The F50 isn't remembered as fondly as other Ferraris from the specials club that ranges from the 288 GTO to the LaFerrari. For some reason or another, the F40 always takes the cake even though it enjoyed a larger production run than its peers.
Be that as it may, the F50 is truly special from a technical standpoint. Only 349 units were produced, and Tiff Needell had the opportunity to drive one of them on a wet and winding road in Scotland. This example is estimated at 3 million pounds sterling or thereabouts, which means it’s worth three times more than an F40.
You can barely hear the former host of Fifth Gear talking about the car on full song, and it’s easy to understand why that V12 makes such a ruckus. For starters, it’s derived from the free-breathing engine of the Formula 1 car that scored a total of 6 victories in the 1990 season spread between Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell.
Enlarged from 3.5 to 4.7 liters, this powerplant also happens to be a structural element of the chassis while the rear suspension is connected to the rear of the six-speed manual transmission. Indeed, dearest reader; this fellow is equipped with a gated stick shift rather than a sequential or a dual-clutch transmission. Also worthy of note, the F50 is the last mid-engine V12 Ferrari with a manual.
The downside to integrating the twelve-cylinder motor so well into the vehicle is, of course, the NVH. Tiff doesn’t only have to raise his voice for us to hear him, but the vibrations produced by the 512-horsepower screamer are intense for a road car.
“That’s part of the sensation,” said the co-presenter of Lovecars. “You don’t only hear the engine, you feel it.” Given the relative lack of comfort in the cabin, it’s also easy to understand why most Ferrari F50s out there are low-mileage cars.
Speaking of which, the interior is truly simple. No airbags, manual windows, and only a handful of buttons are featured. As far as creature comforts are concerned, air conditioning is the highlight. This Spartan interior is, therefore, a reminder that you're sitting in a Ferrari with proper motorsport heritage.
On the handling front, the F50 exhibits mild understeer whereas the F40 is willing to break loose without too much effort. According to Tiff, this setup may have something to do with Alain Prost “who liked a little bit of understeer.”
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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