It’s not the most beautiful or fastest of the “Big Six”, but the Ferrari F50 has a captivating charm. While it may not have the same appeal as the F40, which it ideally replaced, it seduces in an incredible way. No other Prancing Horse vehicle has ever had a closer relationship with Formula 1 cars.
Ferrari F50 at auction in Miami: here are its characteristics
This specimen of the species, born in 1996, is being offered to tempt potential buyers, who can compete for the vehicle with chassis number 105768 at the Miami auction, organized by RM Sotheby’s. The date to mark in your calendar is Friday, February 28.
Obviously, to entertain the idea of such shopping, one must have particularly robust finances. There’s no room here for penniless dreamers: pre-auction estimates range from 5.5 to 6.5 million dollars. We’re well beyond the model’s average valuations, but working in its favor is the truly minimal mileage, which makes all the difference: since new, this Ferrari F50 has accumulated just 2,174 kilometers. We can say it’s practically new.
We’re looking at a perfectly preserved supercar that gratifies all sensory dimensions. The bodywork is in classic Rosso Corsa, with black and red interiors: the typical mix for this model. Then there’s the Ferrari Classiche certification with Red Book: an additional plus. Initially, the car we’re discussing was delivered to a Monaco client, a collector of four-wheeled works of art.
At the Miami auction, some wealthy enthusiast will have the opportunity to secure the vehicle, which is one of the least used and most authentic Ferrari F50 examples, thus entering the world of the Big Six or strengthening their collection of this series, which includes alongside it the GTO, F40, Enzo, LaFerrari, and F80. The 154th of 349 jewels of the species built will change hands during the American auction.
Expertly maintained over the years, this beast still shines today with its stellar charm. Currently, it’s located in Coral Gables, Florida, in the hands of the current owner. Soon it should have another, ready to experience the analog adrenaline rushes provided by this wonderful supercar, born to celebrate, two years in advance, the half-century of life of the Maranello automotive company.
The propulsion task is entrusted to a naturally aspirated 4.7-liter V12 engine, derived from the 1989 640 F1, delivering 520 horsepower at 8500 rpm, with maximum torque of 471 Nm at 6500 rpm. The power unit, together with the transmission, serves a load-bearing function and is bolted to a carbon fiber monocoque, in a canvas that descends from the 1991 Grand Prix single-seater.
The push-rod suspensions are also related to those of F1. Its dynamic behavior is sublime. Owners consider it an extraordinarily satisfying supercar to drive, with its best-in-class behavior. The sensory pleasure is also a reference point, only partially represented by the performance figures: acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.87 seconds and from 0 to 1,000 meters in 21.7 seconds, maximum speed of 325 km/h.
This verve of the Ferrari F50 is accompanied by mechanical musicality of the finest kind, which permanently fixes itself in the heart, where it gains a central space. The lines designed by Pietro Camardella for Pininfarina are also sublime, reaching maximum splendor in the open version. In this guise, the supercar in question looks like a prototype that escaped from the Daytona track, but with class to spare.