Ferrari 550
Encyclopedia
The Ferrari 550 Maranello and 550 Barchetta are 2-seat grand tourer
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
s built by Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
. Introduced in 1996, the 550 was an upmarket front-engined
Front-engine design
A front-mounted engine describes the placement of an automobile engine in front of the vehicle passenger compartment.Historically, this designation was used regardless of whether or not the entire engine was behind the front axle line...
V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
coupe of the kind not seen since the Daytona
Ferrari Daytona
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4, better known by the unofficial name Ferrari Daytona, is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. It was first introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 and replaced the 275 GTB/4...
. It shared its platform and 5.5 L (5474 cc) engine with the 2+2 456
Ferrari 456
The Ferrari 456 and 456 M is a front-engined grand tourer. The 456 was produced from 1992 until 2003. It was an overdue replacement for the defunct front-engined 412 as the company's premium 4-seat V12 car. The updated 456M was replaced in 2004 by the 612 Scaglietti...
(Engine Code: F133) but was positioned as the company's highest-end model. The car used a transaxle layout, with the 6-speed manual gearbox located at the back, in-line with the driven wheels. The model number refers to total engine displacement (5.5 litres) and the model name of Maranello
Maranello
Maranello is a town and comune in the region of Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy, 18 km from Modena, with a population of 16,841 as of 2009. It is best known as the home of Ferrari S.p.A. and the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One racing team...
refers to the town where the Ferrari headquarters are located.
The demise that same year of the F512 M left the company with only the exotic F50
Ferrari F50
The Ferrari F50 is a mid-engined range-topping sports car made by Ferrari. The F50 was introduced in 1995 to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. The car is a two door, two seat convertible with a removable hardtop...
and V8 F355
Ferrari F355
The Ferrari F355 is a sports car built by Ferrari from May 1994 to 1999. It is an evolution of the Ferrari 348 and was replaced by the Ferrari 360. It is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive V8-powered 2-seat coupe...
as mid-engined
Mid-engine design
A mid-engine layout describes the placement of an automobile engine between the rear and front axles. Another term for this is mid-ship.-Benefits:The mid-engine layout is typically chosen for its relatively favorable weight distribution...
models. Although the 550 was a softer GT model, it did take the place of the F512 M as the company's upmarket coupe, discounting the F50.
The 550 featured a luxurious and roomy interior. The (rear) trunk was tall and wide, though not very deep, and could accept a full set of golf club
Golf club (equipment)
A golf club is used to hit a golf ball in a game of golf. Each club is composed of a shaft with a grip and a clubhead. Woods are mainly used for long-distance fairway or tee shots; irons, the most versatile class, are used for a variety of shots; Hybrids that combine design elements of woods and...
s or standard overnight bags.
The 550 line was replaced by the Modificata 575 M Maranello
Ferrari 575M Maranello
The Ferrari 575M Maranello is a two-seat, two-door, grand tourer built by Ferrari. Launched in 2002, it is essentially an updated 550 Maranello featuring minor styling changes from Pininfarina...
in 2002.
Engine
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
with 4 valves per cylinder
Multi-valve
In automotive engineering a multi-valve or multivalve engine is one where each cylinder has more than two valves. A multi-valve engine has better breathing and can operate at higher revolutions per minute than a two-valve engine, delivering more power.- Multi-valve rationale :A multi-valve design...
, and dual overhead cams. It displaces 5474 cc (334 in³) and produces 492 PS (485 hp, 357 kW) at 7000 rpm and 568.1 N·m (419 ft·lbf) at 5000 rpm.
Chassis
The 550 Maranello has a tubular steel frame chassisChassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
with light aluminum bodywork bolted to it and 6-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
. The steering is rack and pinion
Rack and pinion
A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a linear "gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes the rack to move, thereby...
with variable power assist. The vented disc brake
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
s are 330 mm (13.0 in) for the front and 310 mm (12.2 in) for the rear.
| Gear | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Final Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratio | 3.15:1 | 2.18:1 | 1.57:1 | 1.19:1 | 0.94:1 | 0.76:1 | 3.91:1 |
Performance
The 550 Maranello can accelerate to 60 mi/h in 4.2 seconds and can reach 161 kilometres per hour (100 mph)in 9.6 seconds. The ¼ mile (0.4 km) time is 12.5 seconds at 116.9 mph . The top speed is 320.3 kilometers per hour (199.0 mph).550 Barchetta
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
version of the 550 at the Paris Motor Show in 2000. This Barchetta was a true roadster
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
with no real convertible top provided. The factory did provide a soft top, but it was intended only for temporary use as it was cautioned against using the top above 70 mi/h. A total of 448 Barchettas were produced, four more than initially planned due to concerns of superstition in the Japanese market. The 448 cars were preceded by 10 prototypes numbered P01–P10 on their interior plaques. To an observer the prototypes and production cars are indistinguishable.
Rossa
The 550 based Ferrari Rossa was introduced at the 2000 Turin Motor Show to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Pininfarina.550 GTZ
On October 28, 2009, Zagato and Ferrari revealed that they have been working on a drophead version of the GTZ to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the long collaboration between the two Italian establishments. The roadster GTZ is limited to five units and based on the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina. All five have been sold at the stratospheric price of £1 million (€1.1 million/ US$1.6 million) each.Motorsport
Although not intended for motorsport, some privateer teams took it upon themselves to develop the 550 for use in various series. The first racing 550 was built for Red Racing to comply with FIA sporting regulations. Italtecnica aided in the development of the project. The car was termed a 550 GT and was first tested in April 1999. It was used in the FFSA GT ChampionshipFFSA GT Championship
The GT Tour is a French Grand Touring-style sports car racing series that began in 1997. It is controlled by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile and organized by racing company Oreca...
in France from the end of 1999 until the end of 2000. The car was then sold to XL Racing in 2001 who continued to develop the car. The 550 GT made one of its final appearances at the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans
2003 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 71st Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 14 and 15 2003.-Race:After three consecutive wins, the Audi factory team officially did not field a team, although several privateers did use R8 chassis...
. In 2000, Italtecnica would create another 550 race car meeting the more powerful GT regulations in the FIA GT Championship
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
, but the car was short lived.
In 2001, Prodrive
Prodrive
Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...
built racing customer versions of the 550 for various sports car series and especially the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. However, although this brought the Ferrari name into the sport, the cars would be built entirely by Prodrive without any support from the Ferrari factory. Named the 550-GTS, a total of ten cars would be built over the next four years and campaigned by the Prodrive team as well as privateer customers.
The factory Prodrive team would win two FIA GT Championship
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
races in the cars debut in late 2001. The BMS Scuderia Italia team would take over in FIA GT, recording four wins, while the Prodrive squad would take a single win the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
. 2003 would be the best year for the cars, as Prodrive won the GTS class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2003 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 71st Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 14 and 15 2003.-Race:After three consecutive wins, the Audi factory team officially did not field a team, although several privateers did use R8 chassis...
, took second in the GTS class championship in the American Le Mans Series with four wins, and Scuderia Italia won the FIA GT championship with eight wins.
BMS Scuderia Italia would again take the FIA GT Championship with five wins in 2004, while Larbre Compétition
Larbre Compétition
Larbre Compétition is a French auto racing team founded in 1988 by Jack Leconte. Based at the Circuit du Val de Vienne in La Vigeant, Larbre has had considerable success in the Porsche Carrera Cup, French GT Championship, and international FIA GT Championship...
would take the GT1 class championship in the new Le Mans Series
Le Mans Series
The Le Mans Series is a European sports car racing endurance series based around the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . The series was originally named the Le Mans Endurance Series, but changed its name prior to the 2006 season...
. BMS Scuderia Italia would then move to the Le Mans Series as well and take that championship for 2005. At the same time, Prodrive
Prodrive
Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...
would move to their next project, the Aston Martin DBR9
Aston Martin DBR9
The Aston Martin DBR9 is a racing car built by Aston Martin Racing, debuting in 2005. The name DBR9 is derived from the original 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning DBR1 car, named for then-owner David Brown, which not only won the 24 Hour race in 1959 but also the World Sportscar title.-Development:Based...
. All 550-GTSs would be maintained by Care Racing, and a few continue to be used today. Convers MenX used a 550-GTS in the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans
2007 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 75th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France from 16–17 June 2007. Four classes of cars raced together, with each class having honors for its highest finishers...
, while Hitotsuyama Racing runs one in the full Japan Le Mans Challenge
Japan Le Mans Challenge
The Japan Le Mans Challenge was an endurance sportscar series based in Japan built around the 24 Hours of Le Mans that began in 2006. It was run by the Sports Car Endurance Race Operation sanctioning body and ran under the rules laid out by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest...
season.
Following the success of the 550-GTS, Ferrari would adapt the 575M
Ferrari 575M Maranello
The Ferrari 575M Maranello is a two-seat, two-door, grand tourer built by Ferrari. Launched in 2002, it is essentially an updated 550 Maranello featuring minor styling changes from Pininfarina...
for racing and offer it as a customer car for privateers. Some road legal Ferrari 550s would also be modified by small teams for racing, although these differed from the Prodrive-built 550-GTSs.
Awards
The 5.5 L V12 engine won the "over 4 litre" class of the International Engine of the YearInternational Engine of the Year
The International Engine of the Year is an annual competition for automotive industry internal combustion engines, judged by a panel of automobile journalists from around the world. It is organised by the United Kingdom's largest technical motoring, aerospace and traffic management publication...
award for 2000 and 2001.
External links
- Care Racing - Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello owners and maintainers
- Convers Team - Ferrari 550-GTS campaigners
- MenX Racing - Ferrari 550-GTS campaigners