The Ferrari 550 Maranello and 550 Barchetta Pininfarina (Type F133) are 2-seat grand tourers built by Ferrari. Introduced in 1996, the 550 was an upmarket front-engined V12 coupe of the kind not seen since the Daytona. It shared its platform and 5.5 L (5474 cc) engine with the 2+2 456 (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 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 and V8 F355 as mid-engined 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 clubs or standard overnight bags. 3,083 units were produced.
The 550 line was replaced by the Modificata 575 M Maranello in 2002.
Specifications
Engine
Ferrari 550 Maranello V12 engine front-engined car.
The engine is a naturally aspirated V12 with 4 valves per cylinder, dual overhead cams and variable length intake manifold. It displaces 5474 cc (334 in³) and produces 485 PS (357 kW; 478 hp) at 7000 rpm and 568.1 N·m (419 lb·ft) at 5000 rpm. Bore and stroke is 88 x 75 mm.
Chassis
The 550 Maranello has a tubular steel frame chassis with light aluminum bodywork bolted to it[2] and 6-speed manual transmission. The steering is rack and pinion with variable power assist. The vented disc brakes 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 mph (97 km/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.[3] The top speed is 320.3 kilometers per hour (199.0 mph). Drag coefficient (Cd) was 0.33.
Press
In 2004, Evo ran a ‘Greatest Drivers’ Car’ showdown with the greatest cars from the previous ten years, including 911 GT3, Honda NSX-R and Zonda C12S. The 550 Maranello won. The 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.’
