory for the team while arriving in Savannah in the evening.

Fayetteville, 6th November 2006 - A sunny yet chilly day bids farewell to the team of the Panamerican 20.000 as they leave Savannah. The road leads through the woods and runs alongside wide meadows and fields. The landscape is still green but some spots of autumn beckon already. The two Ferrari cars leave Lake Marion behind and the road leads them away from the beaches. Next stop is Darlington where the team meets the Case CNH and the local Ferrari Club on the famous high-speed track. All the local Ferrari owners are present to greet cars and members of the Panamerican 20,000 Tour.

This section will also be shown on Chinese television because a Chinese TV journalist is now part of the team: Zheng Meng Hui accompanied by his cameraman Gao Jian Hua. The cars let Darlington behind and the state of South Carolina and drive into North Carolina. The two 599 GTB Fiorano stop in Fayetteville, close to the airbase of the USAF in Fort Bragg

Washington, 8th November 2006 - A worldly day for the team of the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 in Washington with a morning press conference at the local Ferrari dealer and the presentation of the new 599 GTB Fiorano: this model is presented and launched on the US-American market during the Panamerican 20,000 Tour. Many journalists from international and local news outlets gather at the conference.

Later, the team goes for a ride around the city and stops the cars in front of the most important monuments of the US-American capital. In the evening the team members are welcomed in the new Italian embassy, designed by the architect Piero Sartogo - a genuine expression of Italian taste and style.

And as usual the guests admire the two Berlinettes - standing next to a 212 from 1953 in perfect conditions. Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta and the president of Ferrari North America Maurizio Parlato underlined how the product Ferrari, admired all over the world, represents the high standard of Italian manufacturing and Italian taste.

Chicago, 10th November 2006 - There's a long road ahead for the team of the Panamerican 20,000. They must drive many kilometres to arrive in Chicago; fortunately they can use the highway.

After bidding farewell to the ALCOA employees, the tour sets of for Detroit. First, the highway runs on twisty roads around the Pittsburgh hills, the city of steel. Finally, the road becomes flat and straight again and the roads become like the days before, characterized by leafless woods, farms, fields, houses, silos and chimneys. There are lots of prefabricated houses and trailer parks where many Americans have to live.

On the way out of Pennsylvania the tour reaches Ohio in the direction of Indiana. Many police patrols ensure the speed limit is not violated. The team spots Lake Michigan in the distance long before they arrive in Chicago, Illinois, beset by heavy rain.

Once in Chicago, the two Berlinettes experience the first traffic jam on the American continent.
Tomorrow they will leave for Detroit. Mo'town gets ready to welcome the two 599 GTB Fiorano.

Toronto, 14th November 2006 - The two Ferrari Berlinettes stop for the day in Toronto. In the morning the team assists the press at the local Ferrari dealer where the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is launched on the Canadian market. Press and TV-journalists - even from an Italian network is among the guests who gather around the car.

The Italian community of Toronto is around 600.000, consisting of immigrants and their children. The local Ferrari dealer in Toronto, Remo Ferri, is Italian, he emigrated to Canada as a young boy. After the press conference the cars drive through the city while the journalists shoot their photos and the cameramen film the cars with the most characteristic backdrops of Toronto. Tomorrow the two Berlinettes from Maranello will drive through Little Italy to greet the Italian community.

In the evening the cars and the team members are welcomed for a cocktail party at the local dealer's biggest garage in the city where also Ferrari North America president Maurizio Parlato comes to greet the team.

As usual the cars of the Panamerican 20,000 are admired by numerous existing and new customers who also have a look at the other cars exposed: amongst them also a Formula 1 single-seater from 1999. Ferri and Parato outline Ferrari's image in the United States, while Davide Kluzer, from the press office, speaks about the Tour and its importance for the brand.

Tomorrow the cars will leave in the direction of Buffalo and the famous Niagara Falls.

Buffalo, 15th November 2006 - This section for the two Ferrari Berlinettes is short. From Toronto the Tour drives to one of America 's tourism hot spots: the Niagara Falls.
Before the team leaves Toronto they ride through Little Italy. This part is full of billboards in Italian and English and celebrates the two Berlinettes from Ferrari. Of course, the team members stop at a bar to have some real Italian Espresso. Then they leave in the direction of the Niagara Falls. The Niagara river is short and carries water from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. The Falls themselves are spectacular. While one part is on the American side the other one is on Canadian soil.

The river Niagara also forms the border between the two countries and the shores belong to the USA and Canada respectively.
Those who wish to enjoy the falls should be prepared to get wet, as the falling waters create a steady dew - even the two Berlinettes 599 GTB Fiorano and the team members get wet.

Tomorrow the Tour covers another very short section before the Panamerican 20,000 finally reaches New York, and on Friday a big welcoming party will await the Tour and its members.

New York, 16th November 2006 - The Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 Tour has reached its final stage. As the cars leave for their last section it starts to rain and it won't stop until the Berlinettes arrive in New York. To pass the border from Canada into the US the team has to wait for four hours but then they can drive on and pass the huge bridges on both sides of the Niagara River to reach the highway, which leads them to New York. Fog and rain do not consent to admire the landscape but from time to time the team members can spot the hills surrounding the lakes.

Now the Tour arrives in the State of New York, the 23rd the Panamerican 20,000 is crossing. But the cars immediately re-enter Pennsylvania - the first State of the US, which declared its independence. Finally they arrive in New Jersey, the 24th State. Through Lincoln Tunnel the Tour returns to New York and reaches the island of Manhattan. It's already evening when the engines are turned off in front of the hotel next to Central Park and the team members are slightly sad that this splendid experience, this unrepeatable adventure is terminated.

All eyes are peeled on the two 599 GTB Fiorano, which drove for 20,000 miles without the slightest problem, arriving in New York in perfect conditions. Tomorrow a final ceremony will be held, with a press conference, a cocktail party and a big celebration in honour of the end of this grand undertaking.

New York, November 17th 2006 - A 20,000 mile race from Brazil to New York came to a glorious conclusion this morning when two Ferrari 599's crossed the finish line at the New York Stock Exchange.

The Panamerican 20,000 was the latest and most persuasive test of Ferrari's newest model, the 599 GTB Fiorano. On an often grueling 15-leg journey, a team of forty-eight journalists took turns driving from Belo Horizonte in Brazil to the Argentinian pampa; over Andean plateaus and through mountain passes some 13,000 feet above sea level; through the Central American tropics and across Mexico and the United States, with a final stop in Canada before reaching the final destination in New York.

This is not the first time Ferrari has embarked on this type of journey. In 1997 it sent the F355 model on a tour around the world. Just last year two Scaglietti 612's made a tour of all China, the first time any automobile maker has accomplished this feat.

Sports fans are used to seeing the Ferrari on Formula 1 tracks, and of appreciating its special talent for racing. But these long road-tests are important in two significant ways. First, they show that today's Ferrari can be driven in every type of road condition. A case in point: in the past ten years the average mileage accumulated by Ferrari drivers has doubled. Second, they bring the Ferrari closer to an adoring public that goes beyond the ranks of racing fans. The Ferrari is instantly recognizable in the farthest corners of the earth, from the silk road to the shores of Lake Titicaca. This discovery confirms the iconic status of the Ferrari as the embodiment of a dream.

On Wall Street today, the façade of the Stock Exchange was decorated with the Ferrari trademark: the prancing horse. A special grandstand was built for the ceremony, and Maurizio Parlato, President and CEO of Ferrari North America, was on hand for a celebratory speech. The finish line was set up in place of great symbolic importance: for over 50 years, the United States has been Ferrari's number one market, and many of its customers are members of the American business communities.

In his remarks, Mr. Parlato emphasized that the cars had proven their extraordinary reliability, having made it though the rugged Andean roads with minimal damage to the tires and rims. The only thing they needed were regular oil changes provided by Shell, which provided roadside assistance for the whole tour.

The 599 GTB Fiorano is a two-seater berlinetta with a V-12 engine, the top performer ever developed at the Ferrari factory in Maranello. This new model boasts the most cutting-edge features that Ferrari has ever applied to a two-seater with a front center engine, making it the new benchmark in sportiness, driving feel, and design.

The two 599 GTB Fioranos reached the end of their journey in New York with only minor modifications to allow them to travel the toughest roads: for underbody protection a 4 mm.-thick aluminum plate was used rather than standard plastic, and the shock absorbers were slightly raised to handle the roughest roads. In all other regards, they were identical to the other cars in the series, with a 611 bhp Enzo-derived 5,999cc V12 motor, and maximum torque of 448 lb/ft produced at 5,600 rpm. The 599 GTB Fiorano sprints from 0 to 62 mph in an astonishing 3.7 seconds and boasts a top speed in excess of 205 mph. Both cars had a six-speed F1 gearbox, and a transaxle transmission.

On this occasion, Ferrari thanks the sponsors that made this adventure possible: especially Shell, a long-time partner of Ferrari also in Formula 1 racing, which provided roadside assistance and a range of high-performance fuels and lubrication; Alcoa, a strategic partner for the production of aluminum chassis that is the standard for the whole Ferrari line today; the FIAT group, which provided transportation using the Iveco support system and escort vehicles of FIAT and Alfa Romeo, a brand that has attracted great interest in the United States; and Case IH - the global agriculture equipment leader - and finally, Pirelli for the tires, Puma for the Panamerican team uniforms, Saima Avandero for the logistics, and BuonItalia.

Ferrari in North and South America

North America is Ferrari's biggest market-accounting for a 30% share-with sales of approximately 1,550 vehicles a year. The top North American market is California (27% of sales), followed by the North East (16%), Florida (11%), Texas (7%), and Chicago (6%). In 1995 the number of North American Ferrari dealers grew to 36 (32 in the United States and 4 in Canada), when two new locations were opened in Silicon Valley and Las Vegas. Existing dealers also made significant investments to expand their facilities and improve operations. In 2004 Ferrari North America inaugurated a showroom at 410 Park Avenue in New York to exhibit its extraordinary products at one of America's premium locations.

To build up and consolidate Ferrari's presence in Central and South America, starting in January 2006 Ferrari North America became the lead office for the countries of the area. The main markets are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Venezuela, for a total of 12 sales points. This consolidation will expand the number of dealerships, and increase customer satisfaction.

Source - Ferrari