2003 Ferrari 575M Maranello, Design by Pininfarina

2003 Ferrari 575M Maranello
VIN. ZFFBV55A730133420
Design by Pininfarina
5,748cc 48-Valve DOHC V12 Engine
Electronic Fuel Injection
515bhp at 7,250rpm
6-Speed F1 Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*Highly original example with less than 5,900 miles
*Elegant and rare Griogio Ingrid exterior color
*Offered with owner's manuals, tools, and factory accessories
*Ferrari's return to the front engine GT

THE FERRARI 575 MARANELLO

"The Maranello needs no excuses: it is right-minded, a return to traditional values, albeit values and standards that tower high above those set by the Daytona when it shuffled off to extinction a quarter of a century ago." – Car magazine

Introduced for 2002, the Ferrari 575M represented an evolution of the acclaimed 550 Maranello rather than an entirely new model. With the introduction of the 550 Maranello in 1997, Ferrari had returned to its tradition of building front-engined V12 sports cars, resurrecting a line that had remained dormant since the demise of the 365 GTB/4 "Daytona" in 1974. The heart of any Ferrari is its engine, and the 550 Maranello's 48-valve, 5.5-liter V12 developed 485bhp at 7,000rpm, some 100-or-so horsepower more than the Daytona's. Ferrari had discovered long ago that providing optimum balance in a front-engined sports car necessitated the use of a rear transaxle, and the Maranello's came with six speeds. The power train was housed in a tubular steel chassis, to which was attached to aluminum coachwork, while the all-independent suspension incorporated dual-mode (normal/sports) damping, switch-selectable by the driver, which was complemented by speed-sensitive power-assisted steering.

Styled by Pininfarina like its illustrious "Daytona" predecessor, the 550 Maranello was similarly proportioned, adopting the classical combination of long bonnet, small cabin, and truncated tail. The body's aerodynamics were developed in the wind tunnel, where hours of testing ensured that the minimum of drag was combined with constant downforce regardless of set up, an important consideration in a 200mph road car. Styling details, such as the bonnet air scoop and hot air outlets behind the front wheel arches recalled the great Competizione Ferraris of the past, in particular the immortal 250 GTO, while the tail incorporated Ferrari's characteristic twin circular lights. For the 575M, engine displacement grew to 5,748cc and maximum power to 515bhp, while transmitting it to the ground was a new six-speed "paddle shift" semi-automatic gearbox, a technology that Ferrari had developed in Formula 1. Traditionalists could still order a conventional gated six-speed manual box. When production ceased in 2005, 2,056 cars had been completed, of which 1,810 had the "F1" transmission, 246 the manual alternative.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

After being completed in the legendary Maranello-based Ferrari production facility in June of 2003, this Ferrari 575M was destined for the United States, more specifically the Lone Star State of Texas. The new Ferrari flagship car was finished in the very rare and historic color of Grigio Ingrid, the same light golden sand color which adorns the Pininfarina-designed car today; a color dating back to the 1954 Ferrari 375 MM prepared for Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman.

The original Texan owner's three years with the car would be responsible for half of the just 5,807 miles accrued on the odometer at the time of cataloging. In January of 2007, a new owner took possession of the Ferrari, followed by a decade of switching hands several more times, before eventually traveling out east to New Hampshire and New York. As so few miles have been put on the clock, the vehicle presents in very tidy condition, with original finishes throughout. Adding to the completeness of this 575M are the many items Ferrari delivered with the car including tools, books, manuals, and a car cover.

Ferrari's return to the front engine V12 powered grand tourer in the mid-1990s was greatly praised by tifosi the world over, and both the 550 and 575M have continued to gain desirability as the years fly by. A fine example such as this, with so few miles, will surely provide its next owner with only the type of excitement a Ferrari can provide.