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2009 Zagato 575 GTZ

Yushiyuki Hayashi is a famous Japanese car collector, who owns numerous cars of great historical value, including several Ferraris such as the 166MM, the 250 Spider California, two Daytonas – a coupé and a spider – and the Enzo.

In the classic tradition of the keen purchaser of exclusive cars who stimulated the creativity of Italian coachbuilders in the 1950s and 1960s, Yushiyuki Hayashi asked Zagato if it would be possible to create a body for his 575M, in the style of the famous 250GTZ berlinetta.

When Zagato received this request, it informed Ferrari of the project, which would be a good opportunity to celebrate the model's anniversary, and then created a car that harked back to the 250 GTZ, built around the Ferrari 575.

Like its forebear, the 575 GTZ has an all-aluminum body, and, as a tribute to Ferrari and to two-seater Italian sports cars, it has joined the exclusive group of cars that are the fruit of the tradition of custom-built cars.

Like the 250 GTZ, it sports two-tone paintwork with styling cues and volumes that explicitly refer back to the 1950s, and sublimates the character of the many cars built by Zagato to clothe original engineering, with the pure style of traditional sports cars.

For Zagato, the project represented an opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 250 GTZ of 1956, one of the most outstanding GT cars, which has already gone down in history.

The model, which was also commissioned by a gentleman driver and collector, in the best Zagato tradition, is a sublime synthesis of prestige and performance, elegance and sportiness, to the point that it can boast the highest value of any car in the luxury period sports car market. The 250 GTZ has won numerous competitions and concours d'élégance, and it represents a dream come true because experts and fans consider it one of the most beautiful cars in the world.

The new 575 GTZ has the Ferrari prancing horse on its bonnet and the Z of Zagato on its side, an expression of eternal Italian excellence in its form and content. It is a winning combination, linking the most powerful, famous engineering in the world with the most refined, fascinating sporting style, both made strictly in Italy.

The concept of sporty elegance, functional design that does not merely follow the trend of the moment but strives for pure performance, and the ultra-light aluminum body are Zagato's strengths that become a universally recognized value.

Just as in 1956, the 250GTZ was shown at the most important concours d'elegance, 50 years later, the 575 GTZ will be presented in a world premiere at Villa D'Este Concours D'Elegance, Cernobbio (Italy) on April 22nd-24th.

by Dan Vaughan


Coupe by Zagato
Chassis number: ZFFBV55AX50140719

In 2006, a famous Japanese car collector commissioned Zagato to create a body for his 575M, in the style of the famous 250GTZ berlinetta. Zagato saw this as an opportunity to celebrate the model's anniversary and created the 575 GTZ which harked back to the 250 GTZ and was built around the Ferrari 575. It was given an all-aluminum body and two-tone paintwork.

Since that time, 5 other examples have been created with most being given a two-tone paint scheme. One example was painted completely in black. Each example is similar, but there are unique differences between each car. This example, chassis number 140719, is the newest example and it made its show debut on the lawn of this year's Palm Beach Cavallino Classic.

by Dan Vaughan


Debuted in 2002, the Ferrari 575M (Maranello) is a two-seat, 2-door grand tourer that is basically an updated 550 Maranello with just slight styling updates from Pininfarina. In 2006 the 575M was replaced with the 599 GTB. The model number ‘575' stood for total engine displacement in liters and the ‘M' is an abbreviation of ‘modificato' or ‘modified'.

Slight updates from the 550 included a completely renewed interior but it did feature major improvements that included larger disc brakes, and much more powerful and larger engine and a different weight distribution. The aerodynamics was much more refined and fluid-dynamics were revised also along with an adaptive suspension set-up. The Ferrari 575M offered Magneti Marelli's semi-automatic ‘F1' gearbox for the first time ever on a Ferrari V12, along with two six-speed transmissions available along with a conventional manual gearbox.

The Ferrari 575M had a max speed of 203 mph and could achieve 0-60mph in just 4.2 seconds with the semi-automatic gearbox. The 575M had an overall length of 179 inches, a width of 76.2 inches and a height of 50.3 inches.

3 years after it had been introduced, an all new GTC handling package and Superamerica version and raised the power from 515 Ps to 540 PS was developed in 2005. The Superamerica version was a limited run of 559 retractable hardtop variants of the coupe. The GTC package came with Ferrari's fourth Carbon fiber-reinforced Silicon Carbide composite ceramic composite brake system, constructed by Brembo. Other features on the GTC package included a more performance-tuned suspension system, 19 inch wheels and low-restriction exhaust system. The all-new brakes were based on the company's Formula One technology. The brakes use 15.7 inch discs with six-piston calipers in the front and 14.2 inch discs with four-piston calipers in the back. The GTC package was priced around $23,500

The 575M Superamerica was debuted in 2005 and was a much evolved convertible variation of the 575M Maranello. The Superamerica came with an electrochromic glass panel roof that was capable of rotating 180° (a production vehicle first!) and the rear to lay flat over the trunk. Marketed by Ferrari as the world's fastest convertible, the Superamerica used the higher-output tune of the V12 engine which was rated at 540 hp. The Superamerica had a top speed of 199 mph and the GTC handling package was optional. 559 575M Superamerica's were constructed, an odd production, but followed Enzo Ferrari's philosophy ‘that there should always be one fewer car available than what the market is demanding'.

Announced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, Yoshiyui Hayash produced a one-off special 575M GTZ built by Zagato for Japanese Ferrari collector. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 250 range, the GTZ was endorsed officially by Ferrari. The 575M GTZ included Zagato's signature double-bubble roofline and two-tone paint.

The 575-GTC, distinguished from the 575M GTC Handling Package, was introduced in 2003 and followed the success of Prodrive in running the Ferrari 550, Ferrari wanted to offer their own racing vehicle to customers. The 575-GTC's were used primarily in the FIA GT Championship and succeeded to take a single win in their first season, with another one the following year. By the end of 2005 the 575-GTC's were not as good as the Prodrive-built 550-GTS's.

by Jessican Donaldson