Made for the Japanese market, this 1999 Ferrari 550 Maranello is presented in Bianco Avus, a rare color indeed for this particular model. Styled by Pininfarina, enthusiasts will note various design cues to Ferraris of yesteryear and influences to Ferraris yet to come. Like the hood scoop and front fender venting, the driving lights and covered projector headlights, and, of course, the quad-tipped exhaust. The dry sump 5.5L/478 HP 4-cam 48-valve V-12 engine lends 419 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a 6-speed manual transaxle with a limited-slip differential. A Bosch Motronic engine management system was assigned to oversee the powerful engine, and the timing belt was serviced in 2024. Optioned with the Fiorano Handling Package, the car is equipped with stiffer springs and a revised steering rack for crisper handling. Red Ferrari-script brake calipers bite down on massive rotors behind all four 18- inch 5-spoke wheels. The brake fluid was flushed in 2024. The Bordeaux leather interior features amenities such as automatic climate control, power seats, power windows, full Jaeger instrumentation, an AM/FM/cassette stereo system and the gated shifter for the manual transmission. Complete with a CarFax, the owner’s manual and tool kit, this 550 Maranello seems to be a stunning example of the iconic model. Enthusiasts were gobsmacked when Ferrari introduced the 550 Maranello in July of 1996 at the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany. After some 30 months of development with professional racing drivers Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda, the car had arrived. Aside from its spectacular development efforts and involvements, historically the 550 Maranello was a stunningly important car, if for no other reason than it was the successor to the 365 GTB/4 Daytona, the last front-engine, V-12, two-seater Ferrari made. After Daytona, Ferrari would only offer 12-cylinder cars with four seats or mid-engine placement—a two-seater, front-engine V-12-powered Ferrari had not been built for customers since 1973. And that seemed positively criminal. Eric Clapton was the first person in the UK to purchase one, showing his support to the tune of £144,000 in 1996, or about $282,000, for the privilege. The 550 didn’t disappoint. Some bemoaned the styling, others felt there should have been more noise, and a few were upset by the absolutely spectacular equipment level. But once they drove it, those beliefs eroded to sand for the oceans to swallow. The 550, with all its heft, would thunder from 0-60 MPH in just a tick over 4 seconds and top out at 199 MPH, but most importantly, the 550 brought a very unique blend of old-school Ferrari quirkiness with modern driving compliance. Drivers were confident in the car, but knew its DNA required steady attention, which was absolute magic.
