The 550 and 575M may have looked contemporary from the outside, but each used a simple tubular steel chassis with body panels bolted into place.
The 599 is most definitely new-tech. It uses an Alcoa all-aluminium chassis to bring vastly improved stiffness and reduced mass. The fuel tank now sits within a longer wheelbase, bringing a lower polar moment of inertia and centre of gravity.
The Enzo’s 5999cc V12 was then reformatted for this GT application and the following numbers were settled upon: 612bhp at 7600rpm (it can spin to 8400rpm if required) and 448lb ft of torque at 5600rpm. In the context of a 1690kg claimed kerb weight, that gives the 599 a power-to-weight ratio of 362bhp per tonne, so far beyond the 291 offered by its predecessor that you could rightly conclude that this new car occupies an entirely new category. Let’s christen it ‘Super GT’.
As ever, Ferrari is keen to remind us how much technology has been gleaned from its F1 studies. The 599 is available with a paddle-shift gearbox, using the latest super-fast shift software. In the fastest setting, just 100 milliseconds elapse between clutch disengaging and fully engaging the next gear. The 599 has significant underbody aerodynamic aids, which bring a claimed 160kg of downforce at 186mph.
The car uses magneto-rheological semi-active dampers, so-called because when a magnetic field is applied to the liquid within the damper reservoir, its viscosity changes almost instantly. This function, along with the gearshift speed and the traction and stability control parameters, is controlled by a button on the steering wheel.
Our test car is also fitted with optional carbon-ceramic brakes, measuring 398mm at the front and 360mm at the rear.
