Ferrari by Sheehan

As a marketing ploy Ferrari announced that just 349 F50s would be built (although we have 385 confirmed in our database), one less than the supposed market demanded. With only fifty-six USA F50s built the F50 was the top of the line, limited production, ultra high performance and most exclusive Ferrari of its era. 
 

While the 288 GTO and F40 were based on the 308, albeit updated to Group B homologation specifications, the F50 was based on the lessons learned in F1. Using technology from Ferrari’s 1991 Tipo 642 F1 cars, the F50 featured a normally aspirated 4.7- liter V-12 produced 520 hp at 8,500 rpm and top speed was given as 202 mph with 0 to 60 covered in 3.7 seconds. The chassis (or tub, in race car speak) was made of aerospace carbon fiber and weighed a lithe 225 pounds.

For the first time in a Ferrari road car, the engine/gearbox/ differential assembly acted as a load bearing structure with the subframes bolted to the chassis, as is done with all modern Formula cars. Because the engine is bolted directly to the carbon tub, the sound of cam gears and engine noises are transmitted directly to the cockpit and the first time this author started up an F50 he thought the engine had let go!

The F50 was also the first Ferrari to have a fully electronic dash and the first US model Ferrari to have the ability to rise on its suspension for entry to steep driveways, thanks to a small toggle switch which used an electro-hydraulic control to slowly raise the body.

Thanks to the extremely rigid composite tub, the F50 was built as a 200 mph spyder, offering staggering topless performance while the form fitting composite seats finished in Connolly leather and adjustable pedals made the F50 more user friendly than the F40. 

Because every F50 was pre-sold and each was, to some extent, built to order for very select clients, each F50 came with a long list of luxury extras including a carbon fiber shipping trunk for the lift-off hardtop; a three piece set of luggage; a carbon fiber folder-photo album with the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin and about fifty large glossy photos of the new owner’s car being built at the factory, all in a matching carbon fiber box; a set of tools, a high quality car cover, racing shoes with the F50 logo boxed in a velvet like bag; a bottle of champagne; a utility light in a velvet-like bag; three sets of keys; a full set of owner’s manuals in a leather pouch and a “50th anniversary” magazine with the first owner’s name printed on the front over. While this author has never seen them in person, there was an optional pair of watches at $50,000 that also could be ordered with an F50. Today, die hard collectors also try to have the original window sticker, the original sales contract and the original lease agreement from the selling dealer for their F50.

Service problems on the F50 are minimal, even when buying a 500 mile “garage queen”. The F50s had a Factory recall for a defective front main seal, and any car with ultra low miles may not have had the update. 

The major problem with the F50 is its all electronic dash-instrument cluster and, prior to purchase the car should be run through the entire start-up and electronics check sequence.  If some part of the instrument cluster is defective, a not uncommon occurrence, the entire assembly must go back to Italy for a $10k and many month repair. For those not married to their local authorized Ferrari dealer, Rod Drew’s independent Ferrari shop, F.A.I., in Costa Mesa, can rebuild the dash at half the price and with a much faster turnaround.  Last but not least the belly pan on the F50 tends to hide leaks by holding dripping fluids and must be checked for pools of problems before purchase.
 

A new F50 listed for about $450k but could only be leased, not purchased as Ferrari wanted to control rampant price speculation while protecting themselves from possible product liability lawsuits. As they came off lease and were sold into the secondary market, prices started to rise and never stopped. An under–1,000-mile, well–documented and properly serviced U.S. model F50 with the long list of extras the cars came with when new, will easily bring $1 million while a 5,000 mile car with all services will bring about $850,000.

Because the US smog laws were due to change to OBD2 (On Board Diagnostic, level 2) for 1996, almost all the 1995 F50 production were US cars. To import one of the few 1995 Model Euro F50s and legalize it to our bizarre EPA (smog) and DOT (safety) standards is $75k to $100k, and it’s still a Euro car, so it will always carry that stigma.
 
Enzo; the Bad Boy

Named after El Commendatore, Enzo Ferrari, the Enzo is Ferraris latest bad boy on the block, combining Star Wars styling with F1 technology. Once again production was limited and Ferrari claimed only 399 Enzos were built and sold to favored clients from 2002 to 2004. However, we currently have 491 Enzos in our database, almost all of which are confirmed by various “spotters”, with more being added regularly….
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Thanks to the continuous input from the F1 program, the Enzo takes the driving experience into an all new world where, to
quote from the Enzo introduction, the Enzo becomes “an integrated system in which even the limits of the performance
achievable by the driver were enhanced, thanks to a man-machine Interface typical of Formula one.”

The doors are hinged at the fenders, like most modern supercars, and door opening is aided by gas struts, making access easy for the driver. Once in the carbon fiber racing seat, the driver is surrounded by carbon fiber panels and grasps an F1 style steering wheel, with multiple vehicle controls grouped together on the wheel, backed by large carbon fiber gear-change levers, giving the driver a large steering lock without taking his hands off the wheel. The six-speed gearbox’s electro-hydraulic system can shift gears in only 150 milliseconds and has only two settings, “Sport” for most usage and “Race” for extreme use and for the track.

F1 derived features include ride height control technology, active integrated aerodynamics and built in rear underbody diffusers or “tunnels”. The need for an F40 or F50 style rear wing is eliminated by an F1 derived nose that directs hot air from the radiators through vents to the upper front body, blocking airflow under the Enzo combined with active controls and rear diffusers. Aerodynamic downforce in what Ferrari calls a “medium-fast” turn is 758 lbs at 124 mph, increasing to 1708 lbs at 186 mph for a truly fast corner and then easing up to 1289 lbs at 217 mph so that ride height and ground clearance are maintained at the super-high speeds the Enzo is capable of. The aerodynamic load and balance are controlled by a pair of retractable front flaps and the rear spoiler. At high load the front flaps are completely extracted, so that air from the front must pass through the nose and then up-and-out through the hood vents, blocking airflow from below the car and so creating front downforce, while the small rear spoiler is extracted, for rear downforce. At high speed, the front flaps remain retracted and the front downforce supplies all downforce needed while the rear spoiler retracts for improved aerodynamics. At the lower rear underbody two large diffusers supply both high rear downforce, balancing the front downforce, with adequate ground clearance. An additional two diffusers are in front of the rear wheels, creating even more downforce in the center body area making the Enzo the most aerodynamically advanced street car of its time.

F1 inspired horizontally mounted shocks and springs with pushrod controlled suspension arms work with the active aerodynamics and Ferrari’s Skyhook shocks to automatically adjust for maximum ride comfort and road holding. Combined with power steering, huge 380mm power assisted Brembo Carbon Ceramic brakes and 19-inch five-spoke alloys fitted with the specially developed Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Scuderia tires offer F1 performance for the road.

The Enzo’s carbon fiber tub is fitted with a cast alloy subframe to separate the engine and gearbox assembly, limiting unwanted noise and vibration from the engine, a lesson learned from the F50. Power came from a new-generation 660 hp 5998cc Tipo L140 V-12 engine built with a very over-square bore of 92mm and a short stroke of only 75.2 mm. The pentroof combustion chambers were fed through four valve cylinder heads and a variable length intake system that extends the length of the induction pipes from 340 to 430mm thanks to hydraulic actuators. Also new was variable intake and exhaust valve timing that help produce 650bhp at 7800rpm, rocketing the Enzo from 0–60 mph in 3.6 seconds and giving a top speed of almost 220 mph. Once again Ferrari could claim the fastest production car on the planet.

While the US list price was about $650k, the first few to change hands brought $1.2m plus. They are now six or seven years old and trade at $1m to as much as $1.4m for a very low mileage car.
 
So far the Enzo has had five factory recalls related to a cooling fan update, the oil tank level dipstick, the front moveable flap connection, the F1 gearbox oil tank cap and the engine oil drain plug. All were covered under warranty.
 

Unlike vintage Ferraris, there should be no hidden problems on a no accident, no stories F50 or Enzo. Problems can be found through a detailed pre-purchase inspection with a compression and leakdown test but don’t be surprised by deferred maintenance issues that can require a check for $5k–$20k.

Ferrari has lobbied the EPA and DOT so that only the rich and patient would ever consider importing a non-US model Enzo.

Conclusion

With less than 100 288 GTOs ever converted to US EPA and DOT specs, only 210 factory–built US spec F40s, a mere 56 US spec F50s and a confirmed 130 US spec Enzos built, these are the most exclusive Ferraris of their eras ((1985-1986, 1989–1992, 1995–1996 and 2003–2004, respectively). When new, all were pre–sold to those with the right connections to be put the at the top of lengthy waiting lists and the financial wherewithal to pay up to a million dollars for a car that they would, in all probability, rarely use.
 
Just as the performance oriented, limited production TdFs, SWBs, and 275 GTBs have achieved a collectible status, these limited production late model cars are the top tier of late model Ferrari supercars, going to a new breed of supercar collectors. Of the four, I would suggest that at the current time the 288 GTO and the F40 are the best investment, as they have hit bottom and rebounded. The F50 is stable but rising slowly, as is the Enzo. Now that the economy has begun to recover, any of the four is a safe place to park some money, and taking one for a drive is surely more fun than counting a boxful of stock certificates or collecting rent checks.