Ferrari 550

Ferrari introduced the 550 Maranello in July 1996 at the Nürburgring, marking the first front-engine V12 flagship since the 365 GTB/4 Daytona. The mid-engine Boxer and Testarossa had held the position for 23 years, but the 550 brought back a classic layout with modern engineering. Its aluminum body, designed by Pininfarina under Lorenzo Ramaciotti, sat on a tubular steel frame with a sandwich material called Feran.

Under the hood, the 5.5-liter Tipo F133 V12 produced 485 horsepower, pushing the car to 199 mph. The six-speed manual transaxle sent power to the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential. Independent double-wishbone suspension with adjustable dampers gave drivers a choice between normal and sport modes. The 550 could hit 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, but its real strength was long-distance comfort. Road & Track called it delightful, noting a fluid driving experience that modern supercars lack. Forbes praised its ability to cruise at high speeds for hours without complaint.

Production ran through 2002, with 3,083 total units built. In 2000, Ferrari released the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, a roadster limited to 448 examples. The 550's successor, the 575M Maranello, arrived in 2002 with a larger engine and optional paddle-shift transmission. Today, the 550 is prized as one of the last analog Ferraris, with its manual gearbox and naturally aspirated V12 becoming increasingly rare. [edit]