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Ferrari 500 Superfast

Ferrari 500 Superfast
Ferrari 500 Superfast
The Ferrari 500 Superfast inherited both opulent luxury and large size from its predecessor, the striking Ferrari 400 Superamerica. The 500 Superfast represents the quintessence of the great Ferrari coupe of the 1960s, whose goal was to impact with fine design, luxury and comfort more performance of super sports car.

The first version of the Ferrari 500 Superfast was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1964. It was considered one of the best vehicles in the world, concept also driven by its exclusivity and high price. The design derived from the 400 Superamerica reached its highest level of elegance, without neglecting the sporty look.

The Ferrari 500 Superfast used a chassis designated “Type 578” similar to the Type 571 present on the Ferrari 330 GT. With the same wheelbase of 2,650 mm, this new welded steel tubular chassis had important reinforcements to be able to adapt to the powerful V8 engine of almost 5 liters of capacity and 400 hp.

The engine of the Ferrari 500 Superfast was a variant of the Colombo design called Type 208, in this case with a displacement of 4,943 cm3 and a compression ratio of 8.8 to 1. With three Weber carburetors (optionally 6) and four-speed manual gearbox plus overdrive, the 400-horsepower V12 drove the 500 Superfast to a top speed of almost 275 km/h.

The bodybuilder appointed to design and build the body of this Ferrari was, as it was already almost exclusively, Pininfarina. The design was absolutely superb for the combination of elegance and sportiness. In 1965 a unique model “Aerodynamic Coupe” was produced, with the redesigned front and headlamps with enveloping glass bubbles.

Production of the Ferrari 500 Superfast culminated in 1966, by that time 36 specimens had been manufactured. Of the total production, 25 cars had a 4-speed box and the rest of 5 gears. While 8 units were designed with the steering wheel on the right side. Finally, the Ferrari 500 Superfast was replaced by the Ferrari 365 California.

Technical specifications of Ferrari 500 Superfast

  • Front Motor Type 208 V12 at 60º (Colombo)
  • Displacement: 4.943 cm3
  • 24 SOHC valves
  • Compression ratio: 8.8 to 1
  • 3 Carburetors Weber 40 DCZ
  • Optional 6 Weber DCN carburetors
  • Manual gearbox with four gears + overdrive

  • Rear wheel drive

  • Power: 400 hp at 6,500 rpm

  • Acceleration 0 to 100 km/h: 6 s
  • Top speed: 273 km/h

Dimensions of the Ferrari 500 Superfast

  • Wheelbase: 2.650 mm
  • Tyres: 185-15
  • Rims: 15 inches
  • Weight: 1.400 kg
  • Power/Weight Ratio: 0.28 hp/kg

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© Adrián Blanco 2007 — No full or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —

por Adrian Blanco