Yes all of this is true. Many cannot even tell the difference between the wheels. If you look closely, many cars have mismatched wheels for exactly this reason - When Ferrari ordered a new wheel due to damage (My dealer will replace a wheel entirely, even if they are just slightly curbed), they would receive a thick spoked wheel from the factory and fit it to the car, whether that example came with thick or thin wheels originally! Resulting in a bit of a wonky look... I always found the thin spoke wheels to be far prettier; they just look a lot more aggressive!
I've looked at a lot of 599 GTOs and I haven't seen any mismatching wheels thus far so I'm sure it's a pretty rare occurence but I agree it does exist because you can't get the BBS wheels, that said, any decent Ferrari dealer should offer to refurbish your existing wheels.
Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan's Rosso Fuoco 599 GTO chassis n° 182141. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Yes quite rare, but one does see it every now and again. Usually, people won't even realize, because to the untrained eye, the wheels look "the same". Surprisingly enough it was even dealers such as Niki Hasler (won Global Ferrari Dealer of the Year several times) who offered to replace a wheel with only minor curb rash (this happened to me 2 weeks ago). I guess it's due to their constant quest for perfection, which I appreciate very much. I've attached a pic to exemplify - Once you notice, you can't unsee it! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Speaking of rare, anyone encounter a radio delete 599 GTO? This example was shown to me earlier this year, a 1-owner USA specification 599 GTO based in California, interestingly the interior was entirely finished in fabric and carbon fiber, and the carbon panel with the 1 of 599 badge when opened revealed not a radio but just a stowage space as ordered by the car's original owner. Apologies for the low resolution image in poor lighting. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here's a better image of the fabric interior of the same radio delete GTO. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Special build for Ferrari F1 pilot Felipe Massa. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
His 599 GTO was perhaps expected as Massa was one of the people originally involved in testing the 599XX at Fiorano and at Valencia. Image Unavailable, Please Login
North American 599 GTO n° 176109, Rosso Corsa with Extra Campionario Crema leather interior on Daytona style seats, this GTO has a non-contrasting roof in body color. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Perhaps its my imagination but the GTO specific seats seem to be mounted lower than the standard GTB seats, though they can be raised with the optional "lifting" device.
Nice, I believe this is the same California-based single-colored Rosso Fuoco GTO, your image also? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here's an apparently USA spec metallic blue 599 GTO in Dubai, also with body-colored roof. I've seen quite a few single-colored cars which I like although I think the contrasting roof which hearkens back to the coach-built Ferraris of the late 50s is signature livery for the 599 GTO. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Abu Dhabi Blue, Joe - the same colour as my 612. An absolutely magnificent colour in the flesh and in various light conditions. It brightens the most dreary day! My GTO is more conservative in Grigio Ferro with a Silverstone roof, without shields, a 4 point harness, and with the thin spoke alloys and I think quite uniquely with the HGTE exhaust from the factory.
Have never come across that before and am very curios to understand why you chose the HGTE exhaust over the GTO's? I didn't realise that it was even possible as the underpinnings are supposed to be quite different.
I have to confess that I can’t answer that as I am the second owner, the first being an Italian VVIP as stated on the build sheet. There seem to be a number of “special features” on the build sheet. I can say that she sounds amazing for sure!
I am betting she has HGTE mufflers or tailpipes only, since the HGTEs had 3-2-1 x 2 headers with precats and the GTO has 6-1 headers and no precats. Would have cost quite a bit of horsepower to revert to the earlier exhaust system.
Thanks Terry, that makes much more sense! Still not sure of the motivation other than an aesthetic one.
