1996 Ferrari 550
The Spider at Ferrari is now 'Barchetta' and will not appear at the same time with the 550, but 4 years later. But it is still almost a increase of the 550-beauty. Just look at the more than half-height reaching A-
pillars. This is the top model with a corresponding comfort for the interior equipment. A classic Grand Tourismo.
Many years after the Daytona Ferrari returns back to the front engine, actually the only rational solution for a twelve-cylinder, which still should be usable in everyday life. Although Ferraristi would not do it, but
a few crates of beer fit even in the relatively low trunk. To achieve a better weight distribution, the transmission was banished to the rear under the bottom of the luggage trunk.
Who drives a car like that? With a few exceptions the one who can afford apart from the purchase price, the enormous workshop and insurance costs. Why a fuel consumption of 20 litres/100 km on this car is
still more tolerable, shows the following example: The running costs are in fact clear when one put as a basis the rent for such a vehicle as, e.g. 700 Euro for 150 km. There are yet more than 30 liters of fuel
hardly worth mentioning, even if they would cost € 50 would. Obviously, many Ferraris reach only modest annual mileage. What checks its durability not especially.
Is it really suitable for everyday life? What in the photos not to come into, is the enormous width of the vehicle. The parking is already difficult particularly with the F1 gear changing of the 575. Mainly the
thoughts, who is parking next to it and may carelessly tears open the door. The trunk is sufficient, the interior is very comfortable, acceptable even for somewhat larger people. The elegant start to drive needs
to be practiced a little. There particularly the acceleration. The clutch is not very smooth.
Driving one can enjoy, even in the city, but even more on country roads. The engine all, from sophisticated to unmannerly, from the sixth gear at 50 km / h to the third gear at 160 km / h, from throaty to roaring.
Actuated bypass flaps in the exhaust are only necessary at the appropriate engine.
Already on the country road you drive fast. Is it wide enough, often are short straights enough to overtake. Unfortunately there is a speed limit. If I would be a bad tempered policeman, I would wait at the Ferrari
rental and drive behind the customers. Very enjoyable it is on the highway. There are cars, you do not really notice the driven speed. In addition, other road users force you to take over, because they
continuous make space. So the problem is, that the free 150 km are over much faster than with an ordinary car. And this at these prices.
It was presented in Geneva in 2002. Finally, since the predecessor 550, a front-engine Ferrari, but what you can hardly notice apart at the air scoop in the front hood. Is that because of the 65° between the cylinder banks?
At the back, the spectacular fields of vision for the partially red-colored intake system are now missing. There is only the gearbox, in the M version (modified) for the first time in the
twelve-cylinder as a sequential gearbox with shift paddles on the steering wheel. Because this super-fast gearshift was adopted from Formula 1, some M models are given the suffix 'F1'.
Much has been retained from the 550, e.g. the rear. The air intake at the front and especially the interior design have changed. The engine received - it probably didn't really need it - 250 cm³ more displacement and thus
more torque and power. In contrast to the past, Ferrari now states the total displacement in the model name. The exhaust system has even become a little quieter.
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