Ferrari is selling its 499P prototype racer which won this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, for £4.6 million as an unregulated track car that boasts a 777bhp hybrid V6 engine.
The “strictly limited” Ferrari 499p Modificata track car is intended for non-competitive use by “gentleman drivers” and is based on the 499P endurance racer that took victory in 24 Hours of Le Mans at La Sarthe this year, marking Ferrari’s first elite endurance event in 50 years.
The Ferrari 499p went on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans also marking the first time the Italians won the event in nearly 60 years, as the prototype also set the fastest lap. 1965 marked the final victory for the Maranello marque.
Ferrari fans now have the opportunity to buy a car inspired by the fantastic winner of the endurance race. Only a select few buyers will be able to purchase this racing-derived machinery that was developed on the racetrack.
The Ferrari Finali Mondiali 2023 will feature the unveiling of the 499P Modificata, a track car that is exclusively available in a limited number for non-competitive use. The event will be held at the Mugello Circuit.
The new model, which has a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis, is unquestionably in violation of the rules that apply to the cars that compete in the longest endurance race at the French Circuit de la Sartre. One of the primary changes is the ability to engage the front axle-mounted electric motor at reduced speeds.
The Ferrari 499p Modificata is paired with a 3.0-liter mid-mounted V6 engine that was borrowed from the 296 GT3 race car. The battery is replenished by an Energy Recovery System (ERS) when the car is braking and decelerating.
Conceptually, the technology is comparable to the KERS system that was first used in Formula 1 in 2009.
The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) previously stated that the hypercar could only operate beyond 118 mph (190 kph). However the modification results in a greater rate of switching to all-wheel drive.
There’s also a Push to Pass feature on the updated 499 Modificata. When the throttle is fully extended, a button directly behind the steering wheel can release an extra 161 horsepower (163 PS) for a brief period of time (7.0 seconds).
As opposed to producing the standard 697 horsepower (707 PS), the Puss to Pass system increases the overall output to 858 horsepower (870 PS). Two axles receive the entire output through a seven-speed sequential gearbox.
Ferrari also adjusted the traction control, engine, and handling. Additionally, a specific start-assist logic was introduced. The car’s roof has a dual air intake for the V6 engine, which also serves to cool the gearbox and battery.
The cockpit of the hypercar has aesthetics that are nearly exact replicas of the Le Mans race car. The configuration, which comes with just one seat offers the same driving sensation as a Le Mans race car. It has 19-inch wheels with 310/710 wheels up front and 340/710 wheels in the back.
The Ferrari 499P Modificata marks the first product from the new Sport Prototipi Clienti program. It will operate concurrently with the F1 Clienti program starting in 2024.
As a result, owners of the 499P Modificata can participate in several events held annually on foreign racetracks, with Ferrari handling maintenance, trackside support, and logistics.
Each car is estimated to cost€5.1m (£4,620,600), minus VAT. Manuela Cecconi, the company’s leader in non-homologated vehicles, claimed during the car’s Mugello debut that it is “the firm’s most exclusive project” and that it has been designed “for customers to enjoy the thrill of a racing prototype”.
The cost of the car is yet to be clearly determined, as is the number of hypercars that will be produced.
