Ferrari 575M Maranello
Encyclopedia
The Ferrari 575M Maranello is a two-seat, two-door, grand tourer
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
built by Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
. Launched in 2002, it is essentially an updated 550 Maranello
Ferrari 550
The Ferrari 550 Maranello and 550 Barchetta are 2-seat grand tourers built by Ferrari. Introduced in 1996, the 550 was an upmarket front-engined V12 coupe of the kind not seen since the Daytona. It shared its platform and 5.5 L engine with the 2+2 456 but was positioned as the company's...
featuring minor styling changes from Pininfarina
Pininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
. The 575M was replaced by the 599 GTB
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
The 599 GTB Fiorano is an Italian gran turismo produced by Ferrari. It is the brand's two-seat flagship, replacing the 575 M Maranello in 2006 as a 2007 model....
in the first half of 2006.
Updates from the 550 include a renewed interior, but with substantial improvements mechanically, including bigger brake discs
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
, a larger and more powerful engine, a different weight distribution
Weight distribution
Weight distribution is the apportioning of weight within a vehicle, especially cars, airplanes, and trains.In a vehicle which relies on gravity in some way, weight distribution directly affects a variety of vehicle characteristics, including handling, acceleration, traction, and component life...
, refined aerodynamics and fluid-dynamics and an adaptive suspension set-up (the four independent suspensions are also controlled by the gearbox, to minimize pitch throughout the 200-milliseconds shift time
Shift time
Shift time refers to the time interval between gear changes in a transmission during which power delivery is interrupted. This is usually in reference to motor vehicles but can apply to any gearbox. Reducing shift time is important in performance vehicles or race cars because during shifting the...
). Two six-speed transmissions
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
are available, a conventional manual gearbox and, for the first time on a Ferrari V12, Magneti Marelli's semi-automatic (Electrohydraulic manual
Electrohydraulic manual transmission
Electrohydraulic manual transmission is a type of semi-automatic transmission system, which uses an automated clutch unlike conventional manual transmissions where the driver operates the clutch. The clutch is controlled by electronic computers and hydraulics...
) 'F1' gearbox. The model number refers to total engine displacement in litres, whilst the 'M' is an abbreviation of 'modificato' or 'modified'.
For 2005, the company developed a new GTC handling package and Superamerica version (a limited run of 559 Retractable hardtop variants of the coupe), along with raising the power from 515 PS to 540 PS.
Engine
- Configuration: 65° V12 engineV12 engineA V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
- Displacement: 5.7 L (5748 cc/350 in³)
- Maximum power: 515 PS at 7,250 rpm
- Maximum torque: 588.6 newton metre at 5,250 rpm
Performance
- Maximum speed: 327 km/h (203.2 mph)
- 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph): 4.2 seconds
- 0–400 m: 12.25 seconds
- 0-1,000 m: 21.9 seconds
All figures are for the semi-automatic gearbox.
Dimensions
- Overall length: 4550 mm (179.1 in)
- Overall width: 1935 mm (76.2 in)
- Height: 1277 mm (50.3 in)
- Wheelbase: 2500 mm (98.4 in)
- Front track: 1632 mm (64.3 in)
- Rear track: 1586 mm (62.4 in)
- Curb weight: 1730 kg (3,814 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 105 L (27.7 US gal)
GTC handling package
The GTC package includes Ferrari's fourth Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) composite ceramic composite brake system, made by BremboBrembo
Brembo S.p.A. is a manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. It was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were exclusively imported from the United Kingdom at the time...
(the first 3 being featured on the Challenge Stradale, F430
Ferrari F430
The Ferrari F430 is a sports car that was produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari from 2004 to 2009, as a successor to the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show...
and Enzo) as well as a more performance-tuned suspension system, low-restriction exhaust system, and unique 19 inch wheels. The new brakes are based on the company's Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
technology. They use 15.7 in discs with six-piston calipers in front and 14.2 in discs with four-piston calipers in the rear. The package is priced at US$23,500.
Superamerica
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
version of the 575M Maranello; it featured an electrochromic
Electrochromism
Electrochromism is the phenomenon displayed by some materials of reversibly changing color when a burst of charge is applied. Various types of materials and structures can be used to construct electrochromic devices, depending on the specific applications....
glass panel roof which rotated 180° (both are production car firsts) at the rear to lie flat over the boot. The Superamerica used the higher-output tune of the V-12 engine, rated at 533 hp and Ferrari marketed it as the world's fastest convertible, with a top speed of 199 mph (320 km/h). The GTC handling package was optional.
A total of 559 Superamericas were built; this awkward number followed Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Anselmo Ferrari Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian race car driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari car manufacturer...
's philosophy that there should always be one fewer car available than what the market is demanding.
575 GTZ
A one-off special 575M was built by Zagato
Zagato
Zagato is a design consultancy and engineering services company situated just outside Milan, Italy.The company's premises occupy an area of , of which are covered....
for Japanese Ferrari collector, Yoshiyuki Hayashi and announced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. Designed to recall the 250 GTZ
Ferrari 250
The Ferrari 250 is a sports car built by Ferrari from 1953 to 1964. The company's most successful early line, the 250 series included several variants. It was replaced by the 275 and the 330.-Similarities:...
(or 250 GT Zagato) and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 250 range, the GTZ was officially endorsed by Ferrari and includes Zagato's trademark double-bubble roofline and two-tone paint.
Motorsports
In 2003, Ferrari announced the sale of several 575M-based racing cars, known as the 575-GTC (not to be confused with the 575M GTC Handling Package). Following the success of ProdriveProdrive
Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...
in running the Ferrari 550
Ferrari 550
The Ferrari 550 Maranello and 550 Barchetta are 2-seat grand tourers built by Ferrari. Introduced in 1996, the 550 was an upmarket front-engined V12 coupe of the kind not seen since the Daytona. It shared its platform and 5.5 L engine with the 2+2 456 but was positioned as the company's...
, Ferrari wished to offer their own racing car to customers. Used primarily in the FIA GT Championship
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
, the 575-GTCs managed to take a lone win in their first season, followed by another lone win in 2004. Unfortunately the 575-GTCs were not as capable as the Prodrive-built 550-GTSs, and would fall from use by the end of 2005.