Ferrari Imola shapes up

Newswheel staff :: 27 October 2005 :: Filed under Front engine sportscar, Ferrari, Ferrari Imola

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Best pics yet of Fezza’s next flagship front-engine supercar

Our favourite tree-dwelling car snapper, Hans G. Lehmann, has been out and about with the wide angle lens again. This time, it’s US mag MPH picking up the bill for his pics of Ferrari’s next front engine flagship. As MPH points out, this is no chopped and hacked mule based on the 612 Scaglietti. It’s a bone fide development prototype carrying the final sheet metal for the 575 Maranello replacement, commonly referred to as the Ferrari Imola. Although there’s the usual body cladding and black plastic disguise, the car’s dramatic long-nosed proportions are plain to see. There’s even a tantalising glimpse of red paint.

Of course, there’s absolutely no doubting that the 550 and 575 Maranellos are amongst the best-driving Fezzas ever made. And we’ll concede some people do jive with the chest-wig-chariot, glorified-Toyota-Supra styling. But beautiful those cars surely ain’t.

So, if the Imola can retain the on-road manners of Ferrari’s recent front-engine models while adding a dash of bone fide styling drama and beauty, well, you’ll have a recipe for one of the all time great sports cars. Here’s hoping.

For the record, the Imola is expected to appear in 2006 and will run a bored-out 6.0-litre revision of the 48 valve V12 found in the Scaglietti. The new engine should pump out around 600bhp.

Hop on over to MPH for the full image set.

Linkage:
MPH