Ferrari F50

 

The F50 is Ferrari's third model in its series of ultimate supercars, succeeding the F40 and preceding the Enzo. It was introduced in 1995 to commemorate Ferrari's 50th anniversary, with production lasting until 1997. Powering the F50 is a naturally-aspirated 4.7-liter V12, which was inspired by the 3.5-liter V12 used in the 1990 Ferrari 641 Formula 1 race car, making 512 horsepower and 347 lb-ft of torque paired to a six-speed manual gearbox. It launches from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and is capable of a top speed of 202 mph. Every F50 came standard in targa configuration with a removable hardtop panel for open-air driving. The F50 is also the first-ever Ferrari to use a completely carbon fiber body in a road vehicle. Its interior is fairly spartan, configured in leather, alcantara, and carbon fiber but lacking in creature comforts.

Ferrari only produced 349 total units of the F50, making it the second-rarest of the five ultimate Ferrari supercars. On average, the F50 now fetches between $2 million and $4 million on the secondhand market. I hadn't seen the Ferrari F50 up close until this year's Exotics on Broadway in late August as part of Monterey Car Week, which had six (!) F50s on display. All but one F50 at Exotics on Broadway were in Ferrari's signature Rosso Corsa red, while the non-red F50 example was in Nero Daytona black. Two of the six F50 examples traveled from up north in Canada; specifically, one of these two had Alberta plates while the other had Ontario plates. Another F50 example on display made the trek all the way from Japan. These aspects made these six F50s one of the top highlights of this year's Exotics on Broadway.

Overall, the Ferrari F50 is an absolutely amazing, incredible, unbelievable, and stunning supercar. It was once underappreciated by the general public but has now gained a significant cult following. Journalists and enthusiasts lucky enough to drive the F50 say that it is one of the best pure V12 driving experiences of any car ever made. I love rare supercars, and the Ferrari F50 is no different. In terms of Ferrari models, it doesn't get any cooler or better than the F50 and the four other halo cars in Ferrari's history.

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