Wednesday 6th September 2017

Ferrari Enzo Nordschleife lap: Time For Coffee?

RM is selling this Enzo tonight; time to remind ourselves what an incredible supercar it really is

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It takes a lot for a car to stand out at an RM Auctions sale and, while this Ferrari Enzo is not the only incredible car being sold at Battersea Park this evening, it's sure as hell up there. Having wandered dazed, confused and very excited around the auction preview yesterday evening, then spent the rest of the night thinking about that Ferrari, something on the Enzo had to feature today.

Perhaps it's colour combination, Tour de France Blue with tan equal parts rare and gorgeous on an Enzo. Perhaps it's the interior, one that previewed so much of what we see in Ferraris today 15 years ago. Perhaps it's that sensational V12, suspended in the carbon tub like the finest piece of automotive art. Or perhaps it's just seeing a supercar on a normal numberplate - doesn't that look cool?

Whatever the case, it's one very special Enzo. But should you not have between £1.6m and £1.8m but still find yourself lusting after one, help is (sort of) at hand. Because here's a Nurburgring lap video.

This is not some tourist day posing either; this is a flat out, fully committed, I-really-wouldn't-want-an-Enzo-sideways-there kind of lap. And it's absolutely bloody superb. If you want a reminder of just how intimidating a really quick lap of the 'ring is in a really quick car is, watch this.

It's interesting to note too how supercars have evolved in fairly short space of time; Marc Basseng is driving the Enzo and is, well, occupied the whole way, the car pitching and moving around more than we've come to expect nowadays. The tyres squeal more too, and of course the F1 'box isn't quite as fast as a dual-clutch. But what a lap!

And the time? It would be a rude to give it away here, but the Enzo is a lot closer to the contemporary supercars than you might have first thought. Imagine what it could do on a set of Michelin Cup 2s...

Watch the video here.

Photo: RM Auctions

[daveco]

Saw one of these in the Ferrari dealership in the Remise, Berlin last year.

It really is a small car in the flesh and a case of function over form. Looks very naff in the company of La Ferrari and even the 599 etc

Could never understand how the price of these sky rocketed after a couple of years, while the Carrera GT's values were flat for years either.

[Resolutionary]

Time has been very forgiving to this vehicle and it's provenance I think. When they were first released they looked like a Le Mans inspired road racer - had some odd cues and perhaps didn't really seem to develop from the greatest hits of previous generations.

In the cold light of today, and amongst other brands vying for the top supercar / hypercar / stupid-genre-car spots, this is markedly restrained and graceful in it's looks. I expect the crazy prices of these cars reflect the exclusive club they belong to, and the last of the (relatively) non-techy uber Ferraris.

[E36GUY]

I'm just terrified the Enzo was 15 years ago

[sparta6]

Seems to have aged very gracefully and more engaging than the LaF

[365daytonafan]

daveco said:

Could never understand how the price of these sky rocketed after a couple of years, while the Carrera GT's values were flat for years either.

The fact that there are less than half the number of Enzo in the world compared to Carrera GT's (which didn't sell out the entire intended production run) will have a lot to do with it.

[Veeayt]

I remember that Nordschleife test with Basseng driving. To me, the Zonda lap and the car itself was way more impressive.

[Richair]

Great vid and an enjoyable watch. Was this the Enzo vs Carrera GT vs Zonda shootout that Evo covered? I remember something in that about the dampers overheating on the Enzo...

Looks very cool in blue

[gigglebug]

Richair said:

Great vid and an enjoyable watch. Was this the Enzo vs Carrera GT vs Zonda shootout that Evo covered? I remember something in that about the dampers overheating on the Enzo...

Looks very cool in blue

I was going to ask the same question but I think it must be as in the video you can also see the MC12 in the background near the beginning. The MC12 was the quickest on the day if I remember rightly with it's better aero/downforce compared to the competition being cited as the main contributing factor to it's time although the Zonda was deemed to be the best driving experience by the tester.

[nicfaz]

It's claimed the Enzo's fugly looks were due to form over function, but they are in fact an attempt to draw a connection between the F1 cars and the road cars - you could have achieved the same (if not more) aero function with a different and almost certainly prettier shape. If Bill Gates were to give me all his money tomorrow, none of it would go on an Enzo because I would want my megacar to look good. Some of it might well go on a Zonda, Carrera GT and probably several Ferraris, but not that one. It was just repeating the mistake made with the F50.

[k wright]

With so many good looking cars in their past this car stands out....

[Zad]

Just a shame it seems to have been recorded on a PC World 640x480 webcam from 1993!

[S93]

Beautiful colour combo, makes a change from the red and yellow variants

[Smitters]

Having had a look at the auction list, can a 1996 911 GT2 really be worth almost as much as a 1988 F40? Bonkers.

I was lucky enough to see an Enzo on the way home from the 2006 Le Mans. It was revving and tootling about in the Tunnel carpark and it sounded amazing. Stop you in your tracks WFT is that noise amazing.

[Kosy]

Beautiful however it's a little off that the auctioneer's write up highlights the originality of its original colour then how it has been resprayed? I think I would rather have one in the factory finish for that sum.

[BVB]

Not to mention that development was heavily aided by the greatest of modern F1 drivers, Michael Schumacher. #KeepFightingMichael