Classic: Ferrari 550 Maranello
Posted on 18-06-2016 to 18:00 by larssb – 39 Comments”
Sometimes everything falls suddenly into place. Pininfarina has a great day, Luca Cordero de Montezemelo is it everywhere once and the shelves are full of blissful technique. Then you get this: the magnificent Ferrari 550 Maranello.
Spot on, as the English say. The concept was terrific, a large two-seater Grand Turismo with a twaalfcilinder in the front, but the way in which the Italian artists then vormgaven and developed was sublime. It’s true and especially the balance between performance potential and ease of use was a great achievement of the already talentloze designers and engineers. Check it with our own Casper, he can tell you. Tastes differ of course, but there was an undeniably timeless and elegant design from the workshops in Maranello roles. And there were remarkably few complex lines, curves, holes, corners, spoilers or diffusers. Che belezza.
Also, the technique is not incomprehensible or alien. The front is a ongeblazen 5.5 litre V12 is a place, that never more complicated than four valves per cylinder and, thereby, 485 HP, delivers to the transaxle construction between the rear wheels. There has undoubtedly intensely happy man or woman in the front has a little control of by means of the manual zesbak. And this is to him or her to determine whether the relaxed cruising, or unabashedly erasing, the next few kilometres. The 550 doesn’t matter. Nothing is the price of this Ferrari difficulty. Except for showing off.
But modest he is not. Not in his performance, he sprints from 0 to 100 in 4.4 seconds and jakkert to a peak of 320 km/h, and certainly not in the quantity of fuel he requires. But you can still buy, of course, no twaalfcilinder GT to go hypermilen or in his fifth objection by an alotment strumming. He can do it well, by the way. And despite the aluminum body, its weight is also not very modest: he lays still almost 1700 KG in the scales. Yet the mass of a merciless pot snaarstrak cracks not in the way. That makes the 550 even better than its successor, the 575M, as is the general opinion. That says something about the character, and set-up of this impressive appearance, which is strong in his shoes.
Those are rather broad and should be especially on the rear axle often be replaced if the potential is fully utilised. Not so strange with almost 500 HP and especially the torque of 570 Nm. That get powdery rubber to your nice rims, effortlessly and faster than the bandenboer they can order. But why would you? The 550 has the class to quietly toerend a lot of respect. Very different than many of his hitsige, lower conspecifics with mid-engine that constantly, hyperactive and loud confirmation of their existence force. That does not in a Maranello.
It was also the first Ferrari two-seater in over 20 years that the engine in the front. The last one was the 365 GTB series, his successors had since 1973, the engine is behind the seats up in 1996, this 550 is the tradition of a GT with a V12 in the front again continued. Four years earlier, there was already, of course, the understated 456, where the 550 also his platform and some of the technique share, but that is a 2+2. This 550 has but two seats and a different character, he is a piece of kwajongensachtiger than the chic-powerful 456. The latter is suitable for the transport of children, the Maranello part you are alone with your girlfriend. Or mistress.
If her permits may also be homeless, in the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina. More than 400 units left the factory gates as a roadster. For true die-hards or, more likely, boulevard cruisers with a large garage. For a proper convertible top could not, from. There is not, or better said: there was a piece of nooddoek included that allows you to with good grace not harder can drive than 110 km/h when it gepunnikt. The looks really do not matter. A nice contrast with your girlfriend, if it’s good.
The choice in closed 550 Maranello’s is much larger, there were up to 2002, more than 3000 of these beautiful good allrounders sold. Most of them drive yet, his great stamina also seems to be for the technique to apply. A relatively reliable GT, especially in its segment. But, as always, everything stands or falls with thoroughly and promptly carried out maintenance. And that is pricey. About the tires, we had it all, the 550 is a large-scale consumer. But also the technique continues to demand attention. Every 50,000 km a new timing belt, and before it there is he already has four regular maintenances in the booklets. Plus two sets of brake pads and disks. And then everything was still okay. Otherwise, the account easily, with three zeros on the end. But it is worth it for two fives and a zero from Maranello. Beautiful.
Gallery: Ferrari 550 Maranello 1996
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