Lot 235: 1999 Ferrari 550 Maranello

Introduced in 1996, the Ferrari 550 was an upmarket front-engined V12 coupe of the kind not seen since the Daytona. It shared its platform and 5.5 litre engine with the 456 but was positioned as the company's highest-end model. The car used a transaxle layout, with the six speed manual gearbox located at the back, in-line with the driven wheels. The model number refers to total engine displacement (5.5 litres) and the model name of Maranello refers to the town where the Ferrari headquarters are located. Inside, the 550 featured a luxurious and roomy interior while the boot was tall and wide, though not very deep, and could accept a full set of golf clubs or standard overnight bags. It also had performance to look up at, with a top speed at 201mph and a 0-60 acceleration time of just 4.5 seconds. At the car's launch there was surprise that Ferrari had abandoned the famous mid-engined layout in favour of a front-mounted power unit, but this was quickly forgotten as the 550 soon established itself as one of the most desirable sports cars of its era; it has been praised by magazines and testers all over the world. With only 22,000 miles under its wheels, this 1999 550 Maranello is described as being in good condition throughout. Supplied with a full service history, it has also benefited from an all important camshaft belt change carried out at Graypaul Engineering in Edinburgh in 2006; the last annual service was completed at Graypaul in September 2007. With red paint work and cream leather seats finished with red stitching, Bordeaux carpets and a black upper-dashboard complete the interior. Further details include red brake calipers, Tubi sports exhaust system, CD changer, car cover and Tracker. Supplied with a V5 registration document and a current test MoT certificate valid until September of this year, this car presents an excellent opportunity to get behind the wheel of a legendary front engined V12 Ferrari.