Ferrari 599 GTO breaks cover

Meet the Ferrari 599 GTO, the Italian sports car company's fastest ever road-going vehicle. Yep, even quicker than the Enzo.

The new supercar marks the return of the hallowed GTO or Gran Turismo Omologata badge, previously seen on the 1962 250 GTO, and the 1984 GTO -- the latter car having "invented the entire modern supercar genre" according to Ferrari.

Lighter and more powerful than its donor car (the 599 Fiorano) with better aerodynamics and a more rigid chassis, just 599 of these aggressively designed vehicles will be built, created specifically for "clients who seek the maximum expression of high-performance driving." And yes, some of the those clients will be Australians, with Ferrari's local importer Ateco confirming the car will be coming to Australia in early 2011.

Powered by a modified version of the 599 Fiorano's V12 engine (which was originally taken from the Enzo), the latest GTO will make its public debut at the Beijing Auto Show in China later this month, an indication of just how important the Chinese market is to Ferrari.

Much of the car's improved performance comes from a lighter weight, and many of the weight saving elements have been taken from the track-only Ferrari 599XX, so there's plenty of carbon fibre composite materials in use. Even the greenhouse area (finished in a darker colour) is made from thinner gauge aluminium and thinner glass, all of which helps shed 84kg off the GTB, taking the 599 GTO's dry weight to 1495kg.

The latest Ferrari GTO model retains the shape of the 599 but boasts a number of external changes that are more than just cosmetic. Take the quad vents integrated into the bonnet – these openings help divert heat out of the engine bay, which is important when you're running a 6.0-litre V12 that revs to almost 9000rpm and will eclipse 330km/h in ripe conditions.

Indeed, vital statistics for the new model are enough to make even the most discerning purveyor of exotic machinery take notice; peak power of 500kW kicks in at 8250rpm; peak torque of 620Nm hits at 6500rpm. It'll hit 100km/h from standstill in 3.35 seconds and lapped Ferrari's Fiorano test circuit in 1 minute 24 seconds, a full second quicker than the Enzo which earns it the mantle of Ferrari's quickest road car.

Ferrari claims the engine delivers "a smooth, constant rush of power all the way to the redline with no loss of flexibility even at medium and low revs," and this "constant rush" is no doubt facilitated via the six-speed sequential gearbox. This transmission boasts 60 millisecond shift times and transfers engine torque to the 20-inch rear wheels shod with 315/35 aspect ratio tyres. The front 20-inch rims get 285/30 rubber.

Other changes to the 599's chassis include the adoption of upgraded springs and stiffer sway bars, plus the adoption of second generation magnetorheological suspension control system, or SCM2. This ensures the 599 GTO is "very stable under braking, sharper on turn-in, more precise in cornering and quicker out of corners," claims Ferrari. Simply put, it handles better.

Improved aerodynamics also increase the Ferrari GTO's handling and stability, with flatter underbody panels, a new front wing, aero side skirts and chunky rear diffuser.

Ferrari has also checked the brakes, adding a lighter carbon ceramic braking system, which the Prancing Horse says will take the 1.5 tonne car just 32.5 metres to decelerate from 100km/h to zero. That's a lot of G-forces right there...

The interior of the Ferrari 599 GTO also gets a number of upgrades, comprising new bucket sports seats, lashings of exotic (and expensive) carbon fibre and a new 'Virtual Race Engineer' system. Similar to the systems used on the Nissan GTR, it basically provides detailed telemetry of cars performance, plus there's a number of F1-inspired features, such as paddle shifters and steering wheel shift lights.

How much? Ferrari hasn't said yet, but anything bearing a GTO badge and a Prancing Horse usually goes for a pretty penny. That and the fact that there's less than 600 units being built should ensure a high price, making the 'leaked' figures of around €270,000 (A$388,000) seem a little low.

FERRARI 599 GTO SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE
Type     V12 – 65°
Bore & stroke   92 x 75.2 mm (3.62 x 2.96 in)
Unitary displacement  499.9 cc (30.51 cu in)
Total displacement   5999 cc (366.08 cu in)
Compression ratio   11.2:1
Maximum power   500 kW (670 CV) at 8250 rpm
Maximum torque   620 Nm (457 lbs/ft) at 6500 rpm

GEARBOX
F1 6–speed + reverse

TYRES
Front     285/30 ZR20-inch
Rear     315/35 ZR20-inch

CARBON-CERAMIC BRAKES
Front     398 x 38 mm (15.7 x 1.5 in)
Rear     360 x 32 mm (14.2 x 1.3 in)

ELECTRONIC CONTROLS
CST with F1-Trac Traction and stability control
TPTMS Tyre pressure and temperature monitoring system

FUEL CONSUMPTION
Combined cycle (ECE)*  17.5 l/100 km

*European version

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