Ferrari

Thanks to a 60-year history of producing the world’s sexiest sportscars, backed up by F1 success, Ferrari is one of the industry’s legendary companies. The Prancing Horse’s most recent products prove that not only can its cars be exhilarating to drive at the limit, but they can make excellent day-to-day vehicles.

For many Tifosi, the beginning of Ferrari’s modern era started in 1995 – the year that saw the arrival of the F355 in UK showrooms and a certain Mr Schumacher join the Formula 1 team to start his record book re-writing adventure. As far as the road cars went, the 355 was the first sign that the Maranello-based company had responded to the wakeup call provided by the Honda NSX and would no longer rest on its laurels.

Although the NSX, launched in 1989, didn’t exactly prove to be a massive commercial success, it did show that a mid-engined supercar didn’t need to be brutishly heavy to drive. Ferrari’s 348, which appeared at the same time, was the exact opposite – pretty, but a bit of a dog to drive, so the Japanese car proved a powerful trigger.

During the preceding few years, Ferrari had been as iconic as it ever, but the progress of rival manufacturers – most notably Porsche – seemed to go un-noticed in Italy. As the world advanced, it seemed that Ferrari wasn’t keeping pace and though its cars were as beautiful and sonorous as ever, ownership of them was too much of a compromise for all but the most committed.

The 355, though, was a step in the right direction as had been the 456 GT, but the 550 Maranello moved the game on considerably when it replaced the 512 TR (nee Testarossa). However, with the arrival of the 360 Modena in 1999, the dawn of the truly user-friendly Ferrari was well upon us.

Into the modern age

Unlike the F355, the 360 was all-new from the ground up and embraced a new generation styling theme that remains with us today. Although it was easier to drive around town and suitable for Ferrari virgins too, its essential ‘animal’ character was still but a flex of the right toe away. And, since the introduction of the 360, not only has the ‘Ferrari’ driving experience become more accessible, the interiors have become bigger and less slap-dash from a design standpoint – important from a long term ownership perspective.

The goalposts continued to be moved with each new model introduction, and as the F1 team entered its most successful era, the road car division made sure that the connection was played up to the full. The semi-automatic paddle shift gearbox was a case in point – being called the F1 – but also, the introduction of carbon ceramic brakes and the much-vaunted and highly effective electronically controlled differential to the road cars showed that motorsport still has relevance.

More recently, the arrival of the Audi funded Lamborghini has caused Ferrari to up its game yet again. Responding to the all-round brilliance of the Gallardo and Murcielago, you’ll now find a Ferrari interior a solid and well constructed place to be – something that wasn’t true in the older cars.

Making the driver feel special is also foremost in the Ferrari design team’s brief and driver aids found in the current range are adjustable, so that you can experience a little bit of the Schumacher magic for yourself.

The transformation in Ferrari’s products between 1990 and today has been remarkable. The sheer brilliance of the current front- and mid-engined cars clearly shows that when it listens to the opposition (while keeping hold of the qualities that made it great in the first place), it can build the finest supercars money can buy. Exactly how it should be.

The cars

Ferrari’s current range is neatly split into two. The ‘baby’ of the clan is the mid-engined V8 powered F430, while the grown-up choices (599 and 612) retain V12 engines; the cornerstone of Ferrari DNA. Waiting lists are the order of the day for the new cars, but going pre-owned opens up all manner of options.

Ferrari 550 Maranello

When it burst onto the scene in 1996, the Ferrari 550 was met with a fair amount of criticism from the marque’s fans – ‘it’s too bland’, and, ‘the engine’s in the front’, they complained. To some degree, the criticisms were justifiable. After all, the mid-engined Testarossa based 512 TR it replaced was one of the most memorable debutantes of the 1980s.

However, as the scribes got behind the wheel of the new car, they were convinced – this was the real deal – and the criticisms were replaced by plenty of ‘modern Daytona’ references. Inside, it’s beautifully detailed, and has the most evocative interior to grace a Ferrari. You’ll be seduced by the wonderful V12 with seemingly endless amounts of power – but take your Platinum Card on a long run, as 13mpg is the order of the day in regular driving, although we’re not sure how much ‘regular’ driving you’ll manage.

In short, it’s blisteringly fast, has a friendly chassis (with the traction control on), and makes mincemeat of the world’s finest roads. What more do you want in a Grand Tourer? As for the styling – time has certainly been very kind, and it looks every inch a thoroughbred these days.

Ferrari 360 Modena

Talk about having a mountain to climb – the 355 remains one of the most respected Ferraris and the poor old 360 Modena was given the tough task of replacing it. However, Ferrari threw itself into the task with aplomb, producing a new from the ground up replacement and, in doing so, improved the dynamic envelope considerably.

In the end, the 360 represented a high-tech approach, resulting in a monumentally capable machine. On the way to reaching 60mph (in 4.5 seconds), you’ll fall in love with the shrieking engine and, as soon as you throw it into bends, the sheer delicacy of feel and abundance of grip offer a beguiling insight into the art of travelling fast.

For track use, the 360 is quite a tool – and switching off the ASR traction control to Sport setting will allow you to throw the car around. Well, as much as you feel you can a car of this price and value.

The 360 emerged as a soulful alternative to the 911 Turbo and had levels of usability approaching the Porsche’s. In terms of running costs, it’s typically Ferrari expensive, but you’ll be smiling as you ask your banker for an extension to your overdraft.

Ferrari 575M

It may look superficially similar to the 550 Maranello, but an abundance of changes under the skin improved the drive to such a degree, that the new name was fully justified.

Make no mistake, just like its predecessor, the 575M is a big, heavy Grand Tourer, but you’ll love the drive nonetheless. Once you’re moving along at a fair crack, the stiff suspension comes into its own, although on Britain’s mixed B-roads, the back end can get skittish – not what you want at this money.

Like the 550, you’ll love the talkative steering as it has such effective gearing that the most demanding of roads will be shrugged off with minimal movement of the wheel. The F1 ‘flappy paddle’ gear-shift system – further refined – adds to the joy of attacking your favourite road. The same can’t be said for some rivals’ set-ups.

As for performance, we’re looking at a 200mph car – with a sub 4-second run to 60mph. Does that need further comment? Given the current demand/supply situation for the new 599, we reckon that the 575M is no poor relation. In fact, at £70K for a clean and cared for 2002 model, it’s looking seriously close to being a bargain.

Ferrari Discovery 612 Scaglietti

The four-seat Ferraris have always lagged behind their more glamorous brethren in terms of street cred, but there are advantages to the more low-profile approach. However, thanks to the Scaglietti’s arresting and oddly proportioned styling, the chances of discreet progress (in the way you could in a 412 or 456) are hugely diminished.

Thankfully, the performance and roadholding of the Scaglietti justify the outlandish looks – powered by a 540bhp front/mid-mounted V12, it offers hardcore performance that distances it from its predecessors. However, its mechanical refinement comes as a real delight, and that creates a strange mix of silence and warp speed performance that makes this a natural competitor to the Bentley Continental GT and Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG.

On the road, all those horses are utterly useable, and it proves that the development work at Maranello hasn’t gone to waste. In fact, compared with the hypercar Mercedes-Benz SLR, there’s clear blue water in terms of all-year use.

In short, the Scaglietti is a state of the art supercar with room for four, executive levels of refinement, and all round ability you wouldn’t believe. It might be a new concept for Ferrari, but it’s no less the real thing for it.

Ferrari F430

Although it’s a similar looking package to the 360 Modena, the F430 manages to pull of what many thought was impossible – to take the original and improve upon it.

Inside, it’s better in terms of quality and feel, lagging only slightly behind the Germans these days. You’ll love the F1-inspired squared off steering wheel – and the carbon fibre trim also shouts ‘motorsport’ at the driver. There’s ample room and plenty of space for your luggage, making this a true alternative to the 911 Turbo as an everyday supercar.

Cost’s an issue – the options list is long and pricey. Don’t believe us? Try £565 for yellow brake calipers and £800 for the Ferrari racing shield badges behind the front wheels. Satnav? That’s another extra, Sir.

The positive side to all this is that if you choose the right options, and spec your car intelligently, you’ll get a huge proportion of that outlay back if you don’t hang on to your F430 for too long. Yes, demand is still that strong.

Overall, the F430 is one of the most exciting high-performance sportscars you can buy at the moment, regardless of cost – and will probably remain so for some time to come.

Ferrari 599

Declared by many to be the best Ferrari ever built, the 599 is a truly awesome achievement. Here are a couple of facts to whet your appetite: it has an Enzo engine that produces 611bhp, and will rev through to 8,400rpm; and the latest generation F1 paddle-shift allows a complete gearchange to take a mere 0.1 seconds.

Acceleration is as you’d expect – with a launch control assisted 0-60mph time of well under 4 secs. A mere seven seconds later, you’ll be doing 125mph.

Unlike the Scaglietti, it’s a hard riding beast and the gearchanges are rough (especially in ‘Race’ mode) when you’re pushing on. In short, it’s a focused, hard core driving machine that rewards fast drivers. Handling is so well balanced that you’ll need a track to exploit it fully – but the interior’s roomy enough to take you and your partner from one end of a continent to another.

Would we have one? At the moment no – although not through choice. Not because it’s lacking, but because if you want one, you’ll, you’ll have to wait around two years. You could buy pre-owned, but the £250,000 price tag reflects strong demand. Take the 575M, and pocket the difference, instead.

Enzo – the ultimate Ferrari

Sitting atop the Ferrari range, and taking the marque to the next level, the aptly named Enzo Ferrari became a legend in its own lifetime – and not just because of its scarcely believable straight line speed of 217mph. The 0-60mph sprint is achieved in just 3.5 seconds.

Named after the company’s founder, the Enzo is the fourth in a series of special Ferraris that started with 1984’s 288 GTO, followed by the F40 and F50. Like its predecessors, the V12 mid-engined supercar features carbon fibre construction and F1 inspired technology. An other-world price tag was the order of the day when it appeared in 2004 – a cool £420,000, assuming you passed the qualifying criteria for ownership (in other words, you weren’t buying it as an investment). Styling wasn’t beautiful in the way the GTO’s was – but it was a suitably striking follow on from the be-winged F40 and F50. In the end 400 were built – 51 more than originally promised – and that exclusivity so-desired by its maker has remained intact. If one comes up for sale at auction, it’ll go for about half a million.

The F1 technology ensured that the 660bhp could be handled by anyone fortunate enough to be able to afford an Enzo, but development by Michael Schumacher ensured that the motorsport connection was more than mere marketing patter.

Of course, driving it on the UK’s roads would be one of the most frustrating experiences imaginable, and parking it would be even worse… but let’s face it, you’re not really going to worry too much about that if you have access to regular sessions on a racetrack, or trips to Germany. But despite all that power, they did make it manageable to drive, and you’ll soon appreciate the sequential gearshift and delicate throttle response.

As a showcase for Ferrari’s prodigious engineering talent, the Enzo is a remarkable success. We love its sheer flamboyance.