1995 Ferrari F50

1995 Ferrari F50
Sold for $1,677,500 Including Commission
RM Auction, Monterey, CA. 2013
Chassis no. ZFFTA46B000099999
520 bhp, 4,698 cc V-12 engine with Bosch Motronic 2.7 engine management, six-speed manual transmission, four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs and unequal length wishbones, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: 101.6 in.

•The original show car used to introduce the F50 at Geneva in 1995
•The last Ferrari with a five-digit chassis number
•Used for F50 promotional materials
•Delivered new to legendary Ferrari dealer Jacques Swaters
•Carefully maintained, with less than 1,100 miles


"Fifty years of racing, fifty years of winning, fifty years of hard work." With these words, Luca di Montezemolo introduced the stunning Ferrari F50 on March 6, 1995, at the Auto Museum in Geneva, Switzerland, in conjunction with the city's 63rd annual auto show. Niki Lauda was on the list of prominent guests, which included various Ferrari dealers, distributors, clients, and friends.

Piero Lardi Ferrari and Sergio Pininfarina removed the car cover to officially present the new car to the world. The F40 may have been a hard act to follow, but Ferrari's designers exceeded themselves with the F50, which replaced its predecessor's small capacity, twin-turbo V-8 powerplant with a more traditional Ferrari V-12 layout.

Using technology derived from Ferrari's Formula One V-12, the new, naturally aspirated 4.7-liter engine featured a 65-degree angle between the two cylinder banks and four overhead camshafts with three intake and two exhaust valves per cylinder. Its compression ratio was 11.3:1, and a Bosch Motronic 2.7 unit controlled the fuel injection and ignition, while a throttle valve driven by the ECU allowed for two exhaust lengths, with one tuned to achieve the greatest torque and the other for better top-end performance, reducing the backpressure on the exhaust. In fact, the self-diagnostic system even adhered to California's notoriously strict exhaust emission standards.

The crankcase itself was made of high-strength nodular cast iron, while Nikasil-coated liners and the connecting rods were made of titanium. Dry-sump oiling was used with three scavenge pumps and one supply pump. All told, maximum output reached 520 brake horsepower at 8,500 rpm and peak torque was 347 foot-pounds at 6,500 rpm. The 436-pound engine itself was durable and capable of reaching over 10,000 rpm.

A six-speed longitudinal gearbox, complete with a limited-slip differential, was fitted behind the engine, between which was mounted the oil tank for the dry-sump engine lubrication system—all reminiscent of the layout used in Ferrari's contemporary Formula One cars. Top speed was purportedly 325 km/h (202 mph), and the 0--60 dash required merely 3.7 seconds. Covering the standing mile in just 30.3 seconds, some commentators described the F50 as a Ferrari F1 machine with a second seat and a sports car body.

The comparison was far from unfounded. The chassis was made entirely of Cytec aerospace carbon fiber and weighed a mere 225 pounds. The aircraft-style rubber fuel bladder was contained within this chassis, behind the driver and in front of the engine. For the first time in a Ferrari road car, the engine/gearbox/differential assembly acted as a load-bearing structure. Large brake discs were ventilated, drilled, and fitted with four-piston Brembo brake calipers. The brakes were so good, in fact, that ABS was deemed unnecessary.

Inside, the instrument panel featured a tachometer and speedometer, as well as fuel, oil, and water temperatures and oil pressure gauges, which were all controlled by a microcomputer and displayed to the driver by LCD. This computerized system also included a statistics bank, which memorized the various use and mission profile parameters of the car. Fully adjustable, the throttle, brake, and clutch pedals were all drilled for weight reduction. The gated gearshift was traditional Ferrari and, in the interest of weight, even the gear knob and lever were made of lightweight composite materials. Virtually every element benefited from cutting-edge technology.

In typical Ferrari fashion, the company announced that just 349 cars would be built over two years, which was one less than the market demanded. The first 10 cars went to Europe, while deliveries to the United States began in July 1995. Each owner received a document signed by Luca di Montezemolo, attesting to the authenticity of the car, and all the owners were invited back to Modena after the last F50 was produced, in order to celebrate the evolution of the car.

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Robert Myrick Photography