Uiteindelijk zijn er 4 meer van gemaakt dan de bedoeling was, maar dat maakt de Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina niet minder exclusief. De open versie van de 550 Maranello bleef gelimiteerd tot slechts 448 exemplaren, waarvan deze origineel Nederlands geleverde (door Kroymans) er één is! De historie is aantoonbaar en net zo compleet als de uitrusting: zelfs de originele petten en helmen zijn nog aanwezig… Vanwaar die helm? Wat dacht u van 485 pk aan atmosferisch V12 plezier, klaar voor circuitgebruik? Bovendien is het uitneembare dak van de Italiaanse roadster dusdanig ontworpen dat het alleen in geval van nood wordt gesloten. De ultra lage kilometerstand en uitzonderlijk mooie staat bevestigen evengoed dat de beeldschone creatie van Pininfarina enkel in droge omstandigheden naar buiten kwam. En terecht! Maar is het eenmaal zover, dan zal iedereen het weten ook: de nieuwe Tubi uitlaat genereert een bloedstollende Ferrari V12 sound, en daar weer de overtreffende trap van. Tip van Prins: doe af en toe het vizier open om dit maximaal tot u door te laten dringen!
Read moreFerrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina Grigio Titanio
In the end, Ferrari made 4 more then they intended to do, but that doesn’t make the Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina any less exclusive. Production of the open Maranello was limited to 448, including this original Dutch delivered version! The history is 100% complete and the same goes for the equipment: even the original helmets and caps are still present… Why the helmet? The removable rooftop of the Italian 2-seater is exclusively designed to close in case of emergencies. The ultra-low mileage and exceptionally beautiful condition also confirm that Pininfarina’s beautiful creation was only used in dry conditions. But when it does leave the garage, everyone will know: the new Tubi exhaust generates an extraordinary Ferrari V12 sound. Even better than the original!
History
Happy birthday. The Ferrari 550 Barchetta was launched to celebrate Pininfarina’s 70th anniversary. It also was the 50th year that the legendary designer worked intensively with the famous sports car brand from Maranello. We shouldn’t call it a number, that’s how special the Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina is. On the other hand, it once again underlines the exclusivity of this limited edition. Number 344 went Dutch. Another fun fact is that the name Barchetta was invented by the Fiat boss: he compared the classic Ferrari 166 MM (Mille Miglia) with the design of a small Italian boat: the Barchetta. The low windshield of this car is one of the unique characteristics of our 550 too, so the link to the historical Barchetta version was made instantly. Shortly before the model made its official debut, all units had already been sold. Ferrari’s wish was they all came into the hands of genuine enthusiasts and collectors. So did our classic in Grigio Titanio…
Exterior
The open roof and lower windscreen were intended to evoke the classic Barchetta feeling. But Pininfarina built in a clever trick by painting the A-pillars only half way in body color. The frame at the top of the window is missing entirely, making the limited edition Ferrari 550 looking even lower from a distance than it is. Sure you could put on that helmet, but the windscreen is big enough to shelter. Ferrari had no interest in a hardtop though: the Barchetta is above all very pure. Being surprised by rain forces you to protect the Ferrari interior with some kind of tent cloth. It’s certainly not suitable to drive with (on high speed). The Grigio Titanio paintwork is elegant and timeless: a perfect fit to the DNA of this super rare classic. Scuderia Ferrari Shields on the front screens and a new Tubi exhaust are screaming for attention. Litterally.
Interior
The Barchetta cockpit distinguishes itself with a full carbon spec. Get in by stepping over the carbon sills and sink into wafer-thin carbon seats. Grab the carbon steering wheel, view the carbon instruments and turn the carbon gear knob of the 6-speed manual gearbox into 1. Can’t get enough of the racy materials? The center console is also fully carbon. But that doesn’t make the Ferrari 550 a diehard race car. Instead the interior has a very luxurious ambiance thanks to beautiful burgundy leather upholstery from A-pillars to the lower compartments of the tunnel console and everything in between. Including the dashboard, the bucket seats, rear deck, roll bars and the fire extinguisher shell. Even the floor is completely Bordeaux. But the Prancing Horse is just as much a serious masterpiece when it comes to pure performance, as the optional 4-point harnesses already explain!
Technique & performance
It’s a real pleasure to drive the Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina. In that respect it’s more than a successful birthday present. Anyone who can live with a bad hair day could easily go for a top speed of 300 km/h. The alternative is to wear a helmet, but with its brown leather finish it’s actually too pretty to expose it to flies and dirt. The cap, also finished with brown leather, naturally comes in handy during an easy boulevard ride. However, try keeping it easy with 485 hp of Ferrari V12 power under your right foot. Good luck with that! Whoever can handle the traditional 6-speed manual transmission in the aluminum shift wings how it should be, is able to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. That’s exactly as fast as the closed 550 Maranello. However, no way the magical sound of the 5.5 liter 12-cylinder engine will reach your ears as deeply as in the Barchetta. Especially our Barchetta with Tubi exhaust…
Kind regards,
team Prins.
