FERRARI'S AMAZING NEW 499P MODIFICATA IS A 640 KW NON-COMPETITIVE TRACK BEAST.
The Ferrari 499P is the Italian automaker’s latest hybrid-powered racecar that was built to all the right specifications to allow it to compete in the FIA WEC World Endurance Championship as well as the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race. When LeMans popped up, the car was entered and driven by a pair of Italian race drivers, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi along with British driver James Calado. The trio took the Ferrari 499P, car #51, to a class win after completing 342 laps fast lap at the famed Circuit de la Sarthe in France. This result for the Maranello-based supercar manufacturer claimed was a historic result as it saw the company and team return to the top class after half a century. The car stood out, not only for its striking angles and blistering performance but also because the livery used on the 499P was inspired by the 312P's design that was used back in the 70s. The hope was that the Ferrari 499P would add to Ferrari’s impressive total of 22 world titles and 9 outright wins at previous incarnations of the LeMans 24-hour race. It seems the 499P’s success was so well received that the world’s filthy rich must have mentioned that if one came up for sale, they’d buy one. With a supercar automaker, it’s all about the bottom line and so if it looks like there would be a client base to sell the car to, it makes sense that they’d produce a limited number of cars to be sold.
Enter the Ferrari 499P Modificata. The 499P Modificata inaugurated the new Sport Prototipi Clienti programme that joins the existing F1 Clienti programme, presented at the Mugello Circuit during the recent Ferrari Finali Mondiali event. The 499P Modificata is a modified version of the 499P because it doesn’t need to comply with any kind of FIA rules and regs. The Modificata includes the electric axle and four-wheel drive system, a Push to Pass function that adds an extra 120 kW, a recalibration of the suspension set-up, electronic controllers and engine mappings. The single-seater layout is retained to give clients the exact same driving experience as the race-winning car offers. The Modificata’s hybrid powertrain is more powerful than the racecar. There’s no longer 500 kW, but a healthier 640 kW of total power. Changing the dynamics came from the change to make the engine load-bearing instead of being mounted on the sub-chassis. The powertrain is equipped with a 200 kW electric motor with a differential and ERS that recharges the battery during deceleration and braking. There’s an 800-volt battery pack, and the entire power unit is coupled to a seven-speed sequential gearbox. The Modificata uses specific Pirelli tyres that were developed for predictable handling and to maximise feedback in non-competitive driving, they’re quick to warm up and provide consistent high grip multiple laps. As you’d expect, all of this technology wrapped up in an absolute stunner of a car comes at a typical Ferrari cost - roughly R94,000,000.
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows off the absolutely stunning Ferrari 499P Modificata, a car that was weirdly designed for non-competitive track use and is an evolution of the Ferrari 499 P that triumphed in the Centenary edition of the LeMans 24-hour race. It's been designed to set a new benchmark for track-driving exploits, but not in a sanctioned series - it's a weekend track day special: Meet the Ferrari 499P Modificata | Ferrari
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