Named for the displacement of 5.5 liters and its place of birth, the 550 Maranello was designed by Pininfarina as Ferrari’s long-awaited return to a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive, two-seater configuration. After 30 months of development, it replaced the famed Testarossa and burst upon the scene at the Nürburgring in July 1996. There it showcased its top speed of 199 mph and acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in a blistering 4.4 seconds, courtesy of a V-12 powerplant summoning 480 horsepower at 7,000 rpm. When test-driven by Motor Trend against the Porsche Carrera 4, Dodge Viper, Chevrolet Corvette, and others, the 550 Maranello beat out all competitors with high-ranking marks in all objective and subjective categories.

The new Ferrari release was a firebrand, but production was restricted to only 3,083 cars between 1996 and 2002.

The 550 Maranello offered here is finished in the iconic color scheme, Rosso Corsa over tan leather. It was acquired by the current owner in August of 2002 from Newport Autosport, titling it first in Oregon and then in California, as reflected by the accompanying CARFAX. The owner notes that the car underwent a major service, including belts, in June 2014, and was fitted with Tubi exhaust; it has been driven fewer than 50 miles since, having accrued 4,406 miles at the time of cataloguing. Having been well-preserved in a climate-controlled garage, it remains in beautiful condition, and the owner notes that the car has required no cosmetic work whatsoever. Further, it is complete with original books and tools, the factory Ferrari car cover that has never been out of its bag, and the factory exhaust.

This is an excellent example of one of the great modern Ferrari road cars, ready for more enjoyment in 2021.