Limited-run, 810hp track car for ‘gentleman drivers’ is the most expensive Ferrari yet.
Ferrari has made its Le Mans-winning 499P prototype racer available for purchase as a no-holds-barred track toy equipped with an 810hp hybrid V6. Based on the 499P endurance racer that claimed victory at La Sarthe this year, the “strictly limited” track car is reserved for non-competitive use by “gentleman drivers”.
- Features a F1 derived electric motor
- Has a carbon fibre monocoque chassis and F1-style pushrod suspension
Ferrari 499P Modificata powertrain
It has been designed for a “very select clientele”, each of whom will have access to the car for two years and will be able to take part in nine racing events organised by Ferrari each year. If the customer wants to use a specific racetrack at his or her own request, an additional fee will be charged. The customer also gets access to the firm’s F1 maintenance team.
The car spearheads the brand’s new Sport Prototipi Clienti programme, which will see customers able to purchase modified versions of Ferrari’s race cars.
Power comes from the same mid-rear mounted 3.0-litre hybridised V6 as the 499P, but the 499P Modificata’s engine has been “pushed further” to produce a combined 707hp. An additional 81hp is on offer for seven seconds at a time, after the driver presses a red “push to pass” button mounted behind the steering wheel. A Formula 1-derived 800V electric motor drives the front wheels, and can be charged under deceleration and braking.
While the firm did not comment on torque output, it has revealed that the electric motor produces 179Nm, and in the 296 GT3, the V6 produces 712Nm, meaning the two together could produce as much around 895Nm in the Modificata.
Ferrari said it was a “huge challenge” to engineer the powertrain so that the 499 Modificata’s on-track behaviour is accessible to customers with less experience. The engine mapping is said to have been tuned to easily manage torque, even at the car’s limit.
Ferrari 499P Modificata design and platform
During the development of its bespoke Pirelli tyres, Cecconi said the firm prioritised “vehicle dynamics and powertrain delivery management”, meaning they are designed to withstand long, continuous runs with a bespoke tread pattern and are easier to manage during warm-up.
Designed by Flavio Manzoni, renowned for sketching the F12 Berlinetta and Monza SP1, it relies heavily on ducts, channels and vents to smooth airflow over its cab-back body.
Meanwhile, it gets a bumper-width light bar at the back, as well as a large downforce-inducing rear spoiler, carbonfibre bumpers that leaves the wheels and suspension exposed to the elements, and an air intake (also carbonfibre) that extends the length of the rear glasshouse. This cools both the V6 engine and the battery.
Its body sits on a carbonfibre monocoque chassis and F1-inspired push-rod suspension, which, according to Ferrari, has been “designed to maximise driving thrills and ensure that the car behaves predictably in all conditions.
The engine itself is load-bearing, forming a part of the car’s backbone and increasing its torsional rigidity. Inside, it gets quite a bare interior for weight purposes, but does feature a digital rear camera, fixed bucket seats, an adjustable pedal rack, and a racing steering wheel.
Also see: