Ferrari’s 599 GTB Fiorano is already a potent pony, so when the Italians decided to put their stallion through the XX program (which was responsible for cars like the Enzo FXX and the FXX Evoluzione) the ears of millionaires around the world definitely perked up.
The end result of Ferrari’s poking, prodding, tuning and trimming is called the 599XX, and it’s the fastest road car they’ve ever produced. (Though calling this a road car is a bit of a stretch.)
The ‘extreme track car’ bumps power to 700 hp at 9,000 rpm, and uses carbon fiber wherever possible to bring the weight down while increasing aerodynamic downforce. Other neat goodies include F1 style ‘doughnuts’ over the brake discs that improve aerodynamics and brake cooling, carbon fiber brake pads, and a whole host of active aerodynamic components they call the ‘ActiflowT’ system.
Like previous XX cars, the 599XX will be invitation only, so if you don’t already have a few Ferraris parked outside, this won’t be the next addition, but for the select few, Ferrari has created a car that will more than likely defy belief.
The latest car to go under their knife is the Ferrari Enzo, and despite the fact that many Ferrari purists would argue that the Enzo is perfection embodied, Edo would disagree.
Changes include a new ram-air intake system, high-flow air filters, FXX style headers, high-flowing cats, a new exhaust system with remote-controlled butterfly valves to adjust sound levels on the fly, and a modified ECU that helps power levels reach 700 hp and 527 lb.-ft. of torque.
That power is then moved through a retuned transmission that replicates the shift times of the FXX bretherin, and then out through the 19 and 20 inch blacked out rims that are an Edo special.
Suspension has also seen some improvements, with compression and rebound that have been adjusted to match the FIA GT MC12.
According to Edo, 62 mph is now dispatched in just 3.5 seconds, and the car will reach 186 mph in just 22 seconds.
I guess even perfection has some room for improvement!
Refusing to leave well enough alone, Mercedes-McLaren have taken their SLR supercar and turned it into a club-racing monster, called the SLR 722 GT.
Developed in conjunction with British motorsports company RML Group, and designed for the handful of very rich drivers who can afford to pony up the one million pounds it takes to get behind the wheel of one of the 21 being made, the 722 GT features modifications to the suspension, braking, aerodynamics, interior and exhaust of a normal SLR. In total, more than 400 components have been either replaced or redesigned.
Power comes in the form of a supercharged AMG 5.5L V8 that is rated at 671 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque.
Eye appeal upgrades include a new front apron with front splitter, wide wings, prominent side skirts, a rear diffuser, and an airplane sized wing on the back.
Now, you’ve just got to track down one of those Ferrari FXX Evoluzione owners and challenge him to a race.
On the car scale, Ferrari is definitely at the top; and on the Ferrari scale, the Enzo is definitely at the top, which is why a special edition Enzo is no ordinary supercar. Called the FXX, it was sold only to “select” buyers, and was used by Ferrari as a test bed for development of their latest equipment.
Two years, and 20,000 miles later, they’ve gathered up enough data from the 20 cars to make an even better version of their wondermobile, and they’re calling it the FXX Evoluzione.
Again available only to a “select” group of buyers, the Evoluzione features 860 hp, a 9,500 redline, 60 millisecond shifts, a less invasive, more adaptable traction control system that can be adjusted in the cockpit on the fly, modified suspension geometry, and a new aerodynamic package.
Being a test driver for Ferrari doesn’t come cheap, but if you had the cash, would you turn down the offer? (Oh, and the $2 million it takes to own one comes with “a 15-member official team made up of engineers, electronics experts and mechanics capable of providing complete assistance to clients”. And you thought you had a comprehensive warranty!)
Supercar tuners are few and far between, though I’m guessing it’s mostly due to the price of admission, rather than the lack of desire. When looking at the cars made by manufacturers such as Ferrari and Maserati, there are some who are content with just leaving well enough alone, believing that, with a car this [...]
Italian Supercar maker Pagani is waging war on the Ferrari FXX with a track tuned version of their Zonda model, called simply the Zonda R. Designed to give “the ultimate performance at the racetrack without any implications of rules, except for safety”, it only carries over 10 percent of the parts from their previous model, [...]
