Ferrari Enzo

The Ferrari Enzo was designed by Ken Okuyama, the then Pininfarina head of design, and initially announced at the 2002 Paris Motor Show with a limited production run of 399 units. The company sent invitations to existing customers, specifically, those who had previously bought the F40 and F50. All 399 cars were sold in this way before production began. Production began in 2003. In 2004, the 400th production car was built and donated to the Vatican for charity, which was later sold at a Sotheby’s auction for US$1.1 million. The Ferrari Enzo has a 65° naturally aspirated V12 engine called the F140 B, mid-mounted 5998 cm³ and delivering 660 horsepower at 7800 rpm and 657 Nm with a compression ratio of 11.2:1. Chassis and bodywork are made entirely of carbon fibre, suspension is double wishbone deformable front and rear. The brakes are made of ceramic-carbon composite, and power to the rear wheels is managed through a sequential 6-speed gearbox with paddles on the steering wheel. Its styling is due, as with many other Ferrari models, to the Pininfarina coachwork. Ferrari’s extensive knowledge and experience in Formula 1 have had a profound effect on the aerodynamic development of the car, which, surprisingly, does not make use of a rear wing as such but of a small aerodynamic appendage that tilts when speeds above 80 km/h are reached. Much of the aerodynamic load is in fact generated by the car’s specially designed underfloor which, with the help of the rear extractors, creates a downforce effect. Given the car’s exclusively sporty configuration, it has no stereo or electric windows. The performance of the Ferrari Enzo constitutes a rather singular case: while acceleration figures have normally been communicated by the manufacturer, the figure for the maximum speed reached has never been given precisely. As for the 0-100 km/h time, the Enzo takes just 3.65 seconds. It then takes less than 10 seconds to go from 0 to 200 km/h; with a standing start, it covers the kilometre in 19.6 seconds, with a top speed in excess of 350 km/h. This, at the time of its release, made it the fastest production road Ferrari ever produced.