Ferrari F50

Photo: MrWalkr · CC BY-SA 4.0

Production1995–1997

EngineV12

Power520 PS

Top speed325 km/h

Units built349

The F50 was produced from 1995 to 1997 to commemorate the company's 50th anniversary and was sold exclusively to selected customers in a run of just 349 examples. Its 4.7-liter 60-valve V12 was derived from the 1990 641 Formula 1 car's engine and had already been used in the 333 SP. The body is constructed from carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer and is immensely rigid; the hardtop is removable. The styling is an evolution of the 1989 Mythos concept, incorporating styling cues from contemporary Formula 1 cars. The engine produces 520 PS.

Summarized from the sources cited below; every figure in the text was automatically verified against the sources.

Good to know

The engine predated the car: it raced in the 333 SP in 1994, qualifying that car for the production-based engine class of the World Sportscar Championship.
Compared to the Formula 1 engine, the rev limit was lowered from 15000 rpm to 8700 rpm and displacement was increased.
According to the EPA, the F50 achieves just 8 miles per US gallon on the combined cycle.
The original base price was equivalent to approximately 380,000 euros.

Learn moreFormula 1-derived engine · Transmission and layout · Bodywork and conclusion

Formula 1-derived engine

The 65° V12 features a cast-iron block, alloy heads, forged Mahle pistons, and titanium connecting rods. Bore and stroke measure 85 mm and 69 mm, with a compression ratio of 11.3:1. The intake manifold is made of carbon fiber and features variable intake geometry; the exhaust system also incorporates valves that remain closed at low rpm. The engine weighs 198 kg and is managed by a Bosch Motronic 2.7 system. The dry-sump lubrication system houses its reservoir inside the transaxle casing.

Transmission and layout

The longitudinally mounted six-speed gearbox features a limited-slip differential and a twin-plate dry clutch; the casings are partly made of magnesium. The ratios range from 2.933:1 in first to 0.903:1 in sixth gear, with a final drive of 3.70:1. Weight distribution is 42 percent front and 58 percent rear. The fuel tank is an aircraft-style foam-filled rubber bladder with a capacity of 105 liters.

Bodywork and conclusion

The hardtop can be removed, turning the F50 into an open two-seater. The last car rolled off the production line in July 1997. The bodywork made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic gives the car enormous rigidity; its styling borrowed cues from contemporary Formula 1 cars, especially at the front.

Summarized from the cited sources; every figure was automatically verified against the sources.