New Ferrari 600 Imola

[TINUZ]

Here are the very first pictures of Ferrari's forthcoming replacement for the celebrated 575M Maranello. Dubbed the Ferrari 600 Imola and expected to debut in 2006, the new car will carry over the technical concept of a V-12 front-engine super sports coupe seating for two, but is expected to become a considerably larger car (gaining especially in length) with roomier cabin and luggage compartments. Power will be delivered by a new 6.0-liter engine adopted from the Enzo and 612 Scaglietti models.

As a first prototype, the new car is cunningly hidden under a cut-and-shut 612 Scaglietti body that has been shortened between the A and B-pillars by 6 inches. It takes a good look to spot the giveaway clues - the shorter doors, the bulged door panels, the arch of the side windows, and the widened front end.

Technically, the 600 will draw heavily on the 612's body-panel-on-aluminium-space-frame technology and mechanical underpinnings, including engine, transaxle transmissions, and front and rear suspension corner modules. Consequently, the 600 will not be considerably lighter than the 4056-lb 612 Scaglietti. But specially tweaked suspension geometries, damper and spring settings as well as shorter gear ratios will provide for a much sportier driving experience.

The 6.0-liter engine, rated at 540 hp in the 612 Scaglietti and 660 hp in the Enzo, is expected to be tuned for around 580 to 600 hp in the Imola. The 600 will also adopt the 612's front-mid-engine layout. The shorter wheelbase of the 600 and an even more forward position of the front axle will further improve handling abilities over those of the 612. When compared with the current 575M, the 600 may gain in driving stability as well as steering response and turn-in, thanks to its longer wheelbase and the more balanced weight distribution.

Unclear remains at the moment to what degree the new 600 Imola will optically resemble the 612 Scaglietti. It is anticipated that the external distinction will be similarly pronounced as it was between the 456M GT/GTA and the 550/575M models. But the close technical relationship and parts sharing philosophy between the new 612 and future 600 models will forbid Pininfarina (who are once more in charge of styling a prestigious new Ferrari) to depart from joint proportions and similar front and rear end shapes.

An open-top "Barchetta" spyder version is rumoured to debut in 2007 or 2008, i.e. one to two years into the F600 Imola's series production.

[RedWingsFanG]

Sonds very interesting, especially for me as a Ferrari Fan!
But...that pics look sooooo much like a 612 Scaglietti late prototype! I know they hide cars to fool the spies, but are you sure that the pics really show the disguised 600 Imola and aren't just pics of the "real" 612 Scaglietti???

[TINUZ]

I'm not very sure

But if you look at the disguise the writer of the story may have a point.

As a first prototype, the new car is cunningly hidden under a cut-and-shut 612 Scaglietti body that has been shortened between the A and B-pillars by 6 inches. It takes a good look to spot the giveaway clues - the shorter doors, the bulged door panels, the arch of the side windows, and the widened front end.

[cuntukimushroom]

i think it is the 612 scaglietti

[F1_Master]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the car indeed is when the 612 was being tested around Modena, Italy. The Ferrari 575 Maranello is probably to new to be replaced. The 575 is less than 5 years old. The car actually came out in 2002. The 575 actually (or sort of) replaced the 550. So why would Ferrari replace a 2 year old model? The Modena, I still don't understand why they'd replace. It came out in 2000.

[F1_Master]

Sorry for the double post.

The car is the 612.

I was studying your pics along with the real pics. And found that everything is the same. The trunks, the doors, the sides, the frond, along with other things. Now I'm just guessing, but the wheel base looks the same. As I said, the car is at Ferrari's testing area around Modena.

[Egg Nog]

Originally Posted by F1_Master

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the car indeed is when the 612 was being tested around Modena, Italy.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you had actually read the article or TINUZ's post, you would've found this paragraph:

"As a first prototype, the new car is cunningly hidden under a cut-and-shut 612 Scaglietti body that has been shortened between the A and B-pillars by 6 inches. It takes a good look to spot the giveaway clues - the shorter doors, the bulged door panels, the arch of the side windows, and the widened front end."

[F1_Master]

Oh well, nobody's perfect. But I don't see why Ferrari would build another car just like their 612 now. Oh well, Ferrari is Ferrari. What they chose to do is what they chose to do.

[Wolf03]

It won't look like the 612. They are just using a modified body to cover it. They are probably testing the engine, so the exterior styling didn't really matter or it's not finished yet.

[SPHFerrari]

Originally Posted by Wolf03

It won't look like the 612. They are just using a modified body to cover it. They are probably testing the engine, so the exterior styling didn't really matter or it's not finished yet.

exactly, a lot of times they take a body of similar size and put the new drive train into it to test those components. i forget what, maybe the early 360 replacement test cars, but i know they have done this before, relatively recently.

[Wolf03]

Sorry for replying to a fairly old topic but it hasn't been a week yet. Anyway, I wanted to bring up the first F60 or Enzo prototype. As far as I remember, it had a modified F50 design and everyone freaked because it was so ugly. So, this 600 Imola uses a modified Scaglietti design and it is just a prototype. Nobody mentioned this, and it just came to me.

[taz_rocks_miami]

TINUZ, could you please post a link to the article you got the info from?

Taz.

[Fabio Ferrari]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the car indeed is when the 612 was being tested around Modena, Italy. The Ferrari 575 Maranello is probably to new to be replaced. The 575 is less than 5 years old. The car actually came out in 2002. The 575 actually (or sort of) replaced the 550. So why would Ferrari replace a 2 year old model? The Modena, I still don't understand why they'd replace. It came out in 2000.

Alright let me tell you something right now. The 575 was made to replace the 550 that is correct, but as you know the only difference between the two are a larger engine, a larger grille, a set of larger wheels, and the addision of the F1 transmission, so this was basically a refreshing of the model to compete with newer competition, like the Aston Martin Vaquish. And the 600 Imola is due to come out in 2006 making the 575 4 years old, and this is true it is not just a hox, I actually know for a fact that it is real. To me I think that the 575 needed to be replaced with all of this new competition. This is just a testing picture, Ferrari is testing the technical part of car, engine and electronics, the body is that of a shortened 612 Scaglietti, so what Ferrari is doing here is they have the 600 Chassis on a shortened 612 body, it is a disguise, if you were, this is because Ferrari does not want to reveal anything untill they get everything exact and perfect. I think the 600 will be a bit like the 612 in looks wise but other than that they will be nothing alike. Now as for the 360 Modena being replaced, this was one of the best Ferraris of all time but it has had its day, the chassis is now 5 years old, because it came out in 1999, and this new model the 430 will come out in 2005 making the chassis 6 years old and definatley in need of a refreshing. I am quite sure why you do not understand these certain things because it is quite simple. This is all fact not opinion. Now I also want to say that those Pictures are taken in Maranello not Modena, Ferrari is built in Maranello alright, Modena is the Provincia, and Modena the city is located 20km east of Maranello.

[Tha_killa69]

Alright let me tell you something right now. The 575 was made to replace the 550 that is correct, but as you know the only difference between the two are a larger engine, a larger grille, a set of larger wheels, and the addision of the F1 transmission, so this was basically a refreshing of the model to compete with newer competition, like the Aston Martin Vaquish. And the 600 Imola is due to come out in 2006 making the 575 4 years old, and this is true it is not just a hox, I actually know for a fact that it is real. To me I think that the 575 needed to be replaced with all of this new competition. This is just a testing picture, Ferrari is testing the technical part of car, engine and electronics, the body is that of a shortened 612 Scaglietti, so what Ferrari is doing here is they have the 600 Chassis on a shortened 612 body, it is a disguise, if you were, this is because Ferrari does not want to reveal anything untill they get everything exact and perfect. I think the 600 will be a bit like the 612 in looks wise but other than that they will be nothing alike. Now as for the 360 Modena being replaced, this was one of the best Ferraris of all time but it has had its day, the chassis is now 5 years old, because it came out in 1999, and this new model the 430 will come out in 2005 making the chassis 6 years old and definatley in need of a refreshing. I am quite sure why you do not understand these certain things because it is quite simple. This is all fact not opinion. Now I also want to say that those Pictures are taken in Maranello not Modena, Ferrari is built in Maranello alright, Modena is the Provincia, and Modena the city is located 20km east of Maranello

What he said...