The long expected successor to the Ferrari 456M GT will be launched at the Detroit
Motor Show in January 2004. It has now become clear that the LWB prototype using
the body of a 550 Maranello that was spotted in and around Maranello during the last
year really was a prototype for the new 2+2. The clou: Ferrari’s new car looks like a
modern interpretation of the legendary 375 MM Berlinetta Pinin Farina Speciale
"Bergman" with chassis number 0456AM, an ”one-off” dating from 1953 and named
after its famous original owner, actress Ingrid Bergman.
The new car does feature an incredibly long bonnet, and there's apparently about one
metre between the front axle and the door! Thus one may assume that this will be the
first Ferrari realised in the so-called ”front-mid engine” concept: An engine mounted
between the front axle and the cabin should guarantee both excellent handling and
performance. The car looks quite huge, especially from the side view. The flanks of
the new Ferrari are concave, as on 375 MM #0456AM and on the legendary 1957 250
Testa Rossa Spider Scaglietti.
The driving lights resemble the ones on Pininfarina’s study ”Rossa”, although they
are for sure more "usable" and do look less spacy. The tail lights are similar to the
ones of the Enzo Ferrari: Two pairs of round lights with prominent upper ends.
The interior looks very sporting, with very sporty and outlined seats. Some technical
gimmicks will apparently be remote controlled via a multifunctional steering wheel —
apart from the F1-style volant of the Enzo Ferrari, a novelty in a Ferrari!
The engine is reportedly an evolution of the 575M Maranello’s aggregate, now
producing 540 bhp and propelling the car to a top speed of 310 km/h, thus making it
the fastest 2+2 on earth.
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These information were confirmed by a lucky one who has already seen the car "in
flesh" at Ferrari’s dealer presentation on July 1st, 2003. The name or designation of
Ferrari’s future 2+2 is yet unknown. Its price tag will reportedly be in the region of
210.000,-EUR.
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