Peter Farr's Blog: Rumormill: Ferrari preparing hardcore 599 GTO?

Wednesday, 2 December 2009

Rumormill: Ferrari preparing hardcore 599 GTO?

The fabulous Ferrari 250 GTO of the early Sixties was a true iconic sportsracing car along with others like the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR, D-Type Jaguar and Ford GT-40. Every schoolboy knew all about the 250 GTO. Its designation, originally standing for Gran Turismo Omoligato, meaning it was approved for GT class racing by the FIA, was hijacked by lots of other cars in a show of the sincerest form of flattery e.g. the Pontiac GTO and the incredibly unlovely Mitsubishi Gallant GTO etc, none of which were remotely as great. Ferrari used the designation only once more for the 288 GTO, an over-hyped ancestor of the great F40. Ferrari GTOs don't come round too often!
So it is little wonder that the rumour of a a new GTO sets the automotive world's collective pulses racing. Following on from the FXX Evoluzione, itself a road going derivative of the Enzo, the 599 GTO would be based on the gorgeous 599 GTB. If it were to happen it would bring back some much needed style to fast Ferraris. The Enzo and its ilk might be the last word in technology but they look like they belong in a Transformer movie.
So let us hope...
Rumormill from Autoblog
Rumormill: Ferrari preparing hardcore 599 GTO?: "
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari, Rumormill

Ferrari 599XX - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ferrari often uses its World Finals event to unveil exclusive new versions of its most enticing road cars. The FXX Evoluzione was unveiled there a couple of years ago, and the 16M Scuderia Spider made its debut at the event last year. But aside from a mishap involving Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and Luca di Montezemolo in a California convertible, this year's event at Valencia came and went with nothing new to offer. However, the latest churns from the rumormill indicate Maranello could be working on an exciting new project.

Supposedly leaked pre-order sheets reportedly refer to a '599 GTO Limited Edition', named in deference to the iconic 250 GTO (to say nothing of the ground-pounding 288 GTO). Based on the 599 GTB Fiorano, the GTO could be Maranello's answer to arch-rival Lamborghini's Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce.

Incorporating design cues and technologies from the 599XX program, the 599 GTO could benefit from a weight-reduction program to cut some 100-150 pound off the curb weight thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber, while squeezing out as much as 700 horsepower from the Enzo-derived 6.0-liter V12. Pricing would be expected to jump by as much as a quarter to nearly $400,000, and if the reports prove accurate, the 599 GTO could be ready for debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March with the first of just 500 examples slated for delivery by this time next year.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Ferrari 599xx