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A true classic doesn’t sneak up on you; it grabs you by the shirt and slaps you in the face with its brilliance. It goes beyond what was previously possible yet it continues in the spirit of its forebears. When a car’s predecessors include such desirable hardware as the 1959 250 GT and the Testarossa, she must possess something special to be mentioned even in the same breath. The Ferrari 599 GTB seems to have no problem with its heritage. The sportscar had an attitude of confidence, hugging the blacktop as it rolled up the pit lane. Ferrari introduced us to its latest GT in a most appropriate venue, the Fiorano test track right behind its factory in Maranello, Italy. The track is used to hone race cars including the F1 machinery, as well as their roadgoing cousins. Elegant in gray and fiery in red, the 599’s sleek shape sports strong cues of its capabilities. The long hood hints at a massive engine and the bulging rear haunches, the means to put the power down to pavement. 20-inch tires look just large enough to properly fill the wheel arches. The cockpit section seems to have been folded into the mechanical bits, a concession that someone has to pilot all that metal, after all. No blatant spoilers or wings for this car; all the functional aerodynamics are incorporated into the car's body and undertray. We peered underneath to find a large venturi tunnel, capable of generating a stabilizing downforce of 70 kg at 200 km/h. Nonetheless, drag has been kept to a slippery 0.33, for top speed. Behind the heavy doors is the cockpit of a luxury car. Leather trim covers the seats and dash, while carbon fiber graces the ultralight seat shells and the ventilation surrounds. Aluminum is the other dominant element here, the most conspicuous of which is a large “brace plate” for the passenger. |
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