Ferrari 550 Maranello / 575 M Maranello (1996–2006)

De Ferrari 550 Maranello (1996-2002) and its successor, the Ferrari 575M Maranello (2002-2006), are iconic front-engine V12 Gran Tourers. The 575M (“M” for Modificata) brought greater performance, a modernized chassis, and the introduction of F1 paddle shifters.

Ferrari 550 Maranello 1998

History and background

The Ferrari 550 Maranello marked Ferrari's return to a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup for its two-seater twelve-cylinder model, 23 years after the 365 GTB/4 Daytona had been replaced by the mid-engine Berlinetta Boxer.

After more than two decades of Ferrari production with a mid-engine model as the performance highlight of the regular production range, the cards were turned in 1996 with the introduction of the 550 Maranello. Revue Technique Automobile
After 30 months of development, the Ferrari 550 Maranello was unveiled in July 1996 at the Nürburgring race track in Germany. The model's name referred to the 5,5-liter total engine displacement in centiliters and to the city of Maranello, home to the Ferrari headquarters and factory.

The 575M Maranello, introduced in 2002, refined the concept with a larger 5,75-liter V12, F1-style transmission, and improved dynamics.

interior Ferrari 550 Maranello 1998

Design and interior

The body lines penned by Pininfarina inevitably echoed the new 2+2 stable of the 456 GT in their general concept. However, there were also retro hints of earlier classic models, such as the double exhaust vents in the front fenders similar to those of the 1960s 250 GTO and 275 GTB, while the taillight treatment was even closer to that of the legendary 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” model.

The chassis is a tubular steel space frame, onto which the aluminum body panels were soldered. The Pininfarina-designed body had a drag coefficient of 0,33.

The 575M featured a revised grille, sharper headlights, and subtle aerodynamic adjustments. The interior was more driver-oriented with improved materials, including Alcantara and leather.

The F133 engine — a new V12 for a new era

The 5,5-liter V12 of the 550 Maranello was the first completely new twelve-cylinder Ferrari engine since the flat-12 Boxer more than twenty years earlier. Earlier production V12 engines had an angle of 60 degrees between the cylinder head banks, whereas the new engine had an angle of 65 degrees. Those extra five degrees sound insignificant, but they had a practical reason: the wider V-angle provided more space between the cylinder head banks for the intake manifolds, allowing for better filling and thus more power.

The engine block and cylinder head were made entirely of aluminium — lighter than the cast iron of older Ferrari V12s and thus contributing to the excellent weight distribution of the 550. The engine was connected to the rear transaxle via a connecting rod — the same philosophy as the Daytona — resulting in a nearly 50/50 weight distribution.

The frame and main engine components were shared with the 2+2 Ferrari 456, although the wheelbase of the 550 was 100 mm shorter at 2.500 mm. The 5,5-liter engine in the 575M grew to 5,75 liters by increasing bore and stroke to 89 mm and 77 mm respectively — a modest but effective enlargement operation that yielded an extra 30 hp without fundamentally changing the character of the engine.

V12 Ferrari 550 Maranello 1998

Model variants

Ferrari 550 Maranello (1996–2002):

In total, 3.083 units were built from 1996 to 2001 — all Pininfarina coupes.

• 550 Maranello “World Record” edition (1999) — 33 limited editions commemorating the world speed record on October 12, 1998, in Marysville, Ohio, where the 550 covered 100 km at an average speed of 304,1 km/h.
• 550 Barchetta Pininfarina (2000–2001) — limited production roadster version of the 550, limited to only 448 examples. Designed by Ken Okuyama at Pininfarina, inspired by the 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa.

Ferrari 575 M Maranello (2002–2006):

In total, 3.602 units were built from 2002 to 2006 — 2.056 standard coupes and 546 Superamerica convertibles.

• 575 Superamerica (2005–2006) — convertible version with an electrochromatic glass roof that rotated 180° at the rear to lie flat over the trunk lid, 60 seconds to operate. Ferrari marketed it as the world's fastest convertible with a top speed of 320 km/h. 559 units built.
• 575 GTC (2003–2005) — racing car based on the 575M, developed for the FIA ​​GT Championship in collaboration with N Technology. 6,0-liter V12, 608 hp, carbon fiber body.
• 575 GTZ Zagato (2006) — specially built for Japanese Ferrari collector Yoshiyuki Hayashi. Designed to commemorate the 250 GT Berlinetta Zagato and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 250 series. Zagato's distinctive double-bubble roofline. Six examples built.
• 550 GTZ Barchetta Zagato (2009) — three examples, open version of the 575 GTZ, each sold for £1 million

Competitors

The 550 Maranello rivaled the Porsche 959 and Lamborghini Diablo VT. Direct competitors were:

• Lamborghini Diablo / Murcielago
• Porsche 911 Turbo (996 / 997)
• Aston Martin DB7 Vantage / DB9
• Maserati 3200 GT / 4200 GT

Successor model

The 575M was succeeded in 2006 by the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano — featuring an even larger 6,0-liter V12 producing 620 hp and entirely new architecture. The 599 was so fundamentally different that many regard it as a completely new era — not as an evolution of the 550/575M, but as an entirely new Ferrari.