Happenings

Ferrari 599XX In Singapore!

BY Joel Tam

Red hot and ready to rumble, this awesome extreme track stallion is here in Singapore for a limited time and will make a special appearance at the 2010 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix. Don't miss it.

Photos: Joel Tam

Based on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano with the same transaxle layout and engine type, the 599XX is an extreme track car. With extensive work on the engine's combustion chambers and inlet and exhaust tracts, combined with a reduction in internal attrition and a boosted max rev to 9,000 rpm, the car pushes out 700 hp at 9,000 rpm. More info below.

View unpublished photos on Facebook!

The Ferrari 599XX is characterised by an innovative electronic concept called the "High Performance Dynamic Concept" which has been designed to get the maximum performance from the car by managing the combination of the car's mechanical limits with the potential of its electronic controls.

The mechanical and electronic systems work together to get the maximum performance from the car under extreme high performance driving, for consistent lap times.

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 Ferrari 599XX's aerodynamics were honed in numerous wind tunnel test sessions with the result that the car now boasts 280 kg of downforce at 200 km/h (630 kg at 300 km/h). 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.

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.

Particular attention was also paid to cutting the weight of the engine unit components. This was achieved both by optimising forms - as in the new crankshaft - and adopting exclusive materials, as in the carbon-fibre used for the intake plenums. A new gearbox shift strategy cuts overall gearchange times to 60 ms.

The mark of true super automotive craftsmanship.

On the inside, the full racing interior is a mix of purposeful carbon fibre and alcantara.

Slick tyres (29/67 R19 Front and 31/71 R19 Rear) were 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.

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.

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 calipers are smaller whilst guaranteeing the same efficiency. The new racing carbon ceramic braking system also delivers shorter braking distances and is generally more efficient due to the weight saving.

View unpublished photos of this car at our Facebook page.