Classic Car Racing Stables
Ferrari 550 Maranello
The last manual transmission V12 Ferrari built.
Production started: 1996.
Production ended: 2001.
Total production: 457 RHD, and 2,626 LHD
This car has the ultra rare carbon fibre sports seat option ( only between 3-8 Ferrari 550's had this option in the UK besides the 10 RHD 550 World Speed Record Editions)
5.5-litre V12 with a 65 degree V engine with four valves per cylinder and quad camshafts. Maximum power of 485 bhp at 7000 rpm, and 419 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm. At the compression ratio of 10.8 to 1, the Maranello’s V-12 engine is controlled by a Bosch Motronic 5.2 system.
One major attraction of the Ferrari 550 Maranello is the ASR traction control that features three modes – Normal, Sport, and Off.
Michael Schumacher and Nikki Lauda both played key roles in the development of the Ferrari 550 Maranello during the time Michael Schumacher was within the Ferrari F1 team.
On October 12 1998, in the USA a standard version of the Ferrari 550 Maranello broke all the world’s speed records for road cars. A distance of 100 miles covered at an average speed of 190.2 mph (306 km/h). A distance of 100 kilometers at an average speed of 188.9 mph (304 km/h). Driving for one hour at an average speed of 184 mph (296 km/h).
In 2003 the Veloqx Prodrive Racing team of Jamie Davies, Tomáš Enge, Peter Kox won the Le Mans Grand Touring Sport (LMGTS) class in a Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello, securing Ferrari its first GT win since the 1981 race.
EVO Magazine: The Ferrari 550 Maranello was their Performance Car of the DECADE between 1994-2004
Contenders for the title were: Porsche 911 GT3['03], Honda NSX-R, ZONDA C12S, M3, SUBARU P1 ,911 GT3['99], Ferrari 550M, ELISE 135, 911 TURBO['95], CLIO WILLIAMS.........
EVO magazine stated that ‘As with all great cars, there’s no one facet that dominates the experience’. ‘Yes the engine is mighty, but the chassis is its equal. There's never been a supercar that's so exploitable and so rounded in its abilities.’
The 5.5 L F133 V12 engine won the "over 4 litre" class of the International Engine of the Year award for 2000 and 2001.
CURRENT CARS - to read about their specification click on 'Car Details' at the top of the page and to see more photos click on 'Gallery of Cars'
Classic Sportscar enthusiast
I have been a classic and sportscar enthusiast for more than 40 years and so far have had great fortune to have owned and enjoyed the following fabulous cars:
MGB Roadster, TR6, E-Type Series 1 3.8, two 4.2 Roadsters, Ferrari Dino 246GT, 246GTS, 308GTS QV, 550 Maranello, Maserati Mistral Spider 4000, Porsche 911 2.4T, 911 2.4S, Mercedes 190SL, 230SL, 250SL, 280SL, SLK 32 AMG, Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider Veloce x2, Lotus Elise 111R x2, MG TB Midget, BMW 3.0 CSi x2, Caterham 7 Supersport R, Aston Martin DBS Volante and BMW M3.