Ferrari F50: An F1 Car For The Daily Drive

From 1995-97, Ferrari produced 349 examples of one of its purest ever supercars - the F50. But this was no ordinary Ferrari. Built to celebrate 50 years of the company, the F50 was beautifully designed and equipped with genuine Formula One technology, also doing without creature comforts such as power steering, ABS and traction control. 

The reason for the F50’s specific production number was partly due to the economic recession of the early 1990s. As well as ensuring exclusivity, the modest 349-unit figure was part of a marketing strategy agreed by Ferrari’s then president, Luca Di Montezemolo, which meant that production figures were one less than Ferrari thought it could sell.  

Compared to the 1,315 examples of the legendary Ferrari F40 built between 1987-92, the F50 was almost four times rarer at the time of production. This means that in today’s market, examples of the uber-rare F50 are worth well in excess of £1.5 million – marking a healthy 50% premium over an F40, and an even tidier investment for anyone who paid the £350k retail price in 1995. But why is the F50 so adored by supercar fans? 

Well, Ferrari’s ‘90s halo car marked the end of an era. Let’s start off with that engine… Maranello binned the turbocharged V8 used in the F40 and 288 GTO in favour of a naturally aspirated, 60-valve, 4.7-litre V12 capable of producing 513bhp at 8,500rpm. Derived from Ferrari’s 1989 Formula One car, it was enlarged by around 1200cc to produce more torque – enough to propel the F50 from 0-62mph in 3.7sec, and on to over 200mph. Most importantly, the engine was mated directly to the carbon fibre passenger cell, acting as a load bearing member for the transmission and rear suspension.  

Perhaps the icing on the cake was the open gate manual gearbox, which added to the sublime, analogue driving experience. F1 tech also inspired a composite monocoque chassis, which led to the F50 being labelled as: “the closest you could get to a Formula One car for the public roads.” 

Despite this, Ferrari also included a removable hardtop for a welcome dose of practicality. Three examples of an even more extreme F50 GT1 were also produced – a prototype for the roads that was never raced. 

While Pininfarina’s design work isn’t regarded as quite as iconic as that of the F40, none of that matters when you’re behind the wheel. The F50 offers a raw, thrilling driving experience quite unlike any other supercar – the likes of which we’ll never see again. 

With that intoxicating mix of manual gearbox and naturally aspirated V12 with genuine racing pedigree, we think the F50 has earned its place as one of Ferrari’s all-time greatest hits. 

What are your thoughts and memories of the legendary Ferrari F50? Let us know in the comments below.