2006 Ferrari 575M Superamerica

Details

Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a magnificent and rare 2006 Ferrari 575M Superamerica.

This factory right hand drive example was delivered new to Maranello Sales Limited in Egham, Surrey in the UK on the 24^th May 2006. It was registered as a demonstrator for Maranello with the registration plate RX06KYA. The car was delivered in the following colour scheme: external colour: Blu Nart (523), internal colour: Cuoio (4609), carpets: Blu (188) and with the following options: aluminium brake callipers, Daytona style seats, Fiorano Handling Package (FHP), instrument colour giallo (yellow) (094077935), Scuderia Ferrari shields, Navtrak antitheft system and coloured standard stitching blue (0825).

After having been used as a demonstrator for a few months the car was sold to Ms Fiona James from Little Shelford, Cambridge, UK on 23^rd January 2007. At the time of sale, the odometer read 3,684 miles. Ms James used the car sparingly and there is a statutory notification in the file showing the car was officially taken of the road on the 14th April 2008 and remained of the road until the car was sold to the current Brisbane based owner on the 9^th April 2010. At that time the odometer was 9,347 miles. There is an import approval on file dated 28th April 2010. The current owner subsequently imported the car into Australia and it went through a RAWS (Registered Automotive Workshop Scheme) compliance here in Queensland. As part of the certification, the speedo was changed to kilometres per hour, however, the odometer remained in miles and is therefore reflecting the actual mileage the car has travelled from new.

Since its arrival in Australia this Ferrari 575M Superamerica has been regularly serviced by well-known Ferrari specialist, Enzotech in Caboolture north of Brisbane The most recent service was on 26^th May 2021. At that time the odometer read 21,010 miles. During this service, the camshaft drive belts and tensioner bearings were changed as well as the engine oil, the transaxle oil and the coolant. The brake fluid system was flushed and bled.

The current owner is very fastidious and has kept track of every single mile he has travelled in the car. There is a spreadsheet on file that documents which day he drove the car, how many miles he drove on that day, how much fuel the car used on that trip and the cumulative numbers for this during his ownership.

In 2017 a failure of the roof mechanism resulted in a replacement roof being installed by Ferrari Brisbane.

So . . . let’s take a closer look at the car. The car has an incredible presence and the first impression is ‘just wow’! There’s no doubt a Ferrari 575, like a 246 Dino, carries just about every colour well. Whilst we love red 575’s, there is something very special about this car and we think that the colour combination of Blu Nart with a Cuoio interior is very sophisticated and ‘just perfect’!

The overall presentation of this car is simply stunning and it has won a number of Ferrari Club of Australia awards over the years, including a platinum award in 2018.

You can just tell this car has been very well looked after by its owners. The paint is in excellent condition and you will struggle to find any imperfections. There are a few very minor blemishes here and there. All of the exterior trim, including the roof, the headlight covers, the taillights and all the decals on the car are all in excellent condition. The same can be said for the wheels, which are unmarked. The most significant defect on the car is a stone chip low down on the front windscreen.

Open the door and the interior presents almost like new. The Daytona style seats are classy and the tan leather is complemented perfectly by the blue carpets. Slide behind the steering wheel and the first thing you’ll notice is the yellow tachometer. It definitely captures your eye, however, as you take time to get acquainted with your surroundings you see a lot of other detail. There’s the Ferrari logo in the headrests, the plaque on the left hand side of the dash ‘Superamerica – Limited Production 559’, the small plaque on the right hand side of the dash commemorating the six Formula One championships from 1999 until 2004, the Ferrari Pininfarina flag badge on the centre console and last but not least, the blue stitching. The leather upholstery is in beautiful condition with the only slightest wear starting to show on the driver’s seat bolster. A weakness of this era Ferraris is that in time the plastic switches can deteriorate and become ‘sticky’. There are generally in very good condition in this car, with only the roof tint control knob starting to show some minor wear.

Once you’ve absorbed all the beautiful details of the interior it’s time to start the car. Turn the alarm off, insert the key into the ignition, turn it and the V12 engine burst to life and immediately settles into a smooth idle. The engine sounds fantastic without being overly loud.

Driving this Ferrari 575 M Superamerica is a real joy. You have the option to drive the car with the gearbox in auto mode or in semi manual mode. If you choose the latter option, you use the paddles behind the steering wheel to shift up and down. This car is simply amazing to drive. There’s not much more to say, it’s everything and more you would expect from a relatively modern Ferrari. There is more than enough power available under your right foot, in fact more than you’ll ever need. Make no mistake this is an exceptionally fast car, but it delivers its performance in a relatively refined way. When new Ferrari marketed the 575 M Superamerica as the world’s fastest convertible car, with a top speed of 320 km/h! The steering is precise, not too light and not too heavy. This particular car is equipped with the Fiorano Handling Package and all we can say is that the car feels incredibly tight on the road.

The real feature on a Ferrari 575 M Superamerica is the roof. The way it operates is totally unique and we’re not aware of a similar system on any other car. To open the roof you simply undo the catch at the front, press the button located on the centre console and within seven seconds the roof will flip 180 degrees until it rests on the boot, transforming the car from a coupe to a targa. Another unique feature is that you can adjust the tint of the (electrochromic) roof with the touch of a button.

Accompanying the car are its original and complete book set (including a fully stamped service book), tools, roof top cover, compressor and comprehensive history file.

Ferrari only built 559 575M Superamericas, of which circa 75 were factory right hand drive. As a result, these cars are collectable and highly sought after.

The Ferrari 575M Superamerica is a great example of what is today considered a ‘modern classic’.

This car is something special!

Highlights:

• A rare ‘modern classic’, being 1 of only 559 (1 of circa 75 factory right hand drive) Ferrari 575 M Superamericas ever built.
• Finished in a STUNNING and unique colour combination of Blu Nart with Cuoio interior.
• Low mileage with two documented owners from new.
• Full service history with books & tools.
• Recent service, including cam belt change.
• Hard to find a better example anywhere in the world!

 

 

Background

Apple, Coca-Cola, McDonalds and Nike are brands recognisable the world over. So is Ferrari and interestingly the iconic Italian luxury sports car manufacturer was named ‘The World’s Strongest Brand’ in the 2019 Brand Finance Global 500 Report.

Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 out of Alfa Romeo’s race division as Auto Avio Costruzioni the company built its first car in 1940.

The Cavallino Rampate or ‘prancing horse’ was the symbol chosen by Ferrari and like the ‘golden arches’ it is recognised by just about every man, woman and child on the planet!

The Second World War halted Ferrari’s dream, which was finally realised in 1947, when the first car bearing his name, the Ferrari 125 S, was built. From that day on Ferrari race cars dominated the world over, winning race after race and many world championships in Formula One, sports car racing and endurance racing. Motor racing, even back in those days, was not a cheap business to be in and Ferrari needed to find ways to fund it. The answer was an obvious one. Enzo discovered there was a burgeoning demand for high powered grand tourers bearing his prancing horse badge. The lucrative profits from building these cars benefited the racing team. At the same time these GT cars would benefit from the racing program. The engines to be used were civilised versions of the engines which had proved themselves in racing. It also meant all Ferraris would share in a rich competition heritage which would make them even more special.

The 125 S evolved into the 166 Sport which was then adapted for road use and sold as the 166 Inter in the late 1940’s. The 166 was Ferrari’s first true GT car. It made its debut at the Paris motor show on 6^th October 1949.

Around the same time, Enzo realised his existing engine would not give him the success in motor racing he desired. He contacted a talented engine designer by the name of Aurelio Lampredi and asked him to produce an evolution of the existing Colombo V12 engine that could accommodate a much larger displacement up to 4½ litres. The new engine made its debut in a pair of experimental 275 Sports which contested in the 1950 Mille Miglia.

The big block Lampredi engine was then fitted to the 340 America. 23 examples were built, around a third of which were completed as super high end road cars. The new model included ‘America’ in its name in recognition of what was fast becoming Ferrari’s most important export market, a land where large displacement motors were the norm. The 340 America was the first model in a range of exclusive Ferraris bearing the America / Superamerica name in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

In 1951 the Ferrari 340 America was succeeded by the 342 America. The 342 America retained the same engine as the 340, but was a more refined grand tourer. In 1953 Ferrari introduced the 375 America, which had a 4½ litre version of the V12 Lampredi engine.

In 1956, the simply stunning Ferrari 410 Superamerica replaced the 342 America. By now the Lampredi engine had a capacity of just under 5.0 litre (4,962cc) and produced 340 bhp. This gave the car, depending on which final drive ratios were used, a top speed of between 220 and 260 km/h and a 0-100km/h sprint only took 5.6 seconds. In comparison, it took a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing 7.0 seconds to reach 100km/h.

1960 saw the introduction of the Ferrari 400 Superamerica. Interestingly it was first introduced as a cabriolet. At the 1960 Turin Motor Show, Pininfarina showed an experimental creation called the Superfast II. It featured aircraft inspired streamlining and resulted in the 400 Superamerica coupe in 1961. After the 400, Ferrari retired the Superamerica name.

Fast forward to 2006 and Ferrari wanted to do something special with the 575, which was first introduced in 2002. Ferrari came up with an amazing design innovation and created the world’s first rotating hardtop (made out of carbon fibre) for the 575 and named the car the 575 M Superamerica.

---