Ferrari is celebrating its 60th Anniversary at the Melbourne International Motor Show with a line-up of cars that is led out by the 599 GTB Fiorano, a new sports car that has already seen its Australian allocation sold out until 2009. Although Australian deliveries of the latest Ferrari supercar have now started, this is the first chance most people have had to see this unique car.

In fact it's been a very busy weekend for the Maranello-based sports car manufacturer in Australia as the Ferrari 60 Relay is currently on its Australian leg and the special baton passed through Melbourne on Saturday and Sydney yesterday, both occasions being marked with high profile events.

Ferrari's line-up at the Melbourne show is completed by the F430 Coupé, F430 Spider and 612 Scaglietti, but it is the 599 GTB Fiorano that is the centre of attention. “Even by Ferrari’s unique standards, the 599 GTB Fiorano has had a rapturous reception as it has been launched around the world,” says Kevin Wall, the General Manager for European Automotive Imports, the Australian and New Zealand Ferrari distributor. “Time and time again, the 599 GTB has been described as the best car in world, the greatest super car of all time, the ultimate useable supercar. It is a car that is faster than Ferrari F40, only fractionally slow than the road-racing car that is the Ferrari Enzo, yet it is full equipped with every luxury feature, it is docile and easy to drive, but when called on, can deliver shattering performance. It is no wonder, therefore, that the demand for the 599 GTB Fiorano has been unprecedented,” says Mr Wall.

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is the latest in a long line classic V12 supercars on which the legendary Italian car maker has built its unique reputation, from the 1953 250MM, through the 1968 365 GTB4 ‘Daytona’ to the 575M Maranello. Drawing on technology from both its road and Formula One cars, Ferrari has produced the ultimate sports car that combines shattering performance – 0-100 kmh in 3.7 seconds and a top speed in excess of 330 km/h – with comfort, luxury and exclusivity.
 

It is a car that is equally capable of easing its way through the toughest urban traffic conditions, cocooning its occupants in comfort, as it is hammering around the Ferrari test track, after which it is named, at speeds that place it on a par with dedicated racing cars. The styling of the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is an effortless blend of beauty that lingers in the mind long after the 599 has disappeared over the horizon and the aerodynamic expertise that would be expected of the most successful company ever to participate in Formula One. For example, there is no crude wing across the back of the 599 GTB Fiorano to provide downforce, rather two graceful ‘flying buttresses’ parallel the C-pillar. These don’t just provide a visual lightness to the rear three quarter of the car; they also provide more than 100 kg of downforce and add to the excellent directional stability of the sports car.

Power though is nothing without control and the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano has an exceptional chassis that is absolutely at the cutting edge of technology, from the F1-Trac electronic chassis control system to the SCM Magnetorheological Suspension that can instantly change the response of the suspension to meet different road and driving conditions. The standard brakes offer exceptional stopping ability, the optional Carbon Ceramic brakes offer epic performance that is usually only available on racing cars.

The Australian recommended retail prices for the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano are AUS$574,000 for the manual version and AUS$600,000 for the 599 GTB Fiorano equipped with the F1 Superfast gearbox.