Ferrari 599 GTB
Discussion
So (deep breath) after the following performance cars...
Aston Martin Vantage V12S (silver)
Audi R8 V10 Spyder manual (grey)
Audi RS4 B8 Avant (dark blue)
BMW 1 Series M Coupe (black)
BMW Z3 M Coupe (silver)
Jaguar XKR-S GT (white and black)
Lotus 3-Eleven (green and yellow)
McLaren 12C (dark blue)
Porsche 997 GT2 (grey)
Porsche 997 GT3 RS (black and orange)
Porsche Cayman GT4 (grey)
Porsche Cayman R (grey)
Porsche Boxster S (black)
VW Golf R32 (mid blue)
...I recently decided it was high time to scratch an itch not yet scratched by putting down a deposit on a Ferrari. A 599 GTB to be precise. Since an impending house move forces a rationalisation of the stable plus the fact that work commitments in Europe mean I will be doing a lot less track days next year, I thought a V12 GT sports car should be the way forward.
So here it is: a black and tan example with 22,000 miles on the clock. I inspected the car with a Ferrari specialist friend and took the plunge. Time will tell if I can hang on to it for longer than 10 minutes before being seduced by something else!
Aston Martin Vantage V12S (silver)
Audi R8 V10 Spyder manual (grey)
Audi RS4 B8 Avant (dark blue)
BMW 1 Series M Coupe (black)
BMW Z3 M Coupe (silver)
Jaguar XKR-S GT (white and black)
Lotus 3-Eleven (green and yellow)
McLaren 12C (dark blue)
Porsche 997 GT2 (grey)
Porsche 997 GT3 RS (black and orange)
Porsche Cayman GT4 (grey)
Porsche Cayman R (grey)
Porsche Boxster S (black)
VW Golf R32 (mid blue)
...I recently decided it was high time to scratch an itch not yet scratched by putting down a deposit on a Ferrari. A 599 GTB to be precise. Since an impending house move forces a rationalisation of the stable plus the fact that work commitments in Europe mean I will be doing a lot less track days next year, I thought a V12 GT sports car should be the way forward.
So here it is: a black and tan example with 22,000 miles on the clock. I inspected the car with a Ferrari specialist friend and took the plunge. Time will tell if I can hang on to it for longer than 10 minutes before being seduced by something else!
Nunga said:
Love it; great colour combination, too. Are the wheels a standard GTB rim or part of a package like the HGTE?
The "challenge" wheels were an option on the 599 GTB and these are the wheels that are fitted to my car. The standard wheels on the GTB have a five spoke star design (see pic below) but most original buyers specified the challenge design. The HGTE cars have a different wheel design again. 
Ferrari 599 GTB specification:
Engine: V12, 5999cc
Power: 611bhp @ 7600rpm
Torque: 448lb ft @ 5600rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual with F1 SuperFast paddleshift, rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential, F1-Trac
Brakes: Brembo carbon-ceramics
Tyres: 245/40 R19 (front), 305/35 R20 (rear)
Weight: 1688kg
Power-to-weight: 368bhp / ton
0-60mph: 3.5sec
Top speed: 205mph
Engine: V12, 5999cc
Power: 611bhp @ 7600rpm
Torque: 448lb ft @ 5600rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual with F1 SuperFast paddleshift, rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential, F1-Trac
Brakes: Brembo carbon-ceramics
Tyres: 245/40 R19 (front), 305/35 R20 (rear)
Weight: 1688kg
Power-to-weight: 368bhp / ton
0-60mph: 3.5sec
Top speed: 205mph
Back in 2012, Chris Harris (of EVO magazine and Top Gear fame) sold his Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4.0 and bought a Ferrari 599 GTB. This short video summarises his views on the car from Maranello. My 599 doesn't arrive from Slade's Garage until mid December, but Chris has already told me what I need to know...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQdpNoPCd9o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQdpNoPCd9o
GrahamPM said:
I bought one of these back about 5 years ago - off the back of Chris Harris’s reviews.
A gorgeous HGTE. spec with one previous ‘Knightsbridge’ address owner and only 1700 miles on the clock. I test drove it in London and had it transported back to Cheshire.
The car looked a million dollars and so purposeful- however; I hated the thing. I just never bonded with it, always felt it was trying to kill me. The turn-in, the handling, the weight transfer under acceleration and braking I thought was dire.
The biggest disappointment ever and a ‘welcome to Ferrari’ ownership that left me cold. After 6 months of getting on first name terms with the local Shell petrol station, I’d had enough and glad to see the back of it - replacement was a 458......now that’s a different animal!!
Good luck with yours and hope you enjoy the ownership experience more than I did.
Graham.
Sorry to hear about your disappointing start to brand ownership. Hopefully mine will be a different experience but time will tell, of course. I’m fortunate to be close friends with local Ferrari specialist and racer who knows everything there is to know about these cars so that gives me huge piece of mind. I plan to move up to an F12 in a couple of years but a house move means I have to compromise! Anyway, I’m still very much looking forward to collecting my first ever Ferrari.A gorgeous HGTE. spec with one previous ‘Knightsbridge’ address owner and only 1700 miles on the clock. I test drove it in London and had it transported back to Cheshire.
The car looked a million dollars and so purposeful- however; I hated the thing. I just never bonded with it, always felt it was trying to kill me. The turn-in, the handling, the weight transfer under acceleration and braking I thought was dire.
The biggest disappointment ever and a ‘welcome to Ferrari’ ownership that left me cold. After 6 months of getting on first name terms with the local Shell petrol station, I’d had enough and glad to see the back of it - replacement was a 458......now that’s a different animal!!
Good luck with yours and hope you enjoy the ownership experience more than I did.
Graham.
Grazie mille for all the kind comments.
I've just dug up the full EVO magazine test of the 599 GTB (I'd forgotten it was their car of the year in 2006), which includes performance tests, dyno, and on-track performance - see link below. The verdict is very similar to other comments posted on here: monster engine and straight line speed but not in the same league as the true sports cars in the Ferrari stable in terms of handling. Still, not bad for what is now a 12 year old car!
https://www.evo.co.uk/ferrari/599
I've just dug up the full EVO magazine test of the 599 GTB (I'd forgotten it was their car of the year in 2006), which includes performance tests, dyno, and on-track performance - see link below. The verdict is very similar to other comments posted on here: monster engine and straight line speed but not in the same league as the true sports cars in the Ferrari stable in terms of handling. Still, not bad for what is now a 12 year old car!
https://www.evo.co.uk/ferrari/599
I collected my “new” 599 on my birthday today of all days. Excellent timing! First impressions? Stunning engine and sound, stiff ride, good visibility, gearbox requires a gentle lift at low rpm (similar to the Aston V12 Vantage I used to own). Oh, and like its new owner, it likes a drink; indeed, it would probably be cheaper to run it on proseco!
Edited by baronbennyt on Tuesday 11th December 17:27
The 599 is now with a Ferrari specialist friend in Chessington, Surrey ready for a full mechanical inspection. Fingers crossed everything is as it should be. A quick diagnostic check showed the clutch is only 16 percent worn - good result! It’s going to be a long winter waiting to drive it properly....
[quote=Jonny TVR]Well done Ben. It looks stunning. Same interior colour as mine. Drove through Spain, France and Italy last Summer in mine and loved it. I have NF4 forged 22/21 inch wheels and capristo full exhaust on mine.
Hi Jon. Thanks for the post and pics. I’m loving that you’re using your 599 and for some spectacular trips. Tell me, what are your impressions of the capristo exhaust?
Hi Jon. Thanks for the post and pics. I’m loving that you’re using your 599 and for some spectacular trips. Tell me, what are your impressions of the capristo exhaust?
Obi Wan said:
From looking at the photos it looks massive. Do you have any difficulty coming out of junctions and general manurvering?
Many car journalists say the same thing (it’s probably that size to fit the necessary fuel tank!), but I think it’s absolutely fine. It feels no bigger or more difficult to position that some other silly things I’ve had. However, I don’t think it’s going to fit my garage...Just sold the Ferrari 599 GTB to Lucas Hutchings at The Octane Collection. The Ferrari was a wonderful, if short-lived, addition to my stable but I've just grasped the opportunity to purchase a very purple replacement, which will be arriving soon...!
Ferrari 599 positives: engine, performance, exterior and interior design (to these eyes at least).
Ferrari 599 negatives: single-clutch gearbox, standard stereo and truly spectacular fuel consumption!
Ferrari 599 positives: engine, performance, exterior and interior design (to these eyes at least).
Ferrari 599 negatives: single-clutch gearbox, standard stereo and truly spectacular fuel consumption!
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