Ferrari has made its Le Mans-winning 499P prototype racer available for purchase as a no-holds-barred track toy equipped with an 777bhp hybrid V6 and costing £4.6 million.
Based on the 499P endurance racer that claimed victory at La Sarthe this year (Ferrari’s first top-flight endurance outing in 50 years), the "strictly limited" track car is reserved for non-competitive use by "gentleman drivers".
Speaking at its debut at Mugello, Italy, the firm's non-homologated vehicle leader, Manuela Cecconi, said it has been designed "for customers to enjoy the thrill of a racing prototype", adding that it is "the firm's most exclusive project", with each car costing €5.1m (£4,620,600), excluding VAT.
It has been designed for a "very select clientele". Each buyer will have access to the car for two years and be able to take part in nine racing events organised by Ferrari each year. If the customer wants to use a specific racetrack at his or her own request, an additional fee will be charged.
The car spearheads the brand's new Sport Prototipi Clienti programme, which will enable customers to purchase modified versions of Ferrari’s race cars, though the firm did not comment on what subsequent Prototipi Clienti cars will be.
Power comes from the same mid-rear-mounted 3.0-litre hybridised V6 as the 499P, but the 499P Modificata's engine has been "pushed further" to produce a combined 697bhp. An additional 80bhp is on offer for seven seconds at a time, after the driver presses a red 'push to pass' button mounted behind the steering wheel.
The race car is limited by balance of performance regulations to a total output of 670bhp.
A Formula 1-derived 800V electric motor drives the front wheels and can be charged under deceleration and braking.
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Autocar, are you sure about this bit: "each of whom will have access to the car for two years". Other sources say it's two years access to Ferrari support at the race events, free tyres, etc. Surely you own the car?
Does "Sport Prototipi Clienti" translate into English as I saw you coming,really charging over five million euros plus VAT for a track car for non competitive use(what ever that is) . It also looks like it'll only be used 18 times over two years unless of course you're willing to pay extra for that privilege, what happens to the cars after the two years are up, do the punters who've stumped up the 5 million euros actually get to own their cars, or can Ferrari sell them on?
Pay Ferrari£4,600,000 and, they allow you "access" to the car for 2 years? How generous of them...
wish I had that kind of money problem, don't you?
I would like to be able to spend that much but, not for this...