What: 1999 Ferrari 550 Maranello Color: Grigio Ingrid (grigioingrid; metallic uni; 720; Ferrari) VIN: ZFFZR49A6X0114824 Mileage: 15,106 Price at Time of this Writing: N/A CarFax: N/A Original MSRP: N/A Location: RM Sotheby’s 2024 Monterey Jet Center Auction Auction listing:Link
Why we love it:
Red Ferraris may not be dime-a-dozen, but they’re kind always expected. So, when you have an owner spec the car in something entirely less obvious, you’ve always got a winner. Take for example this 1999 550 Maranello in rare Grigio Ingrid Metallic, a platinum silver that isn’t even your typical silver. That’s paired with Bordeaux and Crema leather with optional Crema piping for one very lavish cabin.
Worth also noting is that it’s got a gated manual, and Broad Arrow reports a clean CarFax. If you happen to be out at Monterey Car Week, swing by the Jet Center and check out this very tailored 90s-era GT.
The wraps are off the new Ferrari One-Off designed to a client’s specifications
The SP-8 is an uncompromising thoroughbred roadster crafted on the F8 Spider architecture
It will be possible to admire the SP-8 at the Ferrari Finali Mondiali and later at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello
[source: Ferrari]
Maranello, 24 October 2023 – Ferrari today unveiled the latest addition to its One-Off series, theFerrari SP-8. Part of the marque’s Special Projects programme and designed by the Flavio Manzoni-headed Ferrari Styling Centre, it is a mid-rear-engined V8 based on the F8 Spider from which it inherits its layout, chassis and engine. The SP-8 one-off joins the hallowed ranks of the most exclusive segment in the Ferrari range, unique cars crafted around individual clients’ specifications, with the result that they embody the very pinnacle of Prancing Horse customisation.
The car’s name celebrates its 3.9-litre V8 twin-turbo engine, one of the most critically-acclaimed power units in history and the winner of the prestigious Engine of the Year (IEOTY) award on four consecutive occasions. As the client that commissioned the SP-8 hails from Taiwan, the number 8 is also significant as it considered extremely lucky in Chinese culture, traditionally auguring success, good fortune and personal achievement.
The SP-8’s most unique feature is the fact that it has no roof, making it a thoroughbred two-seater roadster in every respect, underscoring its sporty character and the instantly exhilarating visual and en plein air driving experience it delivers. This solution demanded extensive refining of its aerodynamics through a combination of CFD simulations, wind tunnel testing and track testing to guarantee a standard of acoustic comfort and wind feeling comparable to the car that inspired it.
The car’s main styling theme centres around the way in which its volumes crossover and fuse into one another: the unpainted carbon-fibre front wraps around to the tail, creating a two-tone effect that creates a powerful contrast in terms of both colour and materials. The elimination of the retractable hard top allowed the designers to radically restyle the entire tail section, giving it a full volume with a taut belt line. The car’s volume is divided into two parts which are connected by a functional central area in matte black that includes the side air intakes with separate ducts for the intercoolers and engine. The upper section of this band incorporates a vent for the engine compartment with longitudinal elements that reference the lateral strakes typical of Ferraris of the past.
Dominating the front of the car is an imposing full-width, cast aluminium grille made from a single, 3D-printed mould. The grille features the same strake theme, this time in a vertical movement, with the spacing in plan view gradually widening towards the flanks to better channel air flow to the two front radiators. The angling of these elements was optimised by the close collaboration between the Ferrari Styling Centre and the aerodynamics team that spent months honing the car using CFD.
Other areas of the SP-8 that were redesigned from the donor car include the headlights, which have special masks and lenses, the rear lights derived from those of the Roma with specific lenses, the windscreen, the tailpipes, which were given the same treatment as the 296 GTB’s, and the specially-designed wheel rims in a dedicated colour (matte Grigio NART).
These directional five-spoke wheels are exclusive to this particular car and offer a modern take on the classic rims used on Ferrari Sports Prototypes as well as the legendary F40. A clever and inextricable part of their overall aesthetic are their heavily sculpted sections and large apertures designed to make them lighter.
Inside the car, an important modification has been made to the central console to house the F1 gearbox commands that have featured in the Ferrari range since the debut of the SF90 Stradale. This meant modifying the now iconic shift-gate for this specific application. The interior finish is completed with seats featuring details in laser-etched Navy Blue Alcantara® coupled with gradient effect cloth, and carpets in specific twill fabric with an iridescent effect.
The matte Argento Micalizzato colour created specifically for the SP-8 pairs brilliantly with the car’s carbon-fibre section, which has an equally specific colour and finish (glossy iridescent Blue Sandstone). Even the Blu Scuro Stellato colour used to link the two bodywork sections was specifically developed.
The SP-8 will be on display from the morning of the 24th of October at the Mugello Circuit until the end of the Finali Mondiali Ferrari 2023. Thereafter, it will be displayed at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello from November 16, 2023 until March 2024.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
The Special Projects programme is aimed at creating unique Ferraris (so-called “One-Offs”) characterised by an exclusive design crafted to the requirements of the client, who thus becomes the owner of a one-of-a-kind model. Each project originates from an idea put forward by the client and is developed hand-in-glove with a team of designers from Ferrari’s Styling Centre. Once the car’s proportion and forms have been defined, detailed design blueprints and a styling buck are produced before the manufacturing process for the new One-Off begins. The entire process takes around two years on average, during which time the client is closely involved in assessing the design and verification phases. The result? A unique Ferrari sporting the Prancing Horse logo and engineered to the same standards of excellence that characterise all of Maranello’s cars.
Mulliner creates a tribute to the legendary Bathurst 12 Hour with a unique pair of Continental GT S models
Inspiration and design cues taken from winning #7 Continental GT3
Commemorative framed artefact and scale model of winning race car accompany each car
New S range Continental GT focuses on the pleasure of driving
Impressive performance from the 542 bhp (550 PS) and 770 Nm 4.0-litre V8 engine delivers 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in just 4.0 seconds
[source: Bentley]
Crewe, England – Mulliner and Bentley Sydney have created a pair of special Bentleys inspired by the gruelling Bathurst 12 Hour, where Bentley was victorious in 2020 with its Continental GT3 racer. The recent launch in Australia of the new Continental GT S provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate V8-powered performance, with the special edition paying tribute to the road car’s racing sibling, the Continental GT3.
Focused on driving performance and visual presence, the Continental GT S shares a number of characteristics with its track based counterpart, thereby providing the perfect foundation for the pair of specially-commissioned road cars.
The two cars in the pair both have individual specifications. The first car takes inspiration from the livery of the winning race car, with an exterior of bright Apple Green (applegreen; metallic UNI; 6628 / 9560196; Bentley), contrasted by a Beluga black roof, wing mirrors, lower bumper and rear boot silhouette. The unique front visual also includes a number seven painted on the grille matrix, as per the racer.
The contemporary performance theme continues with the inclusion of the Blackline Specification – replacing all exterior bright chromework with polished black versions – and the Styling Specification (front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser in carbon fibre) providing a more aggressive visual stance.
The cabin is far more luxurious than the race car counterpart whilst offering a performance feel. Using a mixture of Leather and Dinamica in Beluga with Apple Green accents via micro-piping and contrast stitch, the interior complements the exterior perfectly. ‘BATHURST’ has been stitched into the headrests and ‘One of Two’ can be seen on the treadplates. A unique metal overlay depicting the track has been included in the carbon fibre technical finish fascias on the passenger side, and the names of the victorious drivers together with the winning number seven can be found on the centre console.
Shane Rudzis, Bathurst 12 Hour Event Director comments;
“Bentley quickly became an iconic part of the Bathurst 12 Hour and a fan favourite team of most who attended.
“They ‘brought the thunder’ to the Mountain and their 2020 victory remains one of the most popular in the history of the race, creating iconic scenes that will long be replayed.
“We are proud to help Bentley celebrate that famous result with this pair of incredibly special and unique Continental GT S vehicles, much like the pair of Continental GT3 entries that were so impressive on the Mountain for many memorable years.”
The second car is painted in Silver Tempest (silvertempest; mica metallic UNI; 6702 / 9560022; Bentley) to reflect the introduction of the second-generation Continental GT3 that was launched in late 2017 and started competing in 2018. Car number two mirrors the first, with black chrome and the carbon fibre Styling Specification to the exterior and a bespoke cabin. Each car will be supplied with a commemorative framed artefact and a 1:18 scale model of the winning car.
The Mulliner team celebrated in 2022 a new milestone in personal commissions, after creating 500 unique Mulliner Bentley projects for customers around the world in just 12 calendar months. The team’s portfolio includes coachbuilt cars such as the Batur, heritage limited editions including the Blower, and a wide variety of stunning and unique customer projects where imagination is the only limitation.
Race Inspired V8 Performance
The new S range retains the 542 bhp (550 PS) and 770 Nm 4.0-litre V8 engine that’s proved incredibly popular with customers around the world, delivering a time of just 4.0 seconds for 0-62 mph (100 km/h). For the GT and GTC S, the engine is enhanced by the fitment as standard of a Sports Exhaust to amplify the crossplane V8 beat.
The eager, free-revving and lighter 4.0-litre V8 engine gives the Continental GT S models a responsive and agile character, and this is amplified by Bentley Dynamic Ride – the advanced 48V electric active anti-roll control system first pioneered by Bentley. By generating up 1300 Nm in 0.3 seconds, motors within the anti-roll bars actively compensate for cornering forces to minimise body roll under hard cornering, while also improving ride comfort at cruising speeds by decoupling the left- and right-hand wheels from each other.
From Road to Track
The latest generation Continental GT3 race car was developed in tandem with the Continental GT road car. It used a mostly aluminium structure to deliver a much lighter, race-ready weight of less than 1300 kg together with improved weight distribution – ideal for racing. The engine was a new development of the race-proven 4.0-litre Bentley twin-turbo V8, with a redesigned dry sump system and all-new intake and exhaust systems.
Highly optimised road car intercoolers were used in the Continental GT3 to provide optimum engine performance. Unrestricted power was in excess of 550 bhp and fuel consumption was improved. Despite reduced exhaust noise the sound was still unmistakably Bentley, and characteristically thunderous.
Exterior aerodynamic surfaces, based on the sleekly refined lines of the latest generation road car provide additional downforce. New suspension and braking systems were also bespoke to the GT3 car.
Bentley’s 2020 Bathurst Win
The Continental GT has demonstrated its extraordinary breadth of ability on the road and on the track, particularly by taking overall victory in Continental GT3 form at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2020. The #7 Continental GT3 of Maxime Soulet (BEL), Jordan Pepper (ZAR) and Jules Gounon (FRA) dominated the opening round of the 2020 Intercontinental GT Challenge that year, sweeping to victory after starting P11.
The car moved quickly through the order into podium contention. World-class stints from Soulet, Pepper and Gounon, and strong strategy and pit stops from the team, moved the team into P1 for a total time of seven hours – with the car running flawlessly. A superb reactionary pit-stop just over an hour from the end to deal with a puncture was the final act from the team to set the car up for victory. Rain loomed while ambient temperatures exceeded 40°C, but after the half-day sprint the #7 Continental GT3 crossed the line as the winner of the Bathurst 12 Hour. As they took the chequered flag, the crew also set a new race distance record of 314 laps – before the heavens opened and the team rejoiced in the rain.
The organisers of this one-make series have decided to mark this special anniversary with a treat for themselves: the project managers at Porsche Motorsport asked the specialists at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur to carry out a complex Factory Re-Commissioning of a roadgoing 911 GT3 based on the 911 GT3 Cup in the 30th anniversary livery.
[source: Porsche AG]
The Porsche Supercup has been one of the best-known and toughest customer racing series in the world for 30 years. To drive the new 911 GT3 Cup on legendary circuits such as Monte Carlo or Silverstone in the run-up to Formula One races is a dream-come-true for many racers. The organisers of this one-make series have decided to mark this special anniversary with a treat for themselves.
911 GT3 road version in anniversary design
As part of the new Sonderwunsch programme, the unique model was completed in less than six months. At Porsche, a ‘Sonderwunsch Factory Re-Commissioning’ is both a recommissioning project and a customisation one – in other words the technical restoration of a Porsche road car along with a redesign of the exterior and interior colour concept to a new-vehicle standard. Highlights include the spectacular eight-colour paintwork design with the anniversary logo and a multicolour pixel mesh around the rear wheel arches, among other elements. The names of all 29 previous Porsche Supercup champions are also immortalised in gold on the rear bumper.
“Every Sonderwunsch project is something very special – not only for the customers, but also for us,” says Alexander Fabig, Vice President Individualization and Classic at Porsche. “New projects means new challenges, and we learn something every time. That applies to this 911 GT3 – 30 Years of Porsche Supercup as well.”
“A tight schedule, high technical standards and a great team spirit that ultimately takes you to the finish line – this is something that I’ve otherwise only seen in the world of motorsport,” says Oliver Schwab, Project Manager of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. “Working with Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur on this Factory Re-Commissioning was a great experience. And the 911 GT3 – 30 Years of Porsche Supercup is a worthy ambassador in our anniversary year. The Porsche Supercup made racing history and continues to do so today. We say ‘Happy Birthday’ and look forward to many more years of racing on the most famous race tracks in the world.”
To begin with, the special model will be seen at the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup races. From late summer, appearances at the Porsche Museum and the CityLife Showroom in Milan are in the works, together with the 911 GT3 Cup VIP racing car. This model is a key element in communications for the Porsche Supercup. Every season, a well-known celebrity races the car as a guest driver. Past Supercup champions will also take the Sonderwunsch 911 GT3 on excursions and talk about their triumphs and highlights.
The basis for the Sonderwunsch Factory Re-Commissioning was an already finished, road-ready Porsche 911 GT3 – the roadgoing version of the racing car used in the Porsche Supercup. In a process lasting several weeks, the vehicle was first disassembled and then rebuilt with its special design.
Custom modifications to the exterior and interior
The 911 GT3 – 30 Years of Porsche Supercup features multicolour paintwork. Not a single detail on the vehicle is a wrap or sticker. The eight colours in total – GT Silver Metallic, Agate Grey Metallic, high-gloss Black, Meteorgreymetallic, Parliamentgreymetallic, Volcanogreymetallic, Grigiogranitometallic and Diamondblackmetallic – are all painted, as are the gold-coloured names of the Supercup winners.
The greatest challenge in the painting process was to precisely apply the multicoloured pixel mesh to several points on the dynamically shaped body. Inspired by the VIP racing car, the pattern can be found behind the air outlets in the front bonnet, behind the front wheels and on the rear wheel arches. The anniversary logo, a large golden ‘30’, is displayed on the doors and front bonnet. In addition, the names of all 29 past Porsche Supercup champions have been painted in gold and sealed with a high-gloss clear lacquer. After the paintwork, the vehicle was reassembled by hand at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and customised with additional Sonderwunsch features.
Inside, the seats are particularly stunning. The embossed anniversary logo in the headrests, an independent Sport Tex colour variant in Black/Aurum for the centre panels and colour-coordinated piping in Mojave Beige lend the leather seats a very special character.
The cuboid pattern in Black/Aurum is also used on the armrests in the doors. The dashboard trim also bears the anniversary logo while the top part of the dashboard, the door panels and the side panels have been customised with Mojave Beige cross-stitching.
About Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup
The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup is regarded as one of the toughest one-make series in the world. Races are held at the European events of the FIA Formula One World Championship. In addition to the opening event in Imola, Italy on 24 April, there are seven further races on the calendar this year. A total of 28 racing drivers from eight teams are competing for the title in this anniversary season. In addition to the overall and ProAm driver classification, there is also a team and a rookie classification.
Since the 2021 season, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racing car has been based on the current 992 generation 911. With an output of around 375 kW (510 PS), the spectacularly designed Cup car outmuscles its direct predecessor by 25 PS. The 911 GT3 Cup will be fuelled with Esso Renewable Racing Fuel.
The highly successful Porsche junior programme has served as a springboard for professional careers in racing for 25 years and has produced numerous works drivers, world champions and Le Mans winners. Examples include the careers of Timo Bernhard (Porsche Junior from 2000 to 2001), Marc Lieb (2000 to 2002) and Earl Bamber (2014): all three won the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship title at least once with the Porsche 919 Hybrid.
About Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur
A sports car as individual as your own fingerprint, as unmistakable as your own lifestyle: Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in Zuffenhausen creates very personal customer vehicles through a combination of perfect craftsmanship and a high-tech approach. Highly qualified employees with decades of expertise devote their full attention to every detail and enhance it through hand craftsmanship. The experts can draw on a wide range of visual and technical customisation options for the exterior and interior of Porsche cars.
As part of its Co-Creation strategy, the sports car manufacturer is reinterpreting its legendary Sonderwunsch programme from the late 1970s, which will enable it to design individualised, one-off cars – co-created by the customer and professionally produced by Porsche. The expansion of this offering is divided into the areas of Factory Commissioning for individual customer colour and material requests directly in production as well as subsequent Factory Re-Commissioning and Factory One-Off after vehicle delivery to the customer. Whereas Factory Re-Commissioning is all about individual colours and materials, the Factory One-Off service is a systematic new technical development.
A unique new car designed by Ferrari designers to a client’s brief
The BR20 is a two-seater V12 coupé based on the GTC4Lusso platform
A sublime marriage of dynamic, modern good looks and styling flair inspired by Ferraris of the 1950s and 60s
[source: Ferrari]
Maranello, Italy – The Ferrari BR20, the latest addition to the Prancing Horse’s One-Off series, was unveiled today and joins the most exclusive group in Maranello’s range: unique, absolutely bespoke cars crafted to the specifications of a client and designed as a clear expression of their own unique requirements.
The BR20 is a two-seater V12 coupé developed on the GTC4Lusso platform, which in terms of its philosophy and styling approach, cleverly references the magnificent Ferrari coupés of the 1950s and 60s, without the slightest hint of nostalgia. Instead, it pulls off the challenging feat of marrying timeless elegance with muscular sportiness, effortlessly incorporating styling themes typical of some of the most iconic 12-cylinders in Ferrari history, including the 410 SA and 500 Superfast.
The GTC4Lusso’s two rear seats have been removed to add extra dynamism to the BR20’s ultra-sleek fastback line. The new car is three inches longer than the original, thanks to a specific rear overhang treatment designed to create a silhouette that beautifully emphasises its proportions. One of the cornerstones of the design process for this one-off was the radical modification made to the cabin volume. This in turn gave the design team, led by Flavio Manzoni, the freedom to conceive the innovative proportions that ultimately produced a powerful yet stylistically coherent exterior design theme.
The new cabin design solution creates the impression of a pair of arches running lengthwise from A-pillar to rear spoiler. The rear volume of the arch has been hollowed out to create an aerodynamic channel with the air outlet concealed by the black rear fascia under the spoiler. This modern take on Ferrari’s “flying buttress” theme firmly connects the car to signature Prancing Horse styling cues not just from Ferrari’s GT tradition, but also sports cars such as the 599 GTB Fiorano. To visually lighten the cabin, the black paint of the roof visually connects the windscreen to the rear screen, which stands above the surface of the rear tailgate as if to channel the air flow.
A muscular rear bumper melds beautifully with the aggressive look of the rest of the car: twin taillights create a visual dialogue with the tailpipes, which are lower and set into a prominent aerodynamic diffuser with active flaps on the underbody. Even the BR20’s twin round exhaust tips were designed especially for this bespoke model.
The BR20’s many carbon-fibre details highlight the edgy dynamic characteristics and powerful performance of this extraordinary four-wheel drive car. High, sinuous sills add an extra hint of dynamism to the lower section of the flanks as well as emphasising the front air vents on the wheel arches. The wide front grille sports an upper carbon-fibre element, a note of stylistic consistency with other recent Ferrari one-offs, whileunusual chrome side inserts help underline the car’s dynamic front stance.
The BR20’s unique identity is further underscored by the front grille’s striking new horizontal slats that lend a powerful sense of three-dimensionality. A virtually endless list of elements was designed specifically for the BR20, not least its modified headlights. They are lower in height compared to those of the GTC4Lusso with slimmer DRLs, which makes the bonnet seem even longer and sleeker. The 20” tone-on-tone diamond-finish wheels were also created especially for this unique car.
The BR20’s interior is no less impressive, trimmed in two shades of brown leather and carbon-fibre, an exquisite combination developed according to the client’s indications. The seats are trimmed in dark brown Heritage Testa di Moro leather and sport an exclusive pattern at the front as well as silver cross-stitching. The cabin volume runs uninterrupted from the windscreen to the luggage compartment at the rear, creating a sense of unique lightness and airiness for occupants. Oak trim with carbon-fibre inserts adorns the rear bench and luggage deck, which conceals a deeper loading area when folded flat, as well as the door handles.
Designed for a longstanding client who was deeply involved in every step of its creation, the Ferrari BR20 represents a true interpretation of the traditional coachbuilder’s art, successfully transforming an existing model in a masterful and unique way taking inspiration from and paying homage to the company’s core values of innovation and passion.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
The Special Projects programme is aimed at creating unique Ferraris (the so-called “One-Offs”) characterised by an exclusive design crafted according to the requirements of the client, who thus becomes the owner of a one-of-a-kind model. Each project originates from an idea put forward by the client and developed with a team of designers from Ferrari’s Styling Centre; after having defined the car’s proportion and forms, detailed design blueprints and a styling buck are produced before starting the manufacturing process of the new One-Off. The entire process lasts on average more than one year, during which the client is closely involved in assessing the design and verification phases. The result? A unique Ferrari, which sports the Prancing Horse logo and is engineered to the same levels of excellence which characterise every other Maranello production car.
