2002 Ferrari 550 Maranello

In celebration of Pininfarina's 70th Anniversary in 2000, chairman of Ferrari (at the time) Luca di Montezemolo invited Sergio Pininfarina to submit designs for a front-engined roadster embodying the spirit of past Maranello classics. It had been 23 years since the 365 GTB/4 Daytona had been replaced by the mid-engined Berlinetta Boxer when the Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was introduced in 2000. It was a limited production roadster limited to 448 examples with each individually numbered and carrying a plaque inside with its own serial number and Sergio Pininfarina's signature. In 2002, it was replaced by the upgraded 575 Maranello.

The 550 Maranello was in development for 30 months before it was unveiled in July of 1996 at the Nürburgring racing circuit in Germany. The car's model name was in reference to the 5.5-liters total engine displacement in deciliters and to the town of Maranello, home to the Ferrari headquarters and factory. The exterior design was handled by Elvio D'Aprile under the supervision of Lorenzo Ramaciotti at Pininfarina, and was created between 1993 and 1996. Maurizio Corbi, a Pininfarina sketch artist and designer, was also involved in the process. The interior was the work of Goran Popović. The chassis was from a shortened version of the Ferrari 456 2+2. It was a tubular steel space frame and clothed with aluminum body panels with the suspension comprised of double wishbones with coaxial coil springs and dampers units in the front and back. The steering was a rack-and-pinion setup with variable power assist. Ventilated disc brakes provided the stopping power measuring 13 inches in the front and 12.2 inches at the rear. The 18-inch wheels were made from Magnesium alloy. Electronic driver aid systems included anti-slip regulation, which could be adjusted on two levels or switched off completely, and four-way anti-lock braking system.

The Ferrari 550 shared its platform and 5474cc engine with the 456 but was positioned as the top-of-the-line company model. The interior was luxurious and spacious, unusual for a Ferrari, and the boot could accommodate a set of golf clubs. Zero-to-sixty was accomplished in 4.2 seconds and had a reported top speed of 199 mph.

Standard equipment included electric windows and door mirrors, air conditioning, remote alarm and central locking, and split-rim alloy wheels.

Ferrari introduced a convertible version of the 550 at the Paris Motor Show in 2000.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2020