Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, unveiled at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, was Ferrari's flagship front-engined grand tourer and the successor to the legendary 575M Maranello. Named after its engine displacement (5,999 cc), body style (Gran Turismo Berlinetta), and Ferrari's Fiorano test track, the 599 was an extraordinary machine that combined hypercar-level performance with genuine grand touring capability.

The engine was the star of the show. The Tipo F140 C V12 was essentially the same unit that powered the Enzo Ferrari hypercar, displacing 5,999 cc with four overhead camshafts and 48 valves. Producing 620 horsepower at 7,600 rpm and 608 Nm of torque at 5,600 rpm, it was the most powerful naturally aspirated production engine Ferrari had ever fitted to a front-engined car. The flat-plane crankshaft V12 revved to 8,400 rpm with a sound that ranged from a sophisticated burble at idle to a searing wail at full cry.

The standard transmission was a 6-speed F1 SuperFast electrohydraulic gearbox mounted at the rear in a transaxle configuration for optimal weight distribution. A conventional 6-speed manual was also offered, though very few were produced. The rear-mounted transaxle achieved a near-perfect 47:53 front-to-rear weight distribution despite the massive V12 up front.

Pininfarina's design was bold and muscular, departing from the more conservative lines of the 575M. The aggressive front end, with its large air intakes and headlights integrated into flying buttresses, gave the 599 a predatory stance. The rear featured distinctive twin-element taillights and a subtly integrated spoiler. Aerodynamic refinement included active front flaps and an underfloor diffuser.

The chassis was all-aluminum, derived from the Enzo's technology but adapted for GT use. The 599 pioneered several technologies for Ferrari: the F1-Trac traction control system, which could be modulated through the manettino switch to allow progressive slip angles, and the second-generation magnetorheological dampers that provided both comfortable cruising and razor-sharp track responses.

Performance was astonishing for a front-engined GT. The 599 GTB reached 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and topped 205 mph — figures that put it in supercar territory while maintaining the practicality of a front-engined two-seater with a usable trunk. It lapped Fiorano in 1 minute 25 seconds, faster than the legendary F40.

The interior was luxurious by Ferrari standards, with deep leather upholstery, excellent ergonomics, and the signature central tachometer. The 599 was one of the last Ferraris to feature the traditional column stalks alongside the manettino and F1 paddle shifters.

Approximately 3,500 standard 599 GTBs were produced from 2006 to 2012. Special variants included the 599 GTO (670 hp, limited to 599 units), the 599 XX (track-only), and the one-off 599 SA Aperta (80 units, open-top). The 599 was succeeded by the F12berlinetta in 2012.

The 599 GTB Fiorano represents the end of an era — the last Ferrari front-engined V12 GT with a naturally aspirated engine under 6 liters and available with a manual gearbox. It is a car of immense character and capability, and values are beginning to reflect its significance.