FerrariDreams » SP1(Sport Prototype 1)

Ferrari One-Off P540 Superfast Aperta

Rick Resch — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:06:28 +0000

Gold colored Ferrari one-off P540 Superfast Aperta

Ferrari is back into business of coachbuilding as the Italian supercar maker unveiled the second one-off special. After the P4/5 was built for American collector (and millionaire…) James Glickenhaus back in 2006 by Pininfarina and the first SP1 (Sport Prototype 1) in 2008 for the prominent Ferrari collector and Japanese business executive Junichiro Hiramatsu which was designed by Leonardo Fioravanti and built by Ferrari.

Inspired by a Luigi Chinetti-owned 330 LM used in an obscure Fellini film, the Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta is a 599 GTB Fiorano-based one-off Pininfarina designed for the son of the creator of cable TV.

This is the work of Pininfarina and Ferrari’s Special Projects division, which handles one-off customizations for the automaker. And while it shares similar technical specs with the 599, it’s a strong visual departure featuring touches of Maserati, 250 GTO and even a bit of Shelby Series One. Whereas the donor car is a sportier GT, the P540 is a more aggressive and masculine take. Most notably, and the reason for the Aperta label (Italian for “window”), is the open top.

PRESS RELEASE

Revealed: the new Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta one-off

The first shake-down has been held at Fiorano of a very special one-off, the P540 Superfast Aperta, built for an American client. The car, the second in a new Special Projects programme created by Ferrari to meet requests from the most discerning clients and collectors to create truly unique models, is based on the 599 GTB Fiorano and was inspired by a Carrozzeria Fantuzzi-designed Ferrari built specifically for the 1968 Fellini film, Toby Dammit, itself inspired by one of the tales of Edgar Allan Poe.

The P540 Superfast Aperta’s proud new owner, Edward Walson, son of John Walson, the inventor of cable TV, approached Ferrari in 2008 to produce a modern reinterpretation of the gold-coloured car in the film. “I had always dreamed of designing sports cars,” Walson explains, “and when I saw this film the decision came of its own accord: one day I would have ‘my’ Ferrari.”

In accordance with the Special Project’s approach to producing such individual one-offs, the P540 Superfast Aperta respects all existing international safety and homologation requirements and is thus road legal. The car was designed by Pininfarina and built in Maranello, and the client was directly involved in each stage of its development. As the 599 GTB Fiorano donor car is a coupé, considerable effort went into strengthening the chassis by using finite element analysis in development and the increase in weight was kept down to just 20 kg by employing carbon-fibre extensively. From the initial sketches to the final, road-legal car took just 14 months.

As the client took delivery of the car at Fiorano his excitement was understandable: “This is the most special Christmas present of my life.”

Technical specifications

Length 4731 mm
Width 1954 mm
Height 1300 mm
Wheelbase 2750 mm
Front track 1690 mm
Rear track 1620 mm
Engine
65° V12
Displacement 5999 cc
Maximum power 456 kW (620 CV) at 7600 rpm
Maximum torque 608 Nm (62 kgm) at 5600 rpm
Transmission
F1 6-speed gearbox
Tyres
Front 245/35 20″
Rear 305/35 20″
Fuel consumption
Combined cycle 17.9 l/100 km
CO2 emissions
Combined cycle 415 g/km

Curiosity

This special car’s colour was inspired by the film “Toby Dammit”, one of the three episodes of the film “Histoires Extraordinaires” made in 1968 based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe.

“Toby Dammit”, the third of the three episodes, directed by Federico Fellini, with Terence Stamp Salvo Randone and Milena Vukotic, based on the story “Never Bet The Devil Your Head”.

The other two episodes, “Metzengerstein” and “William Wilson”, were directed by Roger Vadim and Louis Malle.

What do you think about the Ferrari One-Off P540 Superfast Aperta?

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Source: autoblog.com, jalopnik.com and carscoop.blogspot.com

Japan is a safe haven for Ferrari

Rick Resch — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:27:09 +0000

It might mean in a recession and global financial crisis you would have to settle for a cheaper sportscar than the top luxury models, but in Japan, one of the world’s most resilient deluxe sportscar markets, it probably means you can only own five Ferraris instead of six.

In some instances, however, the number of sportscars runs into the double digits-such as for Nagoya-based businessman Junichiro Hiramatsu, who has just taken delivery of the SP1 Ferrari (pictured with him below). That’s the first one-off model to be specially built by the sportscar-maker under Ferrari’s Portfolio Programme-hence the name SP1, Special Project Number.

However, Hiramatsu, one of the world’s foremost Ferrari collectors and former president of the Ferrari Club of Japan, is an extreme example.

There are another 200 or so Japanese who own at least five Ferraris each. Many of them attended an exclusive event around last November at the Italian embassy in Tokyo, complete with a couple of top F1 drivers, held to preview Ferrari’s new California model, which sources say will sell for around Y29m, or about $290,000. At least 30 enthusiasts at the event showed interest in buying the new model when it becomes available this year.

The event also signified Ferrari’s move last July to take control of its own importation in Japan from Cornes & Co, which sold Ferraris in Japan for 30 years, along with Maserati, Bentley, and Rolls Royce. Cornes, which in 2006 released a Japan-only special limited edition, the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, to mark the 30-years anniversary of its importation business, remains a partner for Ferrari.

In may be foresight to expand its global presence, Ferrari has clearly recognized it’s time to take control of its Japan business: “With this decision, Ferrari wants to strengthen its link to one of the most important markets for the brand and for the whole luxury industry,” it said in a release.

Japan accounted for nearly 6%, or 376 cars, of Ferraris shipped worldwide in 2007, a near 40% increase over 2006, and sales in 2008 were significantly up the year before. Japanese collectors eagerly buy up the high-end models and special editions such as a recent Japan-only edition of 50 Ferraris with special plates.

Ferrari’s new wholly-owned subsidiary, Ferrari Japan KK, is the company’s second in Asia, after its Chinese subsidiary.

Source: ftalphaville.ft.com

Fioravanti designed Ferrari SP1 of the Portfolio Program

Rick Resch — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:47:54 +0000

Do you remember that undisguised mystery Ferrari prototype that was spied at the Fiorano racetrack back last August? Well after initial speculation settled down, the prevailing wisdom suggested was the car is an one-off coachbuilt creation designed by former Pininfarina (and now independent) stylist Leonardo Fioravanti for one wealthy customer. In the second issue of Ferrari’s official magazine, the reports were confirmed.

Called the SP1 (for Sport Prototype 1), the Fioravanti-designed special, which is based on the F430, was built for prominent Ferrari collector and Japanese business executive Junichiro Hiramatsu, who is widely known for his impressive Ferrari collection and is the first to complete the new “Portfolio” program. The initiative gives the extremely wealthy the opportunity to work with various Italian design houses (including Fioravanti, Pininfarina and Zagato) with full factory support to commission custom creations.

Customers will have the chance to personalize the look of their unique vehicles which are based on the Enzo, F430 or 612 (the 599 and the new California are for the time being not in the program), but need to retain certain structural requirements.

The 490hp 4.3-liter V8 engine in the SP1 went unchanged.

Source: autoblog.com, themotorreport.com.au and topspeed.com