Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Zagato marks the end of an era with custom Ferrari 550 GTZ Barchetta]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/29/zagato-marks-the-end-of-an-era-with-custom-ferrari-550-gtz-barch/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/29/zagato-marks-the-end-of-an-era-with-custom-ferrari-550-gtz-barch/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/29/zagato-marks-the-end-of-an-era-with-custom-ferrari-550-gtz-barch/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Ferrari 550 GTZ - Click above for high-res image gallery

When Ferrari took the wraps off the 550 Maranello in 1996, it represented an important step in the company's evolution. Replacing the aging F512M (nee Testarossa), the 550 Maranello marked a shift back to front-engine V12 GTs for Ferrari - the niche market for which the company became known. But if the 550 Maranello was a pivotal product for Ferrari, the 550 Barachetta Pininfarina was even more desirable.

Characterized by its open-top format with rear cowling and leather-trimmed roll hoops, Ferrari only made 448 examples of the open-top 550 before the model line was replaced by the 575M. Another 559 drop-top Superamericas were built on the 575M's basis, but the rarest example was the solitary 575 GTZ built by Zagato for one Yoshiyuki Hayashi, an avid Ferrari collector in Japan.

For better or worse, the window of opportunity that, for a time, allowed coachbuilders like Zagato to create specials like the 575 GTZ is now closing, with Ferrari's own customization program bringing the carrozzeria tradition back to the Maranello gates - to the exclusion of others. But not before the Milanese design house gets in one last hoorah, celebrating the 90th anniversary of the first such collaboration between the two Italian houses of rolling style.

Taking five pristine examples of the aforementioned 550 Barachetta as their basis, the 550 GTZ borrows the shape from Hayashi's 575-based coupe and gives it a roadster body style. There's no word on whether any modifications have been carried out on the coupe's mechanicals, but the rolling stock appears to have carried over unchanged if that's any indication. All five examples have reportedly been spoken for at a price of £1 million ($1.6 million) apiece, which may seem like a lot for a car long since replaced, twice, but hardly too much to ask for historic artifacts of automotive Italiana.


Gallery: Ferrari 550 GTZ Barchetta by Zagato


[Source: CarsUK]

Zagato marks the end of an era with custom Ferrari 550 GTZ Barchetta originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>550 gtz550Gtzferrariferrari 550ferrari 550 barchettaferrari 550 barchetta pininfarinaferrari 575 gtzferrari zagatoFerrari550Ferrari550BarchettaFerrari550BarchettaPininfarinaFerrari575GtzFerrariZagatozagatozagato 550 gtzzagato 575 gtzzagato ferrariZagato550GtzZagato575GtzZagatoFerrariThu, 29 Oct 2009 19:26:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19214713/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/10/29/zagato-marks-the-end-of-an-era-with-custom-ferrari-550-gtz-barch/19214713/article-detail.xml 19214713 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/web-07-zagato550_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/web-07-zagato550.jpg <![CDATA[Even Stephen Colbert has to wait for a Ferrari]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/16/even-stephen-colbert-has-to-wait-for-a-ferrari/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/16/even-stephen-colbert-has-to-wait-for-a-ferrari/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/16/even-stephen-colbert-has-to-wait-for-a-ferrari/#commentsFiled under: ,



It appears Ferrari may be facing a growing number of disgruntled owners who are not happy having to wait in line 24 months for a new Italian Stallion. You can count Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert among the disgruntled, as he revealed on The Colbert Report this week that he'll have to wait months to replace his ratty 550 with 4,000 miles for a brand spanking new Lime Green 599 GTB Fiorano (with a platinum Jesush fish on the bumper, of course). Ever the schemer, Stephen announced he's willing to trade his spot on the kidney donor list to anyone at the front of the line to buy a Ferrari. Only Ferrari faithful with potential renal failure need apply.

Check out the clip from The Colbert Report after the jump in case you missed it.

[Source: Colbert Nation]

Continue reading Even Stephen Colbert has to wait for a Ferrari

Even Stephen Colbert has to wait for a Ferrari originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2007 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ferrari 550Ferrari 599 GTB FioranoFerrari550Ferrari599GtbFioranostephen colbertStephenColbertthe colbert reportTheColbertReportWed, 16 May 2007 14:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/897122/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/05/16/even-stephen-colbert-has-to-wait-for-a-ferrari/897122/article-detail.xml 897122 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/05/colbertferrari_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/05/colbertferrari.jpg -1 2