As it entered production in 1996, the Ferrari 550 Maranello had great shoes to fill. The new model effectively replaced the final iteration of the fabled Testarossa as Ferrari’s flagship 12-cylinder, two-seat grand tourer—albeit with a classic front-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration in place of the prior midengined setup. The 5.5-liter V-12 was rated at 485 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, while a gated manual six-speed gearbox was the only transmission offered.

The 550 Maranello’s chassis featured electronically variable suspension, ventilated disc brakes at all four corners, and 18-inch five-spoke wheels. It soon became known for its performance potential, setting three production car speed records in 1998—covering 100 kilometers at an average speed of 304 km/h, 100 miles at an average speed of 190.2 mph, and driving one hour at an average speed of 184 mph—all of which would stand until 2002. The 550 would achieve 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds, 100 mph in 10.2 seconds, and 150 mph in 23.5 seconds on its way to a 199-mph top speed.

Completed in December 1998, the 550 Maranello on offer here wears a handsome Blu NART 523 finish over tan leather trim. At cataloguing, the car’s odometer displayed 4,874 miles, while its glorious 5.5-liter quad-camshaft V-12 engine is paired with the all-important gated six-speed manual gearbox. The car is accompanied by its tool kit, jacking kit, and a grouping of owner’s manuals in their proper leather wallet.

It is for good reason that interest in manual transmission-equipped V-12 Ferraris remains strong; they are grand tourers in their purest form and provide a special experience no new car can match.