Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Overview

Originally debuted at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, the Ferrari 599 GTB Fionaro was presented as a unique blend of automotive brilliance and Grand Touring enjoyment. As the successor to the 575 Maranello, the 599 features a much more aggressive design as well as improved power output, making it one of the fastest Grand Tourers of its time. Produced from 2006 to present day, the 599 GTB is most commonly available as a Grand Tourer 2-seat Berlinetta but can also be seen as a 599 GTO, 599XX or the 599XX Evo.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fionaro is a long name for a car, but for Ferrari's current production Grand Tourer it bears a significant amount of symbolism. The numerical value of 599 resembles the engine displacement of 5,999 ccs for a large 6.0 Liter V12 engine, Ferrari's largest until the FF came along. The GTB is short for Grand Turismo Berlinetta, which in Italian indicates the sporty nature of this two seater coupe intended for long, high performance journeys. Ending with Fionaro, a particularly interesting touch for a name, resembles the name of the private Ferrari test track in Maranello, Italy. The last piece is particularly interesting for this specific model line as the outgoing model, the 575 Maranello, is named after the city in which Ferrari is headquartered. Perhaps the successor to the 599 will be named after a Ferrari headquarters conference room.

The design itself is striking enough warrant a few drawn-out glances. With compelling curves that weave their way down over the long nose hiding the 6.0-liter V12, one would only dare to come closer. The sides of the coupe protrude with fender flairs that are pushed out by wide axles, while the rear is a menacing cross between an Enzo and the 575 Maranello. It is Beautiful, certainly, but that's what Grand Tourers are known for. Aston Martin doesn't hire designers from the Prius product line, nor does Bentley employ GM designers, so it would only make sense that the Ferrari design would be done by Pininfarina.

Beneath the eye-catching design hides the 612 horsepower 6.0-liter 12-cylinder engine with 448 ft-lb of torque that peaks horsepower and torque at 7,600 RPM and 5,600 RPM respectively, with a redline of 8,400 RPM. The most powerful series production Ferrari car of the time, only to be bested by the new 2012 Ferrari FF. That kind of power for a 6.0 liter engine means that this is one of the few engines to get 100 horsepower per liter of displacement without the help of a turbo or supercharger. The 599 GTB Fionaro weighs in at 1,688 kg (3,721 lbs), making it lighter than the Ferrari FF (1,885 kg) and the 575 Maranello (1,730 kg). Put the two together, light weight Grand Tourer and 100 horsepower per liter and you get an amazingly quick 0 to 60 mph time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 205 MPH. Aston Martin's V12 6.0-liter DBS does 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and hits a top speed of only 190 MPH. That sounds like an amazing advantage for Ferrari over Aston Martin.

The 599 comes paired with a 6-speed manual transmission or the F1 electrohydraulic manual transmission found in the F430 and Enzo, that allows the car to make shifts in as little as 60 milliseconds, faster than you can blink -- twice. The F1 transmission pushes the 0 to 60 time from 3.7 seconds to 3.3 seconds, a 0.4 second improvement with the removal of your left leg.

Although the graceful 599 has been around since 2006, Ferrari has already announced a working replacement, codenamed the "F152." It's anticipated to still house a V12 with a front-engine rear wheel drive layout, most likely sharing the 6.3 liter engine found in the FF. It will also most likely feature significant weight reduction with the introduction of an aluminum frame and carbon fibre body panels.

In the mean time, you can be sure to pick a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano up with your parent's allowance money for a mere $310,543. Be sure to pack an extra $10,000 if you want the exceedingly faster F1 transmission. Or, you could just wait for the successor to come out, we hear it may have over 700 horsepower...