Ferrari is a brand synonymous with Italian elegance, finesse, power, and supercar performance. With a promise to continue the family heritage, a new two-door coupe, the Ferrari 599 GTB, will take the stage for the upcoming model year. And for its official pictorial debut the car is, of course, red.
OptionsThere are four varieties of options for the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB: Racing and Track, Exteriors and Colors, Interior and Materials, and Equipment and Travel. Included within these groups are ceramic brakes, a roll bar, a carbon-fiber steering wheel with very cool LED lights that mirror the tachometer reading, a navigation system, and perforated leather seats.
PininfarinaPininfarina’s design studios penned the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB’s lines, the same people who recently sketched the 2006 Volvo C70, the 2005 Maserati Quattroporte, and the retired 2004 Ferrari 575M Maranello.
AerodynamicsFerrari went to great lengths to create a coupe that was as aerodynamic as possible. The result is a vehicle with more controlled lift, meaning it offers increased stability at higher speeds. The Ferrari 599 GTB’s coefficient of lift and drag coefficient, .190 and .336 respectively, are impressive.
Maranello Making its debut at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB fills the void created by the departure of the 575M Maranello, a magnificent supercar last produced for the 2004 model year.
HeadlightsAccenting the face of the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB are sleek high-intensity discharge headlights that blend in seamlessly with the sexy curves of the front fenders.
WeightWith a curb weight of 3,722 pounds, the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB isn’t exactly light as a feather, but then again, there’s 620 horsepower to move it down the road. Forty-seven percent of the 599 GTB’s bulk is carried over the front end, with the remaining 53 percent out back.
DimensionsEach Ferrari 599 GTB sits 52.6 inches high, 77.2 inches wide, and rests its 183.7 inches of body length on a 108.3-inch wheelbase.
Cargo Capacity Behind the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB’s two-passenger cockpit is a cargo area capable of swallowing 11.3 cubic-feet of luggage.
EngineUnder the Ferrari 599 GTB’s hood is a 6.0-liter V12 generating 620 horsepower at 7,600 rpm and 448 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,600 rpm. Engineers claim that fuel economy is relatively good, meaning better than a 1957 Chevy running on seven cylinders but worse than a Toyota Prius.
PerformanceWith that massive V12 tucked inside, the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB can reportedly make a run to 62 mph in only 3.7 seconds, with a top speed of 205 mph.
Exhaust Though the V12 engine, derived from the Enzo, is remarkably powerful, Ferrari engineers wanted to ensure that it offered a sound equal to its performance. Hence, they spent a great deal of time focused on the design of the intake manifold and the exhaust system to extract the best possible note from the 599 GTB.
TransmissionFor clutch pedal aficionados, the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB can be equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. Others, however, may enjoy the F1-SuperFast automatic that executes shifts in mere milliseconds.
BrakesFront brakes on the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB measure 353 mm by 33 mm; rear discs measure 328 mm by 28 mm.
Suspension The Ferrari 599 GTB used what engineers call a magnetorheological fluid suspension system. Think of it as a shock absorber filled with metal bits floating in a liquid, stiffened or softened by “an electronically controlled magnetic field” depending on road conditions. Ferrari’s system is kind of like GM’s magnetic ride control suspension in the Corvette.
F1-Trac F1-Trac is Ferrari lingo for an impressive handling package. In short, F1-Trac works with a standard stability control system and suspension software to determine how much traction the 599 GTB has and
will have, and subsequently adjusts engine output accordingly. Sadly, F1-Trac cannot measure driver intelligence, too.
Front Wheels Meaty 245/40 tires come on the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB, rolling on 19-inch alloy wheels. The front track measures 66.5 inches.
Rear wheels Bolted on the rear of the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB are massive 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in grippy 305/35 tires. The rear track measures 63.7 inches.
SeatsAnyone who has wondered what big bolsters look like needs to check out the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB. Swathed in soft premium leather with carbon-fiber backing, the 599 GTB’s buckets feature substantial bolsters on the seat bottom and back, and integrated headrests with cutouts trimmed in carbon fiber. And if lateral g’s get beyond crazy, there’s a beefy grab handle on the center console for terrified passengers.
InstrumentsTucked neatly into the center console of the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB are simple controls for the dual-zone climate control system, which sits directly below the audio system.
GaugesPlaced dead-center in the gauge cluster is a large tachometer (available with a red or yellow background) that runs to 10,000 rpm, well past the 8,600-rpm redline. To the right is a clearly legible speedometer, and to the left is an electronic screen for tracking things like fuel availability.
Manettino It’s called the
manettino, a term that refers to a master switch on the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB’s steering wheel. Within finger’s reach are controls for the F1-Trac suspension system, the F1-SuperFast transmission (if equipped), and the magnetized suspension.
Sale Date Buyers eager to get their hands on this 575M Maranello replacement don’t have long to wait. The 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB goes on sale in the summer of 2006.
Competitors Among the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB’s upper-crust competitors are the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish S, Bentley Continental GT, Lamborghini Murcielago, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, and Porsche Carrera GT.
PricingPricing has not been announced, though somewhere in the mid $200s is likely.
Photos courtesy of Ferrari
