2004 Ferrari 575M Maranello 'HGTC' Coupé

Registration no. R25 FER Chassis no. ZFFBT55C000138466

Footnotes

'The Maranello needs no excuses: it is right-minded, a return to traditional values, albeit values and standards that tower high above those set by the Daytona when it shuffled off to extinction a quarter of a century ago.' – Car magazine.

Introduced for 2002, the Ferrari 575M (Modificata) represented an evolution of the acclaimed 550 Maranello rather than an entirely new model. With the introduction of the 550 Maranello in 1997, Ferrari had returned to its tradition of building front-engined V12 sports cars, resurrecting a line that had remained dormant since the demise of the 365GTB/4 'Daytona' in 1974. The heart of any Ferrari is its engine, and the 550 Maranello's 48-valve, 5.5-litre V12 developed 485bhp at 7,000rpm, some 100-or-so horsepower more than the Daytona's. Ferrari had discovered long ago that providing optimum balance in a front-engined sports car necessitated the use of a rear transaxle, and the Maranello's came with six speeds. The power train was housed in a tubular steel chassis, to which was attached aluminium coachwork, while the all-independent suspension incorporated dual-mode (normal/sports) damping, switch-selectable by the driver, which was complemented by speed-sensitive power-assisted steering.

Styled by Pininfarina like its illustrious 'Daytona' predecessor, the 550 Maranello was similarly proportioned, adopting the classical combination of long bonnet, small cabin and truncated tail. The body's aerodynamics were developed in the wind tunnel, where hours of testing ensured that the minimum of drag was combined with constant downforce regardless of set up, an important consideration in a 200mph road car. Styling details such as the bonnet air scoop and hot air outlets behind the front wheelarches recalled the great competizione Ferraris of the past, in particular the immortal 250GTO, while the tail incorporated Ferrari's characteristic twin circular lights. For the 575M, engine displacement grew to 5,748cc and maximum power to 515bhp, while transmitting it to the ground was a new six-speed 'paddle shift' semi-automatic gearbox, a technology that Ferrari had developed in Formula 1. Traditionalists could still order a conventional six-speed gated manual 'box. When production ceased in 2005, 2,056 cars had been completed, of which 1,810 had the 'F1' transmission, 246 the manual alternative.

Finished in the classic combination of Rosso Corsa with black leather interior, this 575M - unlike the majority of Maranellos - has the Handling GTC Package for greatly enhanced on-the-road performance, an option that added considerably to the purchase price. This original right-hand drive car was supplied new on 1st September 2004 and comes with a certificate from the Maranello Concessionaires Archive confirming that it is one of only six delivered to the UK factory-fitted with the desirable Handling GTC Package, out of an estimated 90 such cars sold worldwide. Transforming the car, the HGTC Package included stiffer suspension, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, a sports exhaust system, 19" wheels, and a revised ECU enabling faster gear changes.

A new battery was fitted in 2017. There is a NavTrak installed, which will need re-activating for the new owner. Accompanying documentation consists of a service book, sundry invoices, a V5C Registration Certificate, current MoT, and HR Owen's bill for the car's most recent service, which included a change of cam belts and was carried out in December 2018.

Owned by the vendor since 2017 and having covered some circa 24000 miles from new, this beautiful car represents a very rare opportunity to acquire a superb, low mileage example of one of Ferrari's best ever V12 Grand Tourers, equipped with rare and desirable Handling GTC Package. It is surely one of the best examples of its type currently available. A worthy modern-day successor to the Ferrari 'Daytona'.