2002 Ferrari 575M Maranello

Ferrari made its name with front-engine V-12 sports/GT cars. True, the midship-V-8 series has become superb, and Scuderia Ferrari's racing efforts have counted for something. But the signature Ferrari has been a fast, elegant, express-tourer with a silky 12-cylinder engine under a great, long hood, from the original road versions of the 166 in 1948 through the storied line of Superfast, Superamerica, GTO, Lusso (prettiest ever!), 275GTB (no, prettier still!), and Daytona. That makes the 575M Maranello the current heir to the grandest Ferrari tradition.

First appearing in 1996 as the 550, this car blended history and tradition with thoroughly modern technology and shattering performance. A 5474cc V-12 tuned for 485 horsepower could shove the hefty (almost 3800 pounds) GT to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds and claw on up to 194. Its Pininfarina sheetmetal looked clean, taut, classic, and graceful, and it offered a driving experience that was at once elegant and brutal, stirring and refined.

Last year, the 575M Modificata turned up the heat even more. Now with 5748cc and 508 horsepower, Ferrari's big front-engine luxo-sport casts an even bigger shadow. And the paddle-shifted six-speed F1 gearbox makes any driver feel more heroic. A new active-damping suspension provides a plush casual-driving ride, but serves up firm, positive control when you toss the car around with intensity--exactly what the 575's character and speed potential call for.

Yet the restraint and polish are still there. Maybe too much so. Nice as the lines are, they're content to whisper, rather than shout, that this car is special. Particularly in the conservative blue of our test car, it does not induce many citizens to pay extra attention. Worse, the engine note has been muffled down to a muted whoosh. Where's the prancing horse on its nose and that passionate shriek that should be the battle cry of any car with 12 cylinders under the hood? We hear a sport exhaust option is in the works as is a larger, more aggressive wheel and tire package.

None of that matters much, of course. The 575M is a wondrous device: beautiful to look at, thrilling to drive, and arousing just to be near. Worth a quarter of a million bucks? Absolutely.

Engines & Power  (more)
	Maranello	Maranello F1
Standard Engine	5.7L 515 hp V12	5.7L 515 hp V12
Horsepower	515 @ 7250 RPM	515 @ 7250 RPM
Torque (lb-ft)	434 @ 5250 RPM	434 @ 5250 RPM
Transmissions  (more)
	Maranello	Maranello F1
6-Speed Automatic Overdrive	N/A	Std.
6-Speed Manual Overdrive	Std.	N/A
Fuel Economy  (more)
	Maranello	Maranello F1
City (mpg)	10	10
Highway (mpg)	16	17