Give the first name of the founder of a mythical car brand to a “simple” road model? It’s putting a hell of a weight on your shoulders! But twenty years ago, the Enzo was able to prove itself worthy of this responsibility, thanks to its atmospheric V12 as well as its unique style.
After the F40 and the F50, Ferrari could have baptized its new F60 supercar. Or perhaps F55 since this “FX project” became a reality in 2002, the year of the brand’s 55th anniversary, with the presentation of a model in April at the Tokyo Artedinamica museum of contemporary art. , almost twenty years ago. But finally, when this flag bearer made his public debut at the Paris World Cup, an even more evocative name was chosen for it. This model intended to mark its time was indeed baptized Enzo, which is nothing less than the first name of the founder of the Prancing Horse firm, who died in 1988! Suffice to say that it was therefore forbidden to miss. Fortunately, we can now say that this limited series has proved worthy of its lineage, even if its replacement LaFerrari is capable of beating it in a straight line.
>>> Discover the history of the Ferrari Enzo in pictures <<<
An Italian designed by a Japanese
In terms of style, it is once again the bodybuilder Pininfarina who was commissioned to work. However, the spectacular and angular drawing is not actually signed by an Italian. We owe it to a Japanese, Kiyoyuki Okuyama, better known as Ken, who would also be the author of the first Honda NSX, the Maserati Quattroporte 5 or the Peugeot Nautilus, Ferrari Rossa and Maserati Birdcage concepts. In 2007, he even created his own car brand, Ken Okuyama Cars. But it is the Enzo that will be his masterstroke, even if it will not necessarily be unanimous at the start.
Like its predecessor, the F50, it does indeed sometimes seem to put aerodynamics ahead of aesthetics. Its muzzle inspired by that of a Formula 1 in particular aroused divided opinions, as well as its very particular silhouette, with a cockpit as if detached from the rest. As low as it is wide, the Enzo also surprises by abandoning the imposing spoiler of its two ancestors, replaced by a small mobile spoiler, an extractor and significant work on the underbody. As for the doors, they open for the first time in the elytron and thus help to mark even more the lucky ones who have crossed the path of this extraterrestrial machine.
An atmospheric V12 on display
The centerpiece, however, is located behind the two passengers, and exposed like a jewel in the window under the rear window. Ferrari has indeed designed for its supercar a brand new V12 6.0 atmospheric. Sorrowful souls will certainly regret that this engine is no longer carrying and that it no longer derives directly from Formula 1, unlike the 4.7 V12 that powered the F50. But power and torque make a clear leap forward, going from 520 hp to 660 hp and from 471 Nm to 660 Nm. The gearbox also marks a change of era, by swapping the famous H grille for paddles on the steering wheel .
A solution then perceived as “high-tech” and worthy of competition single-seaters, even if the simple clutch now contributes to dating this transmission. With a top speed of over 350 km/h and a 1,000 m standing start in less than 20 seconds, the performance of the Enzo nevertheless remains very current. Just like its carbon-ceramic brakes, which were then unheard of on a road Ferrari. The structure also made extensive use of carbon to guarantee a dry weight of only 1,255 kg, and the development of the chassis would have been partly carried out by Michaël Schumacher himself.
Good deal… for first-time buyers
With such a pedigree, everything was in place to make this Prancing Horse flagship a potential future collector. Especially since it was initially planned to manufacture only 349 copies, as for the F50. But the demand will be such that production will be increased to 399 units, then to 400. With a very special “customer” for this ultimate Enzo, since it will be offered to Pope John Paul II, in order to then be resold for charitable purposes. On the same basis, 30 FXX will also be produced in 2005, with a power increased to 800 hp and possible use only on the circuit. While Maserati will also use these bases and this V12, deflated to 630 hp to respect a certain hierarchy, in order to give birth to its discoverable supercar MC12 Stradale, produced in only 50 copies.
This does not prevent the Enzo from being much rarer than the legendary F40, which exceeded 1,300 units, or even the new Daytona SP3, which revives the recipe for the atmospheric V12 without hybridization in the central rear position for 599 privileged. While the latter is already invoiced at around 2 million euros including tax, it will thus be necessary to provide a few hundred thousand euros more to acquire one of the 400 Enzos manufactured between 2002 and 2003. A copy had even been sold for 1.6 million euros in 2016 after being cut in half in a major accident, and the rating has tended to increase since then. Those who had bought a new one at €675,000 twenty years ago therefore did not get a bad deal if they had kept it until now!
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