2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Ferrari Tames a Beast

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano's otherworldly power and performance are tempered by comfort, refinement and reliability proven over 20,000 miles of trans-continental travel.

The new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano — featuring a 611-hp V12 — is virtually as fast as its supercar forebear, the $675,000 Enzo, of which only 399 were made. It’s also more comfortable in everyday driving and more elegantly styled. And this new Ferrari starts at $265,000: Far beyond average budgets, yet 60 percent less than the Enzo’s fantastical price.

Most Ferrari tests are conducted on racetracks, but this one was different: We drove the Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas leg of the Panamerican 20,000, a three-month, 20,000-mile marathon in a pair of 599 GTB Fioranos that started in Brazil in August, crossed 14 countries in South and Central America, and then toured the U.S. and Canada before wrapping up in Manhattan. Amazingly, none of the 599 GTB Fioranos experienced mechanical problems on the trans-continental journey, only a few flat tires. Click here to read more about the Panamerican 20,000.

It was hardly a surprise, but we found the 599 GTB Fiorano to be a sweet successor to the departed 575M Maranello, with a shapely new body and extra helpings of power, technology and performance. Ferrari, in fact, calls the 599 GTB Fiorano its fastest production car in history. The Enzo, with its limited run, doesn’t count in Ferrari’s eyes.

One drawback for those who can afford it: The 599 GTB Fiorano is fast, but the wait is slow. The current waiting list is roughly four years.