Circa 7,890 kilometres from new
2010 Ferrari 599 GTO Coupé

Footnotes

"The 599 GTO is one of the absolute finest track cars ever made. That it delivers some tactile qualities on the road – plus it's very habitable, make it a supreme all-rounder.
"What is also evident is the GTO pulls as hard in fifth as a 911 does in third." – Autocar.

Announced in April 2010, the 599 GTO was only the third Ferrari to carry the evocative 'Gran Turismo Omologato' designation, the others being the 250 GTO and 288 GTO. The 599 GTO was a development of the original 599 GTB Fiorano that had been introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in February 2006. Its immediate predecessor - the 575 Maranello - had met with a mixed reception, disappointing those that had so admired the 550 Maranello, so Ferrari had some catching up to do in designing the 599.

Having favoured the mid-engined layout for its 12-cylinder road cars from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s, Ferrari surprised everyone by introducing the 550 Maranello. The latter's arrival in 1997 saw the Italian manufacturer return to its tradition of building front-engined V12 two-seater sports cars, resurrecting a line that had remained dormant since the demise of the 365 GTB/4 'Daytona' in 1974.

The heart of any Ferrari is its engine, and the 599's 48-valve, 6.0-litre V12 was a reworked version of that found in the Enzo supercar. As installed in the 599, this state-of-the-art unit produced a staggering 612bhp at 7,600rpm with maximum torque of 448lb/ft at 5,600 revs. Weighing a claimed 1,690kg, the 599 has a power-to-weight ratio of 362bhp per tonne. Developed as part of Ferrari's Formula 1 programme, the paddle shift gearbox had become a feature of its range-topping sports cars and was available in its latest form for the 599, capable of changing gear in a mere 100 milliseconds. A conventional six-speed gearbox was available also.

Although active suspension had long been banned form Formula 1, its development for road cars had continued and the 599 came equipped with SCM magnetorheological 'semi-active' dampers. The latter's damping fluid changes in viscosity almost instantaneously when a magnetic field is applied, thereby altering the suspension characteristics. Damper controls were placed on the Formula 1-style steering wheel together with those for traction control and stability, as was the starter button. The 599's fortunate driver would find him/herself looking at a central analogue rev counter flanked by a similar speedometer and an electronic display screen for all other functions. Ferrari thoughtfully provided plentiful storage space within the sumptuous leather-trimmed interior.

In line with Ferrari's current practice, a succession of limited edition variants followed. A road-going version of the track-only 599 XX, the 599 GTO came with 671bhp on tap and weighed almost 100kg less than the standard 599 GTB, a combination that delivered a 0-100km/h time of less than 3.3 seconds and a top speed in excess of 335km/h. The 599 GTO was the fastest road-going Ferrari at the time of its introduction, proving capable of lapping the Italian firm's Fiorano test track almost a second quicker than the mid-engined Enzo.

The increase in engine output - some 59 horsepower more than the 599 GTB - had been achieved in part by reducing the engine's internal friction, plus an increase in compression ratio and redesigned intake and exhaust arrangements. Despite this, the GTO was still able to meet Euro 5 emissions standards and, unlike the 599 XX, could be looked after by any Ferrari dealer.

GTO production was limited to only 599 cars, which were reserved exclusively for Ferrari's most favoured customers. It is important to mention that 599 GTO ownership has become the gateway to owing a new Ferrari supercar; if you want one of the latest Ferraris then owning a 599 GTO is the way to get one.

Representing a rare opportunity to acquire a little used example of this coveted limited edition Ferrari, chassis number '175965' was delivered new to Tokyo, Japan in 2010 where it had only one owner prior to being imported into Europe where it went through Joe Macari in the UK in 2015 to arrive in Germany with the 2nd owner, a German collector. Around that time the 599 GTO also received the all-important Ferrari Classiche certification. Presented in immaculate condition, having covered a mere 7,890 kilometres from new, the car is finished in Bianco Avus with Tessuto Tipo Cordura interior. Other noteworthy features include the following:

Carbon fibre headlight bucket
Carbon-ceramic brakes
Carbon fibre driving zone
Coloured safety belts - Rosso
Carbon fibre wheels Cup
Carpet colours - not standard
Instrument panels - Rosso
Privacy glass rear windows
Two colour paintwork - Grigio Silverstone Opaco
iPod connection
Scuderia shields on front wings carbon fibre
Cascade navigation system
Carbon fibre racing seats
Coloured 20" Challenge rims - Nero Lucido
Special features
Coloured stitching Rosso 0504
Interior 30 fabric colour

This car also boasts a carbon steering wheel with LED shift; automatic air conditioning; tyre pressure monitoring; xenon lighting with headlight washers; carbon shift flippers; ABS and traction control; and a rain sensor. Accompanying documentation includes the following:

Original dealer-stamped service booklet
Classiche Ferrari certificate with Ferrari Red book
Dealer maintenance invoices
Instruction manual car
Quick manual car
Instruction manual stereo/navigation
Warranty certificate stereo/navigation
Book service addresses Ferrari
Becker service booklet
Car card
Code card
DVD navigation
Ferrari service book

The car also comes with two original keys and the original Alcantara GTO storage folder. Services are recorded at the following date and distances from new:

22.10.2010 at 0km
22.04.2012 at 711km
18.10.2012 at 1,934km
11.10.2013 at 3,914km
10.10.2014 at 6,849km
12.06.2018 at 7,344km

The current odometer reading is 7,890km and the car comes with UK V5 registration document and has been imported into the EU pre-Brexit. Please note that as a Japanese specification model this car may require homologation prior to road registration in Europe.

Ferrari pulled off a rare trick with the 599 GTO, creating a truly versatile car that is as exciting on the racetrack as it is civilised on the road. There can be little doubt that this modern icon will be a collectible future classic, and few would disagree with Autocar's conclusion: "This is a genuine landmark car for Ferrari... a bona fide addition to the GTO family, make no mistake."