El Ferrari F50GT It is one of those rare birds that from time to time we enter the history of the Italian brand. Like its predecessor, the Ferrari F40, had several racing versions or its successor, the Enzo, with the FXX variant, a competition evolution was also developed on the F50. Unfortunately, this never got to debut due to a regulatory change that caught the Italian brand on foot changed. Thus, Ferrari decided to concentrate its financial resources on the F1.
Recall that el Ferrari F50 had hit the market in 1995, anticipating two years to the celebration of half a century of history of the brand. It was the successor to the F40, although somewhat tamer and with a mid-engine atmospheric V12, as the canons mandated. In any case, it did not have power steering, brake booster or ABS. Thanks to your targa configuration, transferred better than the F40 the feeling of a single-seater put on the street. Its design was inspired by the concept car Myth of 1989.
The V12 engine placed in a longitudinal position had 4,7 liters and was derived, according to Ferrari, from the one used by the 640, the 1 Formula 1989 car. Its power reached 520 CV at 8.000 turns, with a torque of 471 Nm at 6.500 rpm. The engine, which performed load-bearing functions as in competition single-seaters, was anchored to a carbon fiber chassis. The weight of the set was 1.230 kilos, which yielded a weight/power ratio of 2,36 kg / CV. His benefits were consistent: 325 km / h top speed and 3,87 seconds in the 0 to 100 km/h.
In addition, Ferrari calculated that there would be 350 potential clients, so it manufactured one less unit: 349. All were sold before production began and, unlike the F40 -in which they were all red-, you could choose between five colors: yellow, black, silver and two shades of red which, obviously, were the majority chosen.
THE RACING VERSION, THE FERRARI F50 GT
Almost immediately, in 1996, in Maranello they launched to develop a competition variant, known as Ferrari F50GT or also GT1. I was thinking to compete in the BPR Global GT Series, the GT championship that had relaunched the category in the 90s. Contested between 1994 and 1996, it included the McLaren F1 GTR as a great dominator and the participation of several F40 LM, GT and GTE.
Based on the F50, Ferrari developed a GT version of which were built three units with the help of Dallara and ATR. The engine was squeezed to achieve fantastic 750 CV at no less than 10.500 laps, with a torque of 529 Nm at 7.500 rpm. In addition, the weight was reduced to 860 kilograms dry, about 910 kg in the running state. Taking this last figure as a reference, we have a weight/power ratio of 1,22 kg/hp. A very, very serious machine.
In addition, he mounted a sequential gearbox that replaced the manual transmission of the series model and a clutch with carbon fiber discs. As was logical, the targa roof gave way to a fixed one, while the rear wing was replaced for a competition one with central support. It had a different front with a larger air intake, cooling intake on the roof and a colossal rear diffuser.
Its performance in Fiorano was exceptional, which is not surprising in a model that declared a top speed of 367 km/h! and that accelerated from 0 to 100 km / h in 2,9 seconds. It is said that his times in Fiorano were excellent, close to those of the sport prototype 333 SP, something difficult to believe. However, all was in vain.
AND COLORÍN COLORADO…
The life of the Ferrari F50 GT was short-lived, as never got to debut in competition. At the end of 1996, the BPR Global GT Series was cancelled, giving rise to the FIA GT Championship. This allowed the homologation of pure racing cars such as the Porsche 911 GT1 that were no longer derived from series. Only 25 street units were required to be built, although later they settled for one.
Esto Ferrari didn't like it, who did not want to allocate more resources to a program that could take him away from his main objective, to win the Formula 1 World Championship again. It is said that neither Bernie Ecclestone He was more interested in the Italian brand giving shine to other competitions. Especially one in which they could face brands like Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota or Ferrari itself.
Only three units of the six planned were built, with chassis numbers 001, 002 and 003. The other three chassis would have been destroyed, although there are sources that affirm that they are preserved, that is, that they could be completed. The chassis 001 it was sold in early 1997 to California collector Art Zafiropoulo. Unit 002 it was sold in Japan to another collector, Yoshikuni Okamoto. Lastly, the F50 GT 003 It also ended up in the United States, bought by Jim Spiro. All three cars have gone out from time to time to roll in exhibitions on the circuit.
Its estimated sale price was a little over a million dollars. In 2009, RM Auctions auctioned in Scottsdale the Ferrari F50 GT chassis 003 in U.S. dollar 1.430.000 and now the car belongs to an australian collector. Surely, today, that figure would be multiplied by two if one were put up for auction. Meanwhile, we will always have the question of knowing if our protagonist would have been competitive if he had made his debut. I would bet yes.
Ferrari photos.