The word ‘unique’, as in one of a kind, is one of the most misused words in advertising and marketing, but in 2006 Ferrari can lay claim to being one of the very few companies to use the word in its most accurate sense because every one of its 5,875 cars produced last year was different and, if anything, there will be an even more diverse selection of Ferraris produced this year.

This feat is thanks to Carrozzeria Scaglietti, the Ferrari personalisation programme that enables owners to tailor their Ferrari to their own personal tastes. Given Ferrari’s position as the supreme maker of super cars, this may not seem exceptional; however, historically it is a considerable change for Ferrari. Legend has it that Enzo Ferrari only built road cars as a means to fund his success in Grand Prix racing and that people lucky enough to be allowed to buy a Ferrari virtually had to take the cars as they emerged from the Maranello factory.

There were exceptions, cars that were tailored to specific designs by some of the great Italian coach builders, but this largely ended in the 1960s as Ferrari did not want the performance of its cars hampered by unsuitable bodywork. Ferrari also made exceptions for notable owners. For example when Italian film director Roberto Rossellini wanted a car for his then-wife, Ingid Bergman, a special colour was produced to her personal tastes, a colour that lives on today as Grigio Ingrid in the modern palette of colours from which a Ferrari owner may make their choice, to celebrate another part of the Ferrari legend.

But for the new century there has been a substantial change at Ferrari. The Carrozzeria Scaglietti personalization programme employs a host of skilled craftsman aided by the latest technology that enabled every car produced by Ferrari in 2006 to be different. For example, handcrafted leather is an Italian automotive tradition, so it is no surprise that a team of crafts people produce these unique interiors at Maranello, but it may be more of a surprise to know that they are supported by a computer driven, laser guided high pressure water cutting machine that ensures that the finest leathers are cut perfectly every time. In broad terms, the personalization programme is divided into four broad categories.

Racing and Track

Given the heritage, history and owner profile, its no surprise that the number one category is ‘Racing and Track’, boasting a range of items that have been developed from Ferrari’s unique – there’s that word again – Formula One expertise. With many Ferrari F430s used regularly on track days, where owners can safely and legitimately stretch the legs of their prancing horses, racing seats are an option. These can be sized to their owner’s needs and, as well as having the wrap-around requirements for greater lateral hold and save 18 kilos in weight thanks to their carbon fibre construction. 

Track days place great demand on brakes, but the traditional method of using racing brakes on a road car has very distinct drawbacks on the road, with their limited performance when cold. Ferrari has resolved this issue with the Carbon Ceramic brake system. The brake discs are made from a carbon fibre ceramic silicate composite. Not only are they some 65 per cent lighter than the conventional brake discs – a significant beneficial change in the unsprung weight – they also not only offer a much high frictional co-efficient – more grip – than conventional brakes, they also achieve this across a much wider range of temperatures and are more resistant to the effects of water. One final benefit is with the absence of iron in any form means no rust. Completing the brake package is the ability to have different colours for the brake calipers, the two primary Ferrari reds, Rosso Corsa and Rosso Scuderia, as well as Giallo Modena (the Ferrari yellow) and Gregio Aluminum.

Carbon Fibre, with its light weight and great strength, as well as its aesthetic appeal and clear links to the Ferrari Formula One programme, is also available for fitment to the engine compartment, with the option of the engine compartment and air intake boxes being made from this advanced material. Coming from the F430 motorsport programme, a revised carbon fibre rear panel increases the size of the rear ventilation of the engine compartment and substance reduces the weight of the bumper and its surrounds, with no reduction in strength or safety.

Exteriors and Colours

A Ferrari has to be red. Or does it? And, if so, which red? Ferrari offers a choice of four reds – Rosso Corsa is the traditional deep rouge hue associated with Ferrari. Scuderia Rosso is the brighter, forceful red is irrevocably attached to the most successful team in Formula One and Rosso Mugello is a darker interpretation of the classic Ferrari red. Rosso Monza, specifically for the Ferrari 599 GTB, is a rich, sophisticated red with a hint of pearlesence that has been specifically produced to the reflect the character of the latest V12 Ferrari.

But that is just the beginning of choosing a Ferrari colour. For a start there is the standard range of colours, these may then be augmented by the historic range. This is the ability to select any colour produced by Ferrari during its illustrious 60 year history. However, the ultimate is Ferrari’s colour matching service, which matches the paint colour to a sample provided by the customer, from which a sample panel is produced to be signed-off by the customer. The first stage of the process takes about three weeks and the unique ‘out of range’ colour choice adds about a month to delivery time. Ferrari guarantees that these unique colours have exactly the same quality and durability as its standard colours.

Obviously all Ferraris are fitted with the highest grade of alloy wheels as standard, but for both higher performance driving and appearance, larger wheel sizes are available, along with different designs. For the F430 range, the standard wheel may be replaced with the Challenge wheel, while the 612 is available with a 19 inch split rim modular wheel. The 599 GTB Fiorano is available with an optional 20 inch alloy wheel.

In addition, some of the optional and standard wheels may be ‘ball polished’. Superficially, this may appear to be the same as having the wheels chrome plated, but Ball Polishing provides both technical and aesthetic gains. From a visual point of view, compared to a Chrome finish, ball polishing provides a deeper luster that reveals the shape and form of the wheel more effectively. From a technical point of view, a ball polished wheels gains both surface and structural strength through the polishing process, something that Chrome does not do.

Interiors and Materials

Choosing the colour of the interior trim of a Ferrari is just the beginning. As with the exterior paint, there is a palette of standard trim colours and then it is possible to have unique colours produced from the owner’s samples. Different colours may then be used to highlight different parts of the interior, with it being possible to mix the colours, depending on the model, of the dashboard, door trims, interior trim panels and on certain seats, have the squab in one colour and sides of the seats in a second colour. There is a choice of either piping in contrasting or complimentary colours – to join the leather panels or a range of different stitching that varies in stitch style and size in complimentary or contrasting colours.

In addition to the leather option, it is now possible to order selected Ferrari variants with Alcantara interior high lights, providing soft-feel finish of suede with the durability and long life for which Alcantara has become renowned. As if this was not sufficient choice, there is the option of the Daytona style seat trim, a classic design of leather seat trim with raised panels and drilled sections for ventilation that was pioneered in the earliest Ferraris and which has become a much imitated design classic in its own right. Additionally, Poltrona Frau leather is available in the 12 colours in the Ferrari 612. The process used to produce this particular leather makes it buttery soft and wonderfully elastic - as seductive to the touch as it is to the eye. The handcrafted leather interiors also feature new stitching and a new way of finishing the four seats and door panels.

Complementing the carbon fibre exterior and engine bay panels, Carbon fibre trim is available for the interior, with, depending on the model, carbon fibre available for the dashboard, centre tunnel, steering wheel, gearshift paddles and door sills. In the 612 Scaglietti, the option of Carbon Fibre is augmented by the option of burnished aluminium finish for an interior that harks back to earlier periods in Ferrari’s motor sport history when brushed aluminium was the normal internal finish in the pre-carbon fibre era.

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is available with a steering wheel that features across its top edge a line of red LED lights that act as peripheral vision rev-counter to warn the driver of the approaching rev-limit and enabling him to maintain his visual concentration on the race track. The ultimate personalisation is a dedication plate fitted to a recessed area of the dashboard in place of the standard name badge, engraved with the owner’s name signature or a similar message.

Equipment and Travelling

It is one of the great Ferrari arguments: Should a Ferrari driven with the only sound being from the remarkable orchestra that is the V8 or V12 Ferrari engine, or should the Ferrari’s own sound be accompanied by music. For those owners who err on the side of musical accompaniment to their driving, the standard audio system, no slouch in its own right, may be accompanied by a top end, high power audio system. In the F430 this is a high power 200 watt/four channel amplifier with ASP signal processing powering two 19 mm Tweeters, two 165 mm mid-range speakers and twin active-passive sub-woofer mounted in a leather clad unit on the rear parcel shelf.

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti now comes with a Bose® 2 DIN radio-navigator: an innovative system combining radio, audio and video DVD and Bluetooth. The system also includes a digital eight-channel surround sound stereo system and was developed specifically for the 612 Scaglietti cabin to guarantee absolutely excellent sound quality at all times and under all conditions. In fact, the in-car audio quality is breathtakingly good and on the same level as the best home theatre units. The system also boasts other innovative features including U-Music® which organises and stores hours of music according to the user's specific tastes. When it comes to music storage options, in cars not fitted with the U-Music system, there is a six disc CD-Changer that allows functions to be controlled through the car audio system on the LCD screen.

Completing the travelling programme is the range of fitted luggage designed to offer the maximum carrying ability and styled to match each Ferrari model. With the F430, the luggage set comprises two solid suitcases with roller wheels and a soft suit carrier. They are trimmed in the same leather as the interior of the car and the suitcases use the same carbon fibre trim or aluminium as the dashboard. For cars not fitted with the additional audio system, another pair of suitcases designed to slot behind the seats is also available. The suitcase set for the 612 is, as would be expected of a luxurious four seat grand tourer, more comprehensive, with two large suitcases, one medium suitcase, one attaché case, a suit carrier and a make-up case. Designed, like the 612, by Pininfarina, the leather used on the suitcases matches the interior trim and each case includes a contrasting panel shaped in the same was as the scallop on the side of the 612 that is its signature feature.