![]() 550M is not an all-new design, in fact it is based on the 456GT. While 456GT aims at luxurious 2+2 GT market, 550M is designed to replace the mighty Testarossa / 512TR / F512M series as the company's top-of-the-range production sports car. Actually, Ferrari shortened 456's platform and deleted the rear seats to make 550's chassis. Rear transaxle gearbox is retained with a few modifications to change the ratio and strengthen it. Suspensions and electronic damping are carried over with minor tuning. Since 456GT's V12 is already powerful at 442hp and 405lbft, Maranello needs no more than a ram-air device, variable intake manifold and variable back pressure exhaust to boost 43hp and 15lbft. All these changes sound conservative, but lower development cost really helps keeping the price under the 456GT.
Nevertheless,
550M still
lack of the ultimate thrills that the most demanding drivers require.
Despite
it is precise to control, it is not as sharp in handling as the limited
produced F50. If it were lighter, and not so easy to drive, it would
have
been more thrilling. |
The above report was last updated in 1998. All Rights Reserved. |
Ferrari back to the FRONTSince the late sixties, all 2-seat Ferrari are mid-engined for the benefit of optimal handling. The 550M is the first one return to front-engined so that arouse many people's memory of the Daytona 365GTB/4 (see picture), the last (and best yet) front-engined Ferrari GT. Compare with F512M, the 550M is even more balanced, thanks to the rear transaxle gearbox, shifted-back engine and cabin. However, the inevitable slightly nose-biased results in secure handling and mild understeer. |
The above report was last updated in 1998. All Rights Reserved. |
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