The 599 replaced the 575 in the summer of 2006 and brought the front-engined V12 Ferrari slap bang into the modern age. Whereas the 550 and 575 always felt like modern classics, the 599 was every inch a new-age Ferrari: all-aluminium chassis, lashings of glossy carbonfibre, F1 SuperFast gearbox, F1-Trac stability and traction control, magnetic semi-active dampers and carbon-ceramic brakes, all wrapped in aggressive, aero-optimised bodywork with minimal overhangs and maximum presence.
Top billing, though, went to the engine – a lightly modified version of the Enzo’s 6-litre V12 with a mighty 611bhp at 7600rpm, endowing Ferrari’s new series-production flagship with truly sensational performance: 0-60 in 3.5sec, 0-100 in 7.4 and 205mph.
