One year with a 599 | FerrariChat

One year with a 599

Discussion in '612/599' started by spirot, Nov 24, 2020.

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  1. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,500
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    So I bought my 599 last December just before my 52nd birthday, On Dec 20. It's been almost a year and the other day I was out driving the 599 up to Atlanta Motorsports Park, where I kart. On the way back home I was cruising down a two-lane road that is posted 55mph, and I was doing about 60 ish.. not really speeding.

    Eventually, I came up to a slower group of cars, that seemed to get progressively slower and slower - doing about 35MPH... then came a very straight stretch where you can see for a good 2000' or more. so I downshifted into 3rd ( in Sport Mode) and passed the two cars in front of me... WOW. I had forgotten how much power the 599 had. it went from slow pootle... to fierce animal in seconds... to the point where I was doing much more than the speed limit... Shockingly fast... thankfully nothing bad happened but I really slowed it down... but what an amazing car... it's so docile and then bam... literally throws you back in the seat to hang on... I'm one who usually drives around in the wet weather mode - as Atlanta's streets are so horrible I like the softer suspension setting....

    so that got me thinking about one year of ownership... so far its been really good, only a few electrical warning's on the dash that clear quickly - parking sensors are not very good, and my only other issue is stone chips and not seeing the bumper's in parking lots... the front nose easily scrapes them! I've had the car "off-road" at Road Atlanta parking for the Petite LeMans... up a gravel road to a friend's mountain house... and it's handled it all great. gone on a long weekend with a fully packed trunk - and even had my wife drive the car on several occasions. While I truly loved my 328 - it's a great iconic Ferrari... the 599 is just that much more iconic and still able to scare you to death... its also I think the height of the LDM era cars...
     

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  2. buddyg

    buddyg F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 20, 2004
    5,446
    West Michigan
    Full Name:
    Buddy
    Congrats nothing like a V12 Ferrari!
     
  3. George Vosburgh

    George Vosburgh F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    A lot of the same feelings I had when I stepped out of my '77 308 into the 599. The car is about 10 times more car than I am driver. It must be constantly respected and never driven in anger since it will be happy to kill you if you let it. The thing that I have never experienced before in a car is the torque. I've never owned a car that could pull like this in virtually any gear. It's so beautiful and so powerful in a naturally aspirated V12, which is important to me. It's not cheap to maintain but my God, what a car!
     
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  4. aseweepay

    aseweepay Formula Junior

    Feb 1, 2004
    399
    Mid-West
    Lusting after a 599 myself, so thank you for the write up and pic....
     
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  5. Clembo

    Clembo Formula Junior

    Tom - glad you love it. Almost 6 years of ownership and it thrills me with each drive.

    Just put it away for the winter. Normally I get to each February and think I'll sell it as I hardly get to drive it. Then the first Spring drive makes me think I'm crazy, and I'll keep it forever - I hope I do.

    Enjoy
     
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  6. George Vosburgh

    George Vosburgh F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed


    I'm doing so little driving in the pandemic that this year I'm going to put my Mercedes in the climate controlled storage and keep the 599 at home so I can play with it!
     
  7. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,346
    Weston, MA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    I have a 612 OTO and occasionally we will have a couple sitting in the back seats. When I get to an appropriate spot I'll downshift and nail it. The reaction from the people in the back is priceless. You would think they were on the fiercest roller coaster ever! :D
     
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  8. Justin Hughes

    Justin Hughes Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 8, 2020
    153
    Oxfordshire - UK
    Full Name:
    Hughesie
  9. Inadeje

    Inadeje Karting

    #9 Inadeje, Nov 29, 2020
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2020
    I echo your sentiments entirely. I am the manic type who takes a while to choose most cars, reading for hours before taking the plunge. Let me preface this by saying I could have gone for a F12 or superfast instead of the 599, since the cost wasn’t really factored into my ultimate decision. A couple of things did it for me which I will mention below:


    • Last Pininfarina designed and advertised Ferrari ending an era that began in 1951
    • Last Frank Stephenson design before he left Ferrari for McLaren
    • First V12 Ferrari to switch to entirely aluminum chassis and body
    • Last largely analogue V12 Ferrari, with minimal invasive (and heavy) tech
    • Mythical Enzo engine
    • Last iteration of the decades evolved/perfected F1 single clutch gearbox
    • Last V12 Ferrari (until 2009 production year) saved from the engine choking Euro, 5, 6, 7 emissions standards (not unlike California’s draconian standards)
    • Beautiful and still modern interior accoutrements (I don’t consider screens nor apple CarPlay as essential to my driving pleasure)
    • Rear trunk (boot), not hatchback
    • The V12 Ferrari sold through the contemporary Great Depression (low numbers?)
    • Still competitive power to weight ratio (due to lack of heavy tech and all aluminum)
    • Last V12 Ferrari available in manual/stick shift


    Did I miss anything?


    I know that car design is subjective, but I see the 599 as the ultimate evolution of the swooping Ferrari look that began in the 1950s. From the F12, and beyond, Ferrari’s design language went angular (not dissimilar to Japanese). For all the above reasons I believe that the 599 is the last of it’s ilk, the last in a line of V12 Ferrari’s that began their lineage decades earlier. I’m convinced that the above points will start to be considered as an ensemble and the 599 will probably become very highly collectible into the future.

    BTW OP, I’m 52 too :)

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  10. George Vosburgh

    George Vosburgh F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    ^^^ Lots of great points made here!^^^
     
  11. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
    59,402
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    Rob Lay
    great perspectives, my next Ferrari will be a 12 and for all these reasons a 599 on the short list.
     
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  12. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,984
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    The 612 was the first all aluminum chassis and body V12, produced around 3 years before the 599. The 599 has a shorter wheelbase version of the 612 chassis, 2750 mm vs 2950 mm.
     
  13. Inadeje

    Inadeje Karting

    #13 Inadeje, Nov 29, 2020
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2020
    I had understood that the 599 was designed in early 2002 by Stevenson (from his statements), however, the platform was created at the same time with the 599, even though the 612 had its commercial release 24 months ahead of the 599. I could be wrong, its merely what I gleaned from research. I concur that if we base our analysis on commercial release instead of model creation, your assessment is accurate.
     
  14. F3RN4ND0

    F3RN4ND0 Karting

    Nov 16, 2015
    195
    Madrid, Spain
    Full Name:
    F3RN
    Inadeje FYG, I opened a thread regarding the Design Story of the 599 last May, with all the information I could collect about it.
    You may find it interesting.
    Rgs,
     
  15. George Vosburgh

    George Vosburgh F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    I read it when you posted it years ago, I just re-read it. Really great article!
     
  16. MrF355

    MrF355 Formula Junior

    Mar 4, 2008
    493
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Kimi
    Inadeje that is a very good list of points that echoes my love for the 599. I would also add that the gearbox is the last gearbox built and designed by Ferrari. The gearboxes to the newer cars are to my understanding German designed and built. Not that there is anything wrong with that but our beloved 599 is the last V12 that is truely all Ferrari, engine powertrain and gearbox. For me the design is more elegant over the F12 and 812 but the car can be brutal when the throttle is mashed.
     
  17. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,984
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    The earliest 612 OM is 1994-03. For the 599, it is 2425-06.
     
  18. Camp Freddie

    Camp Freddie Karting

    Oct 19, 2015
    156
    London, Doha, Beirut
    To the OP congratulations on a V12 year, your 599 looks superb. I just clicked over from 52 to 53 last week and whilst I am running a 612 rather than a 599, it's just a very very pleasant way to grow old, with a V12 Ferrari to enjoy. We are indeed fortunate. I spent my 53rd enjoying the Winter sun and the car. Here's to many more enjoyable years ahead.
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  19. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,500
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    love your screen name! Italian Job is a great movie!!!
     
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  20. Inadeje

    Inadeje Karting

    I just read it, thanks for the heads-up. Excellent content and historical summary.
     
  21. Inadeje

    Inadeje Karting

    I didn’t know that about the gearbox, thanks. I think that these current DCT gearboxes, while very efficient and rapid, could be somewhat troublesome as the years roll by. The module based config of the F1 leaves us with a sturdy, essentially manual 6 speed with a bolt on actuator which can easily be reconditioned or replaced. Not so with a DCT. I personally consider the F1 to be an excellent drivers gearbox which is way ahead of driver induced manual gear selection. Admittedly, low speed changes can be cumbersome, but are they as cumbersome as when we switched cogs manually? F1 isn’t as smooth as a DCT, but those savage impactful changes can be quite addictive, and I find the DCT changes to be a little too seamless for old school drivers like me.
     
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  22. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    Largely analogue if u have a manual.
    The last true 12 analogue is the Testarossa/512tr/m .
    550 is a lot more analogue too.
    Other than that I agree fully;)


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  23. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,500
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro

    I don't know. I love the 599 -its a great car and epically fast... but just drove the Roma couple of weeks ago... WOW - almost the same HP "only" 8 cyl, but amazing car.... the shifts are fantastic - brutal when you want them to be... and almost imperceptible in traffic. .... while I like a manual car as well, where I live in the city - a manual is just a huge liability, and simply painful to use ... its only fun out in the country... or on track. I've been getting my manual kicks doing on line racing.. using a 1978 Lotus F-1 car... that will give you all the heel & toe you can handle... and $0 repair bills!
     
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  24. jimshadow

    jimshadow F1 Veteran
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Feb 19, 2006
    5,743
    Indiana
    Full Name:
    JIM
    Great thread! I bought my 599 in July shortly after my 51st, so come June I'll be posting up a "1 year" thread as well. :).
     
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  25. Inadeje

    Inadeje Karting

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