Quick off the marque

In 2005, Ferrari used the Bologna Motor Show to debut the FXX, a limited-edition vehicle that would add considerable exclusivity and mystique to the brand.

Only 29 FXXs were produced and ownership was decided by a committee that evaluated applications from those with a proven devotion to the marque and €1.5m (£1.1m) to spend on a vehicle that couldn’t be driven on the road and wouldn’t compete in any race series.

Instead, the select batch of inaugural FXX owners — aka client test drivers — signed up to a programme where they would be able to take part in track events at prestigious circuits around the world with a support package that included technical teams and personalised driver development.

Ferrari has a tradition of building limited-edition sports cars and it was envisaged that the FXX research and development programme would provide the framework on which specific future vehicles would be developed.

The FXX programme did not concern itself with homologation (i.e. the normal rules of the road) and its first vehicle brought with it Formula One (F1) gearbox technology that allowed drivers to change gear in less than 100msec, an aerodynamic design that provided a 40 per cent increase in down force compared with the Enzo, and a 6,262cm³ V12 engine capable of delivering 800hp at 8,500rpm.