Ferrari 499P Modificata Is a Le Mans-Inspired Car That Only Selected Clientele Can Buy

The Ferrari 499P won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023, the Italians' first win in almost 60 years, and also accounted for the fastest lap. The last time the brand from Maranello had won was 1965.

Now, the Ferrari enthusiasts have the chance to buy a car based on the glorious winner of the endurance race. It is a machinery developed on the race track, with racing DNA, which will only be available to a limited number of customers. Presented at the Mugello Circuit during the Ferrari Finali Mondiali 2023, the new 499P Modificata is a strictly limited-series track car, but it is only reserved for non-competitive use.

Sporting a chassis carbon-fiber monocoque, the new version is definitely not compliant with the regulations imposed on the cars that participate in the race on the Circuit de la Sartre in France. For instance, the main modification is that the electric motor mounted on the front axle can be engaged at lower speeds.

It works alongside a mid-mounted 3.0-liter V6 engine, derived from the one that powers the 296 GT3 race car. An Energy Recovery System (ERS) recharges the battery during deceleration and braking. The system is conceptually similar to the one introduced in Formula 1 back in 2009 with the KERS system.

It could previously be active only above 118 mph (190 kph), according to the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The change translates into the ability to turn to all-wheel drive more often.

A Push to Pass system also shows up on the new 499 Modificata. A button located right behind the steering wheel can unlock an additional 161 horsepower (163 PS) for a limited period of time (7.0 seconds) on a full throttle.

The Puss to Pass system takes the total output all the way to 858 horsepower (870 PS) instead of the usual 697 horsepower (707 PS). The total output is steered to both axles via a seven-speed sequential gearbox.

The team retuned the engine and handling, as well as the traction control. A dedicated start-assist logic was also introduced. There is a multiple air intake up on the roof of the car for the V6 engine, which also cools the battery and the gearbox.

The car gets a cabin that features an ergonomics that is almost identical to that of the Le Mans race car. There is a single-seat layout, which provides the same driving experience as the Le Mans race car. It rides on 19-inch wheels which are wrapped in 310/710 wheels at the front and 340/710 at the rear.

The 499P Modificata is the first product of the new Sport Prototipi Clienti program. From 2024, it will run alongside the existing F1 Clienti program. Thus, the owners of the 499P Modificata can join a number of events on international tracks every year, while Ferrari takes care of logistics, track-side assistance, as well as maintenance.

There is no word on how many such examples will be built, nor how much the car will cost. But one thing is clear: it will stand as an exclusive model to which only a selected clientele will have access.