Visual presence owes a lot to the long, curvaceous bonnet, the low stance and the width, but the 550 is short by current standards: 4.55m in length. Turning radius is worse than that of a supertanker, owing to the rather large V12 sitting between the front wheels, but the 550 remains a surprisingly docile car in urban usage. Ground clearance under the front lips is decent although due car is required on ramps. I remember a few cold sweat moments, like an adventure in the bowels of the vicious municipal parking in Porto Fino, but I think that other more conventional cars with a longer wheelbase would have been even worse. Visibility is good, the car is easy to maneuver with precision, and there is no fear to fry a clutch thanks to the manual gearbox. The 550 is a car that can be taken everywhere, supermarket, mountain passes, road trip or track. The trunk offers useful loading capacity for luggage and the shelf behind the seat additional space for a few extra bags. Long road trips without stringent luggage restrictions are perfectly feasible. The Eifel, the french Ardennes, Normandy, the Loire valley castles, Côte d’Azur, Tuscany, the Maranello does a lot more than comply, it gives savor to the trip, during the journey and at destination. I never encountered any issue or breakdown, oil and water cooling really are excellent. I saw once the the water temperature gauge rise a bit in a monster traffic jam under the blazing July sun at the Chiasso customs, but it stayed within safe distance of the red zone.

Gas consumption can fall under the 14 L/100 km (16.8 US mpg) mark on freeways at legal speeds, but 17 L/100km (13.8 US mpg) is a more realistic expectation: I measured 17.05 L/100km in average over the last 22’000 km. A very spirited drive on adequate roads will bring you up to 24 L/100km (9.8 US mpg). I keep fond memories of the magnificent roads of the Chianti region where, in the company of a 458 Italia, the Maranello gave me intense pleasure. Twisty roads were torque and rev span are more precious peak power, and where a neutral balance inspires confidence and helps to improvise. To drive this car on these roads was intense and demanding, and thoroughly gratifying when the synchronization of inputs from bend to hairpin feels just right, fluid and timely. Digging into the performance of the 458 on these roads was terrifying. Pushing the 550 was enthralling. The contrast could not have been greater.

Nine years and 35’000km, and the attraction remains intact. Ferrari’s V12 model range has evolved toward new peaks in performance and excellence (the F12 is 50% more powerful than the 550 Maranello !), making any comparison pointless. A car that was well designed, without major engineering faults, easy to leave with and to maintain, compliant and interesting to drive in a repressive context. The breathtaking depreciation of the Maranello being largely absorbed, parting ways with this car would not make any sense.