1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello

A long time coming

With the introduction of the 550 Maranello in 1996, Ferrari revived a configuration not seen since the 1973 Daytona 365GTB. Ferrari had long had a 12 cylinder coupe, however strange as it may seem, none had combined a V12, front engine and 2 seats, it was always two of three, but never the classic combination of the legendary 365.

Immediately recognisable as a Ferrari, that gorgeous body was the work of legendary design house Pininfarina who executed both the exterior and interior design. The exterior design is credited to Elvio D'Aprile under the supervision of Lorenzo Ramaciotti, and created between 1993 and 1996 Maurizio Corbi, a Pininfarina sketch artist and designer, was also involved in the design process.

Replacing the "Colombo" derived V12 which could trace its roots back several decades, the new F133A 5.5 litre V12 was an absolute powerhouse. Producing some 357kw (478hp) at over 7000rpm, the new V12 was mightily impressive and also highly regarded for its unbelievable smoothness and broad spread of torque. Power was sent to a six-speed transaxle with an LSD, and predictably the performance was immense. A 0-100 time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 320km/h were supercar numbers, however this car was designed to be the consummate grand tourer capable of tackling any road whilst also cosseting its lucky occupants.

This stunning car was delivered new in June 1997 by Maranello Sales of Surry UK to a Mr Richard Budge of Doncaster and has an extensive service history combined of both Ferrari main dealer and highly regarded specialists over its 26 year history. Complementing the service history is the complete factory books in the Schedoni leather folder, plus 2 factory keys and remotes and a full A4 folder containing a wealth of receipts showing the maintenance and care.

This car has come to us out of an extensive private collection in the UK from the third owner and was imported by us to Australia in May this year. The car has just undergone an extensive service including cambelts at Ferrari North Shore and presents and drives absolutely beautifully. In the classic combination of Rosso Corsa over Cuoio and with just 25,910 miles on the odometer, 550 Maranellos don't come any more desirable than this.

Emissions regulations are making it hard for brands to build V12 engines, even for the more bespoke and smaller volume ones. The latest V12s coming from established brands are set to receive hybridisation technology, signalling one-last hurrah before being resigned to its fate in the history books. This is your chance to get on board before the next big jump.