Ferrari has crossbred a 599 GTB with F1 DNA to show what a road car can do, says Alastair Sloane
An extreme track version of the Ferrari 599 GTB has been designed not for competition but for a series of dedicated track events for customers to experience how extreme a Ferrari road car can get.
I's called the 599XX and uses all the Formula One-derived technology you can realistically transfer
to a road car.
Kit such as carbon-fibre brake pads and ceramic brake discs, slick tyres and F1-style aerodynamics make this a seriously quick car around the firm's Fiorano test track, but it still retains the user-friendly nature of the standard 599, Ferrari claims.
Also revealed at the Geneva motor show was a Ferrari 599 with the HGTE performance pack fitted. Modifications include stiffer and lower springs, specially designed softer tyres, an even louder exhaust and quicker shifts from the F1 gearbox.
Styling additions include 20-inch split-rim alloys, a matt-black rear diffuser and seat backs made entirely from carbon fibre.
For the 599XX, Ferrari engineers reworked the V12 engine to boost maximum revs to 9000rpm.
Handling has been improved thanks to the adoption of a second generation SCM suspension system. Track usage is also made easier thanks to the new virtual car engineer, a screen in the car that provides a real-time indication of the vehicle's efficiency.
The 599XX's aerodynamics were honed in numerous wind tunnel test sessions with the result that the car now boasts 280kg of downforce at 200km/h (630kg at 300km/h).
The front underside of the body is completely faired-in and the vents that channel hot air from the engine bay have been moved to the bonnet.
The system increases downforce and/or cuts drag depending on the car's trim cornering conditions, courtesy of the use of a porous material in the diffuser and two fans in the boot which channel the air flow from under the car out through two grilles next to the tail-lights.
Winglets have been added to the rear buttresses to increase downforce, while synthetic jets have also been incorporated into the rear of the car to control and smooth the air flow and to reduce drag.
Ferrari's engineers have also used F1-derived doughnuts which partly cover the brake discs and wheel rim. These have the dual function of improving both aerodynamics and brake cooling.
In terms of the bodywork, composites and carbon-fibre have been widely used and the engineers drew on their experience in working with aluminium to reach the weight target.
The development of increasingly high-performance materials has also benefited the carbon-ceramic material braking system. The brake pads are now made from carbon fibre which means that the callipers are smaller whilst delivering the same efficiency.
The carbon ceramic braking system also delivers shorter braking distances and is generally more efficient due to the weight saving.
The 599XX comes with slick tyres (29/67 R19 front and 31/71 R19 rear) specifically developed to maximise stability in cornering and increase lateral acceleration. They are fitted to 19 x 11J wheel rims at the front and 19 x 12J at the rear.
The new car incorporates the most advanced technologies resulting from Ferrari's road-going and F1 research. Many of the technological solutions it carries are being used for the first time and have been developed exclusively for this special car.