Ferrari Enzo

The design plan for the Ferrari Enzo began in 1988 when CEO Luca Cordero di Montezemolo was looking to blow everyone’s mind once again with a fantastically advanced road car. The successor of the F50 was named after the late Enzo Ferrari, the company’s founder who passed away in 1988.

With Formula 1 racing technology in mind, the primary testing ground was the track. The Enzo integrates performance, modernity and efficiency, creating a dramatic style of innovation.

The engine is a 6.0 l, naturally aspirated V12 with a capacity of 5,998 cc. It has four valves per cylinder and variable valve timing which makes it extremely responsive. The back of the engine is directly connected to the gearbox that allows smooth speed changes commended by a hydraulic system. This change takes only 150 milliseconds. The gear levers are made of carbon and there are two gear change modes: Sport and Race. The LED lights on the steering wheel tell the driver when to change gears. The Ferrari Enzo has a semi-automatic transmission and there is no option for fully automatic mode.

The chassis is completely built of carbon fiber and aluminum, making it not only stable and rigid but also creating a light effect. The nose of the car was designed to better match a Formula 1 racing car; the overall shape is more aggressive and the aerodynamics have an active control. To balance weight, speed and shape, the load can be modified on the road by a pair of flaps placed in the front slides and the rear spoiler.

The suspension system is made up of four sensors – accelerometers - two vertical wheel sensors, one vehicle speed sensor and a brake switch. The wheels are made of light aluminum alloy while the tires were specifically created for the Ferrari Enzo by Bridgestone. Special sensors will measure tire pressure and will send the information to the control panel to ensure a safe travel.

The performance is outstanding for a street car: The Ferrari Enzo can reach 97km/hour in only 3.14 second, and has a maximum speed of 350km/hour. It is estimated to use 29.4 L/100 km in the city and 19.6 L/100 km on the highway.

The interior consist of carbon fiber surfaces and aluminum crossbeam functional elements. The steering wheel resembles that of a Formula 1 race car, made of carbon with a series of LEDs. The seat’s rigidity is meant to put the driver in close touch with the car’s behavior. There are pedals for break and acceleration only for functionality and 16 different configurations.

Announced at the Paris Motor Show in 2002, only 349 Ferrari Enzos were produced for the price tag of $643,330. Later the request grew and 50 more cars were manufactured. ThE 400th was auctioned and reached $1,274,229, charity money that went to the survivors of the 2004 Tsunami.