Motoring in Spain - Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano 959
Simply magnificent
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano 959 Simply magnificent
IT MIGHT BE MOSTLY ABOUT PERFORMANCE AND FORMULA 1 FLAIR BUT, AS CHARLIE FLINDT DISCOVERS, THE NEW FERRARI 599 GTB FIORANO IS ALSO ABOUT COMFORT AND SAFETY – CREATING A PLEASURABLE DRIVING ENVIRONMENT FOR NON-SCHUMACHERS. These are good times for Ferrari. Last year, for instance, about 5,400 cars were delivered to about 5,400 very satisfied customers. The company posted a trading profit up nearly 14 per cent on the year before, on a 10 per cent increase in turnover. This year looks to be even better, with new markets opening up and sales increasing rapidly to the new super-rich of South America, eastern Europe and, of course, China.
With perfect timing, Ferrari have just finished a major overhaul of the whole range. It started in 2004 with the 612 Scaglietti, and is now complete with the arrival of (take a deep breath) the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. "Fiorano" is the name of Ferrari’s test track, GTB stands for Gran Turismo Berlinetta, and 599 is one-tenth the cubic capacity of the engine. No-one ever said that Ferrari nomenclature was simple.
The car itself is an all-aluminium two-seater built, according to Ferrari, with several specific objectives: to surpass the intense driving pleasure brought to you by previous models such as the F40; to guarantee stunning performance; and to put the whole lot together in a user-friendly package with roominess, comfort, ergonomics and safety.
When it comes to the detail, we simply have to start with the engine. It’s a 5,999 cc V12, with twin overhead camshafts on each cylinder bank. It produces 77 kW per litre – a first for a naturally aspirated production engines of this displacement. It holds second place in the record books for this type of engine when it comes to maximum revs – it is rated at 7,600, and maximum is a screaming 8,400 rpm. Second place is nothing to be ashamed of when the Enzo is first.
Then there’s the gearbox, where the 599 makes the most of all that Formula 1 experience. Incredibly fast gear-change times are achieved thanks to electronic management programmes and a feature that makes the most of the elastic energy with the transmission components. God knows how they do that, but the result is a gear-change time of 0.1 seconds. And remember all the fuss about "Launch Control" giving Ferrari cars such an advantage on the starting grid of Formula 1 races? It’s now yours to use at those traffic light getaways in the 599.
Put that engine and the gearbox together, and you get serious toupee-shifting performance figures: 100 kph in less than four seconds, and an unspecified top speed – all we know is that it’s more than 330 kph. And here’s a first: Ferrari talk of "paying particular attention to fuel consumption!". There’s something we never thought we’d see in a Ferrari brochure, but maybe it’s a sign of the times.
All those long relentless hours of Formula 1 testing and racing have produced management systems to deal with road holding and car stability – and thus safety. The wheels are monitored for speed and grip, and power delivery is automatically regulated. There are two settings: Sport, for the best balance of grip and road performance, and Race which, put simply, is all-out bonkers. (Shame on you if you thought the second setting might be "Comfort", or "Leisure"; this is a Ferrari, not an Allegro.)
And if all this technology hasn’t melted your brain, get this: the dampers in the suspension are filled with a fluid (easy so far) which has its viscosity (stickiness – and, therefore, stiffness of the damper) changed by the application of electronically controlled magnetic field. Just for the record, it’s called Magnetorheological Suspension Control. Now, what would that be worth in Scrabble?
That’s quite enough techno-babble. Let’s look at the driving environment. Here, at last, is proof that lesser mortals will find themselves at the wheel of a Ferrari; it won’t always be Herr Schumacher. The interior is trimmed in a choice of sumptuous leather finishes; there are driver-friendly touches like parking sensors, dual-zone climate control and electronically adjustable steering wheel. You can order the bespoke luggage set, and specify the iPod connection kit – although I would have thought it would be sacrilege to try and hide the sound of the V12. There’s one feature for the insurance company, too: a satellite-linked anti-theft system.
Mind you, they do cater for Herr Schumacher, too. In "Racing and Track" option, the interior comes with four-point harnesses and a cockpit roll bar.
The 599 is some package, and it completes a really fine range from Ferrari. We should all wish the famous Italian company well, not just because that name represents the ultimate in glamour and sophistication, but also because Ferrari is a barometer for the economic state of the world. When these magnificent machines are rolling out of the factory in good numbers, we can rest assured that global business is in very respectable health. Long may Ferrari’s golden years continue.
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano 959
Engine: V12, 5,999 cc Power: 456 kW @ 7,600 rpm Max speed: 330+ kph Performance, 0 to 100 kph: 3.7 seconds Combined fuel economy: 21.3 litres/100 km SUMMARY: The prancing horse’s stable is now gloriously complete.
