The 550 Maranello marked Ferrari's return to a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout for its 2-seater 12-cylinder model, 23 years after the 365 GTB/4 Daytona. Unveiled in July 1996 at the Nürburgring racing circuit, the model's name referred to the 5.5-litres total engine displacement and to the town of Maranello, home to the Ferrari headquarters and factory. It was president Luca di Montezemolo who had decreed that Ferrari’s new series-production flagship should be front-engined, bringing to an end a 23-year-long line of flat-12 mid-engined supercars that stretched from Berlinetta Boxer through Testarossa to F512M. His reasoning was that a front-engined super-GT would be more useable, more driveable than a mid-engined exotic, and he was right. So right that today’s 812 Superfast still follows the template set by the 550 Maranello more than 20 years ago.
The car we have here was supplied new via Olympic Ferrari in Exeter to Lord A Whymeswold in May 1997 and is presented in Rosso Corsa with nero leather interior. The car was then sold to Mr A Vickery later that year before being bought by its 3rd and last owner in April 1998 who kept it as part of their small Ferrari collection. The car has been regularly serviced by Ferrari Manchester and has only covered 4,864 miles. It is offered complete with its original leather pouch including; handbooks, owner’s manual, owner’s service book plus the sales and service directory and other associated booklets and original spare keys. This is a unique opportunity to purchase a stunning example of a highly desirable and highly regarded front engine V12 motorcar with manual transmission.
