Ferrari Reviews

It's funny how you always find women's magazines in doctors' waiting rooms, because I think they actually cause a mild form of illness themselves.

Fiorano is not hallowed ground, yet it is revered by millions and trodden by demi-gods. Just the ticket to launch the $600,000-plus Ferrari V12 599 GTB Fiorano, the most powerful two-seater mid-front engined berlinetta to roll out of Ferrari's Maranello factory.The Fiorano test track, Ferrari's private playpen near its northern Italian headquarters, has hosted legendary men and machines for more than three decades.Michael Schumacher honed his association with Ferrari on the 3km track (he still does) and spent hours between F1 tests adding his input into the development of Ferrari's latest road warrior, the 456kW 599 GTB.It is no surprise, then, that Ferrari chose to launch the 599 in a program centred around its test track. The opportunity to follow in — or tip-toe in — Schumacher's footsteps was simply irresistible. It also provided the ideal stage to showcase just what a sweetie this car can be. Much in the way a tame grizzly can be considered a sweetie, right up to the moment it turns on you, something it will not do short of senseless provocation.If Ferrari has done nothing else during the development of the 599, it has perfected a performance car for dunces.It has, in fact, done much more than that and the lucky few who get their hands on one of these — only 10 in Australia this year — can make of it what they will.“The ultimate challenge for a performance car is to be at the extreme edge but still be very balanced to drive,” says Massimo Fumarola, who is in charge of Ferrari's product development portfolio. “It may sound odd but this is an everyday use car ... performance balanced with comfort.”The 599's character is set through the steering wheel-mounted manettino, a Formual One-inspired switch allowing the driver to choose suspension, gearbox, traction control and engine settings. The engine setting range varies between ice, wet, sport, race and ultimate, in which all electronic aids are disabled and the car is set free.All the information relevant to the manettino setting is displayed on a digital display next to the bright yellow tacho, the dominant instrument in the well laid-out dash.The potential of the 6.0-litre (5.99-litres to be precise, hence the name) is brutal. Derived from the Enzo supercar powerplant, the 65-degree V12 can propel the 599 to 100km/h in a breathtaking 3.7-seconds on its way to a top speed somewhere beyond 330km/h.Punch it as hard as you are game and it will take a brave, or foolhardy, soul, to see the top end of the new Cambio F1 Superfast gearbox.At its most aggressive the shifts are down to 100 milliseconds, just half a blink off F1 times. At those levels there is no escaping the thumping violence of the shifts as the gearbox fights to keep pace with the howling engine. Switch the manettino back a notch or two, ease up on throttle aggression and the 599's sweet side re-emerges.Regardless of the choice of mode, the 599's magnetorheological fluid suspension system shines. The system, pioneered by General Motors in the current Corvette, utilises a particular property of MR fluid which sees it change density when subject to a magneticfield. Reading sensors throughout the chassis, the suspension's central processor varies the density and resistance of the fluid, reacting almost instantly to reduce body movement and maintain maximum tyre contact with the road.The result is an almost eerie sense of calm over the most uneven surfaces and a surefootedness that takes some serious exploration before limits are even approached.That sense of calm and control is assisted in no small part by the refined F1-Trac stability and traction control system.Derived, as is so much of the 599, from F1 development, the system offers a claimed 20 per cent increase in the grip quotient under acceleration during cornering.The car will still step out under extreme provocation, caught early and rather aggressively by the system in sport mode but allowed to drift a littler further with a more gentle correction in race trim.As an aesthetic exercise, the 599 GTB is divisive. The opinion on the look of the car can change as quickly as the angle it is viewed. Long and lean from the side, a shape dominated by creases and vents — all with their purpose.The car sports no spoilers but its aerodynamic downforce is considerable, if subtle. At 300km/h there is 160kg of downforce, 50kg of which come from the distinctive “flying buttress” rear quarters.Apart from the track, the car was also tested on a 300km road loop to the north of Modena. Here the car showed it could be perfectly civil transport with the capacity for fun at a moment's notice. Even broken-up back roads did not phase the magentic fluid suspension while time on the open speed-limit autostrada gave the car the perfect opportunity to stretch its legs.The interior is Ferrari through and through. Individuality is a byword of the brand and there are countless combinations of trim colour, style, stitching and materials available. If you want it, Ferrari can make it.But with the covenant that personalisation will not involve mechanical performance enhancements, will not be illegal — and importantly, will not involve anything outside the Ferrari philosophy.It wasn't specifically said, but there was a strong impression a lack of good taste in colour requests would also be discouraged.Very Italian, indeed. Fast factsFerrari 599 GTB FioranoPrice: more than $600,000Engine: 5.99-litre 65-degree V12; 456kW@7600rpm, 608Nm@5600rpmTransmission: 6-speed F1-Superfast sequential manual paddle shift;rear-wheel drivePerformance: 0-100km/h 3.7 secs, 0-200km/h 11 secs; the car's top speed is more than 330km/hFuel: 21.3l/100km combined (supplied figure)Weight: 1690kgSuspension: Magnetorheological damping controlBrakes: ventilated steel discs (optional carbon ceramic); front 355mm x 32mm, rear 330mm x 28mmWheels/tyres: Alloys, front 245/40 R19, rear 305/35 R20

The 599 GTB Fiorano unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show has taken pride of place at the top of Ferrari's production performance tree.Ferrari Australia will launch the car locally at the Australian International Motor Show in October. Ferrari Australia boss Kevin Wall says: "There will be limited production numbers for Australia this year, but interest is already high."Ferrari owners are very aware of the new models under development and it is fair to say that our order bank for the 599 GTB is already substantial."Wall says there has been no indication on a price for the car at this stage.As the most powerful production car ever produced at the Prancing Horse stables, the 599 GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta) brings together a raft of innovative and technologically advanced features.These include a V12 engine derived from the Enzo supercar powerplant, an all-aluminium space frame and a trick magneto rheological suspension-control system, in which the viscosity of the damper oil is adjusted by electric current (pioneered by GM in the Corvette as magnetic selective-ride control) to best adapt to road conditions.Designed by Pininfarina, the 599 GTB Fiorano — named for the famous Ferrari test track — replaces the 575M Maranello.The 6.0-litre V12 has a peak power delivery of 462kW at 7600rpm and 608Nm of torque at 5600rpm, giving the car the ability to sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds on the way to a top speed of 330km/h.Designed with the objective of surpassing the performance and driving pleasure of models such as the F40 while delivering superior standards of roominess, comfort, ergonomics and safety, the 599 GTB represents the peak of Ferrari sportiness and technology. During development, significant effort was devoted to optimising sound from the V12 with a decision made early on to focus on the true sound of the engine.To that end, mechanical resonance was reduced in favour of a pure V12 soundtrack from both intake manifold and exhaust system. Drive is through a new generation F1 gearbox that debuts on the 599.The F1-SuperFast system uses elastic energy within the transmission components, together with the integrated electronic engine and gearbox management programs, to reduce gearshifts to 100 milliseconds.Dynamically, the chassis and suspension architecture draws on thousands of kilometres of Formula 1 testing to produce what Ferrari refers to as its F1-Trac system. F1-Trac continually monitors the speed of both front and rear wheels and features predictive software that estimates the maximum available grip in advance. It compares this information with the vehicle dynamics model stored in the control system and adjusts its reactions to suit, optimising traction by modulating power delivery. The result is easier, smoother high-performance driving, thanks to maximum grip out of bends — a claimed 20 per cent increase in acceleration compared to a traditional traction and stability control system — and predictable handling.In common with normal Ferrari practice, the ability to personalise the 599 will be almost unrestricted. Four areas are covered by the program. These are: racing and track; exteriors and colours; interior and materials; and equipment and travel.The racing-and-track option includes CCM (carbon ceramic material) brakes, 20-inch Challenge one-piece rims with run-flat tyres, four-point harnesses and a cockpit roll-bar. The interior-and-materials option includes a new Enzo Ferrari-inspired carbon-fibre steering wheel with LED rev display, instrument panel, gear-stick surround and sill-kick panels.Travel and equipment accessories cover front and rear parking sensors, iPod-friendly set-up and satellite anti-theft system

We can raise a "salutare" (salute) to that after seven superlative hours spent in a brace of new 612 Scaglietti Ferraris sweeping through South Australia's scenic Barossa Valley to beyond.One was painted a somehow subtle gold, the colour named after actress Ingrid Bergman who ordered her unique 375MM Superamerica in the same livery in the 1950s.This 612 had optional 19-inch wheels (as opposed to standard 18-inch) and ceramic brakes.The other was decked out in look-at-me red and silver, complete with dragon motif and colorful signwriting as it appeared completing a history-making 24,000km promotional trek around China recently.Both were left-hand-drive.It's a rare opportunity to drive any Ferrari, but this gilt-edged invitation came about through the new official Australian and New Zealand Ferrari importers, European Automotive Imports Pty Ltd of Sydney.Measuring 483cm long by 193cm wide by 132cm high, the 612 Scaglietti (pronounced say-chen to-do di-chi skahl-yet-ee) is the largest Ferrari ever made.But there's good reason – this gorgeous sculpture was designed and built to be a genuine four seater, not a 2+2.As such, it has 7cm more headroom and fractionally more knee room in the rear-seat area, plus 25-percent additional boot space compared with its predecessor, the 456M of 1993-2003.To prove the point, EAI's national service manager Lenn Kench – all 190cm of him – fitted comfortably in the back.The Scaglietti is nearly 60kg lighter than the 456M, with its aluminium spaceframe chassis clothed in a shapely superleggera (superlightweight) body engineered in co- operation with aluminium giant ALCOA.The 612 also has a lower centre of gravity by almost 2.5cm and is 54 per cent stiffer in torsion.Its 5.75 litre V12 engine (derived from the 575M Maranello) has been placed behind the front axle to help establish the rear weight bias crucial to sports-car dynamic handling, making for a 46/54 split front/rear.Oh, and did I mention it has 397kW of power (that's nearly 540hp in old speak) and 588Nm of torque, enough to produce a 0-100km/h time of 4.2 seconds and a top speed a shade under 320km/h. Woosh!Without a get-out-of-jail-free card in our wallet, we will have to take Ferrari's word on that, but let it be said the 612 goes as well as it looks.The performance sweet spot kicks in at 4000rpm and continues all the way through to 7250rpm, with torque peaking at 5250rpm.Feeding the big V12 enough road to keep it in this zone is another thing. But this is where enthusiastic use of the car's F1A paddle shift six-speed sequential gearbox is invited.An additional synchronizing cone on each gear makes for quicker, smoother shifts – just 0.2 seconds a throw.Even with the active suspension set to Sport mode, the 612 soaked up SA's country road irregularities with unfussed ease, all the while maintaining the direct connection between driver and car the world has come to expect from Ferrari.Deliberate late braking failed to induce any hint of understeer and with the seemingly intuitive traction control on, oversteer was never an issue, just a grip like Tarzan's.The 612's dynamics contradict its 1840kg curb weight and steering response is, in two words, "absolutely linear" – each revolution of the wheel moves the rack exactly 64 mm.And in keeping with its grand tourer brief, there's a raft of creature comforts and active and passive safety features.All this for $A556,000.Oh, there was one thing we didn't like about the 612 Scaglietti – having to hand the keys back.

That's because it's bucketing down and the roads have taken on an oily sheen that reflects the erratic antics of motorists clambering to get to work on time.Into this I drive, with sweating teeth and bloodless knuckles. Don't look for the whites of my eyes, the pupils have dilated to unblinking pools of doom,urgently envisaging potential accident scenarios.Yet barely moments later there is clarity in my vision, perspiration no longer pours from my pores, and the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti takes on a serene ambience.Though it has the price of a very comfortable family house, the biggest surprise is that it also is just as domesticated.It wears its oxymoron — a user-friendly Italian sports car — very well, especially considering it comes from Ferrari, which used to be the master of making cars solely for fanatical performance seekers.Coachwork played second fiddle. Ergonomics might as well be the science of arranging three dots on paper in the shape of a pyramid.So there it is. A beautifully crafted cabin, stitched with leather, with an indicator on the left, lights on the right. Press-button radio/CD. Electric window switches on the door panel. Simplistic rotary ventilation switches with easy-to-read directions.And just as you become familiar, the Scaglietti bites.The accelerator pedal is firm and the timing to make smooth changes by clicking alloy plates mounted behind the steering wheel rim is initially awkward.The brake pedal — a huge drilled aluminium plate once used to flop pancakes in a San Francisco harbourside grill — becomes the brake pedal. OK, so maybe it wasn't San Francisco.The steering is firm, yet communicative. At low speeds you feel every undulation in the bitumen. Raise the speed and the steering retains its dialogue, telling the driver via barely perceptible movements exactly what the front wheels are doing.At this point the Ferrari starts to make sense.This is a passion play, a car with heart and soul. The exhaust warms the blood and chills the spine.In comparison with some older Ferraris, there's not much engine noise — no clatter of the valve train, no brutal sucking of air through the Webers and no distinct perfume of super-grade petrol on start-up.But this is a car that breathes life. Lexus has a TV advertisement exclaiming how its GS430 model is "alive".No, Lexus. Compared with the 612, the GS430 is barely gasping. Welcome to the essence of motoring.It starts with the engine — an aluminium V12 of 5.75 litres — that sits behind the front axles for near-perfect weight distribution.At idle it rumbles like a small earthquake.Press hard on the alloy accelerator pedal and it rises to encompass some hurried mechanical noise, then, near full belt up close to 7500rpm, it's screaming like a low-altitude jet fighter.The clicks of the paddle shifters on the steering wheel have their own tactile experience, slamming in the next gear on the way up and then coaxing the next cog — with an automatic engine blip at mid-change — on the way down.Then there's the huge Brembo brakes with alloy calipers and four fat pistons that grasp ventilated discs as wide as a mobile phone.Technically, this is Ferrari's biggest all-aluminium bodied car. In fact, there's very little steel in this vehicle.The V12 is near the middle of the car, just alongside the driver's left foot, while the six-speed mechanical gearbox — with its electro-hydraulic clutch that is controlled by the paddles — and limited-slip differential live at the back.The 612 Scaglietti — pronounced "scally-etty" and named after Italian coachbuilder to Ferrari Sergio Scaglietti — will run to 320km/h. I'll take that as read because I didn't get there.It did, however, show a hint of its blistering acceleration.Despite anti-dive and anti-squat suspension, the nose will lift on hard acceleration and stay poised as the scream becomes deafening and you pull hard on the right-hand paddle to pick up second cog.The whole process to 100km/h is fearfully quick, primarily because you have to ready yourself for the next upchange while scrutinising the tacho needle's wild rotation.Ferrari quotes the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.2sec. I won't disagree, but note that during the process the engine seems to take on second wind at what I guess is about 5500rpm — I apologise, my eyes were blurring — and races even faster towards its 7600rpm cutout.The boot isn't especially huge, though it should carry luggage for two — for a weekender somewhere nice.It doesn't have to be close because the Ferrari will get you there with plenty of time to spare and the 108-litre fuel tank has some promise of a decent range.Keep the revs down to a decent level and you should be capable of 540km before refuelling. Yeah, right!