Ferrari Superamerica

[Esperante]

First Look: Ferrari Superamerica
The Pininfarina-designed Ferrari Superamerica combines Ferrari 12-cylinder Berlinetta performance with a highly original, innovative take on the convertible concept.
November 24, 2004


Photography by the manufacturer
Motor Trend, November 2004

Ferrari has released photos and information on a limited-edition model scheduled to premier in January at the Los Angeles and Detroit Auto Shows. The Pininfarina-designed Ferrari Superamerica combines Ferrari 12-cylinder Berlinetta performance with a highly original, innovative take on the convertible concept.

The Superamerica is the first production car to adopt an innovative rotating roof movement in combination with electrochromic technology developed exclusively for glass surfaces of these dimensions, with Saint Gobain.

The Fioravanti-patented rotating roof concept allows the Superamerica driver to electrically drop the top in 10 seconds flat, making it the world’s fastest convertible berlinetta (199-mph top speed).



Derived from the 575M Maranello, the Superamerica is available with either an F1-style or manual gearbox. Its big 12-cylinder engine has been boosted to deliver 540 hp too. The new car can also be fitted with the GTC Handling package which offers Ferrari’s very latest high-tech features including carbon ceramic brakes.



The Superamerica’s unusual electric roof has been dubbed Revocromico to highlight the unique combination of its rearward rotation movement and electrochromic technology. It has a carbon-fibre structure and the boot capacity remains unchanged whether the roof is open or closed too. The glass rear window also acts as a highly effective wind deflector when the roof is open.



The use of electrochromic glass means that the driver can completely control the level of light entering the cockpit. There are five tint levels available and the glass can go from dark to light in under a minute, at the touch of a button.



No pricing has been set for the car for the United States or Canadian markets.

Ferrari Superamerica
Technical Specifications
DIMENSIONS
Length: 4,550 mm (179.1 inches)
Width: 1,935 mm (76.8 inches)
Height: 1,277 mm (50.2 inches)
Wheelbase: 2,500 mm (98.4 inches)
Front track: 1,632 mm (64.2 inches)
Rear track: 1,586 mm (62.4 inches)
ENGINE
Cylinders: V12
Bore x stroke: 89 mm x 77 mm (3.5 x 3.0 inches)
Unit displacement: 479 cc (29.2 cid)
Total displacement: 5,748 cc (350.6 cid)
Compression ratio: 11:1
Maximum power: 540 hp at 7250 rpm
Maximum torque: 433.8 lb-ft at 5250 rpm

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 320 km/h (199 mph)

[Esperante]

more...

[Quiggs]

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9832

[Esperante]

shit :p....

but at least I have an article!

[tmnt_ppn]

i hate this thing!!

[jcp123]

I think it's a neat car, my second favorite modern Ferrari behind the 456M

[Luciferous]

Its a Ferrari Corvette. Where's the originality?

[Wouter Melissen]

Its a Ferrari Corvette. Where's the originality?

It's not a new car. It's a natural and final development from a car launched almost a decade ago and is ready for replacement. If I remember correctly, Chevrolet only released the clear headlight Corvette this year, where is the originality?

[Esperante]

It looks to me as if all the originality is shoved into the weird targa top and the originality is starved from the ultra ugly high rear end.

[PsychoChimp22]

Normaly I wouldnt ask a person to explain, but when you say "ultra ugly high rear end" i just need to know what about it is SO ugly? Its not a lot different from the 360.

[Esperante]

it's tall and flat, the 360's had a lower profile

[Luciferous]

It's not a new car. It's a natural and final development from a car launched almost a decade ago and is ready for replacement. If I remember correctly, Chevrolet only released the clear headlight Corvette this year, where is the originality?

I don't see why making a Ferrari into a dead ringer for a Corvette should be a good idea? To be fair at least they've hinted at it in the name, but it seems like its trying to cash in a bit doesn't it?

Yeah there isn't much originality behind the new Corvette, but if it makes you feel better I'm not the biggest fan of that thing either.

[Wouter Melissen]

I don't see why making a Ferrari into a dead ringer for a Corvette should be a good idea? To be fair at least they've hinted at it in the name, but it seems like its trying to cash in a bit doesn't it?

Yeah there isn't much originality behind the new Corvette, but if it makes you feel better I'm not the biggest fan of that thing either.

This is not a new car, it is a new version of an old car. It has had this shap for nine years now. It is a logical evolution of the Daytona. It looks similar to the Corvette C6, with the glass covered headlights. That car is less than a year old. So I still can't see how you can say Ferrari designed the 550 Maranello to be a dead ringer for a car that Chevrolet launched eight years later.

[capone]

I read somewhere that the roof mechanism on the Superamerica might find it's way to the F430 Spyder.

[Luciferous]

Its pretty funny/stupid that everyone's having the same discussion on two threads, but jcp123 brought up the same point.
Besides the clear glass headlights the rest of the new Corvette was a natural evolution of the Corvette shape, as introduced by the C2 and then refined to point of perfection by the C3, then diluted and diluted until we have the C6.

However the Corvette and Ferrari have always had very similar attributes in dimensions, but by the Superamerica making these physical similarities even more pronounced it doesn't seem to make sense. Ferrari would have known how the C6 was going to look for at least a year (there were enough teasers for it) so you would think they would give the 550 some more changes for the final model to move it away from the C6's shape instead of moving it closer.