Words: Rory FH Smith
Created to celebrate 50 years of motorsport success, the Ferrari F50 was the spiritual successor to the F40 and the first Ferrari hypercar to be developed after Enzo Ferrari’s death in 1988.
Launched at the Geneva motor show in 1995, the F50 was touted to be the closest one could possibly get to a Formula 1 experience, while retaining the familiarity of a road car.
By its side at the grand reveal in Geneva, stood Luca di Montezemolo (Ferrari’s head honcho at the time), Piero Lardi Ferrari (Enzo Ferrari’s son and heir), designer Sergio Pininfarina and none other than racing legend Niki Lauda, reiterating the car’s importance for the marque.
Making good use of carbonfibre – sparsely found in road cars at the time – the material formed the basis of the body tub and shell to drastically reduce the car’s weight.
Coupled to the chassis and central to the car’s success, was a 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V12, derived directly from the engine used in the 1990 Formula 1 season. Capable of producing 520hp, the F50 could sprint from 0-60mph in just 3.6seconds and onwards to a top end speed of 202mph, securing its place in hypercar history.
Production was limited to just 349 cars worldwide, compared to the 1,300 F40s that had gone before it. While its predecessors and much of the Ferrari family are painted Rosso Corsa red, the F50 could be finished in yellow, silver, red or black.
With only four cars leaving the factory in black, this particular example is one of the two that were then shipped to the USA. Sporting contrasting black and red leather and Alcantara interior, this car also comes with its original hardtop, three pieces of factory luggage as well as its unused soft top.
This car will be auctioned on January 20, 2017 at RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale. Click here for more details.
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