Supercars: Ferrari Enzo

Friday 01 May 2009

Introduction:

If any car has come close to taking the McLaren F1’s title of ultimate supercar then the Ferrari Enzo is it. It is both the fastest and the quickest accelerating Ferrari ever constructed, and an ultra-limited production run ensured it is also one of the most exclusive cars on the planet. The project was originally conceived in the late 1990s as a successor to the previous F50 and F40 limited edition ‘ultimate’ Ferrari projects, although the Enzo was never intended to race. The car made its debut at the 2002 Paris Auto Show and production is limited to 349 examples.

Engineering:

The Enzo’s strange looks tend to divide people into lovers and loathers, and yet in many ways this is the most functional supercar ever constructed. Originally envisaged as a showcase for what Ferrari had learned from Formula One, the Enzo (like the F50 and F40) was never designed to race – although its Maserati MC-12 sister car will be competing. From first principles the Enzo was designed around aerodynamic best practice, everything from the very long front overhang to the elaborate underfloor venturi intended to help it take advantage of passing airflow. Like the Mercedes McLaren SLR and Porsche Carrera GT, the Enzo is based around an immensely strong carbonfibre shell to which suspension and engine components then bonded. The 6.0 litre V12 engine mounted behind the passenger compartment produces 660 bhp and supplies drive to the rear wheels via an F1 style hydraulically activated transaxle. Performance is astonishing, with 0-62.5 mph (0-100 km/h) taking just 3.6 seconds, and Ferrari claiming a top speed of 217 mph. Ceramic brakes all-round ensure retardation to match the performance.

Design:

The Ferrari Enzo was designed by the famous Pininfarina design studio in Italy, and like its bitter rival, the McLaren SLR, it suffers from controversial styling. The original plan for the car was laid down in 1998, the design mission being to allow Ferrari’s aerodynamic engineers the best chance to create high levels of downforce. This has mostly been done through by managing the flow of air underneath the car, but that in turn bequeathed the awkward front-heavy proportions and tiny doors. Simply knowing this is the most extreme Ferrari road car ever made means that many are willing to overlook any aesthetic shortcomings, and it certainly looks better in black and red than it does in yellow. Although it is now almost universally known as the “Ferrari Enzo”, the car should more properly be referred to as the “Enzo Ferrari,” having been named in memory of the company’s founder. Bodywork is constructed from carbonfibre, giving a distinctive ‘read-through’ pattern onto parts of the car’s paintwork, the carbon’s weave being clearly visible. The shape of the rear wing elements at the front of the car is also meant to get us thinking of Ferrari’s multiple championship winning Formula One cars.

Handling:

With pushrod operated suspension and an extremely strong carbonfibre chassis the Enzo has allowed Ferrari’s chassis mechanics the best opportunity to tune it for maximum response. Michael Schumacher was even involved in the development programme, although his advice to Enzo owners is that they should not turn off the traction control system unless they really know what they are doing. With 660 bhp on tap, the Enzo is a car that demands extreme respect. The jerky ‘F1’ style gearbox only comes with ‘Race’ and ‘Sport’ mode, the former abandoning any pretence of refinement and simply banging in gears as quickly as possible – change times of just 0.15 seconds claimed to be possible. The transmission includes a ‘Launch Control’ system similar to those seen on BMW’s M3 and M5 and the Ferrari 360 F1. This allows the driver to make an extremely fast start by effectively instructing the system to ‘dump’ the clutch for a tyre-smoking getaway.

Performance:

The Enzo is destined to always find itself compared to its near-contemporary rivals, the Porsche Carrera GT and Mercedes McLaren SLR. In terms of pure pace it has a definite advantage and Ferrari’s claim of a 3.6 second 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time and a 9.5 second 0-125 mph (0-200 km/h) time put the car right behind the McLaren F1 in terms of straight line performance. Vast aerodynamic downforce helps the Enzo to work its Bridgestone tyres very hard indeed, the clever aerodynamics producing over 800 kg of downforce at speeds of over 180 mph. Top speed of 217 mph puts the Enzo squarely into the ultra-exclusive ‘200 mph club’.

Practicality:

Enzo owners are not the sort of people who have to worry too much about the practicality of their Ferraris, it must be said. All of them were previous owners of the marque who were invited to apply to own one (in a hope to keep down the speculative market that had risen quickly behind other limited edition Ferraris). Even so, practicality is not its strong suite. Left-hand drive only makes it very difficult to manouevre in tight spaces in Britain, and the forward visibility is poor, meaning you have to guess where the front corners are positioned. The cabin offers reasonable occupant space and both driver and passenger sit in grippy bucket seats. Carbonfibre design looks great, though – as does the Enzo’s state-of-the-art display screen and instrument pack. There is no effective luggage space and, for anyone wanting to while away the hours listening to music even worse news – a stereo does not even come on the options list.

Ultimate supercar rating:

Exotic, exclusive and slightly eccentric – the Ferrari Enzo has to be seen as one of the most extreme supercars ever made. Comparisons to the McLaren F1 are inevitable, although the Enzo is a considerably less well polished product than the British car, it does offer pure, Italian charisma – and for many that will be enough to clinch the title. Which would be faster? A good question, and one that would likely have as much to do with the how comfortable the driver felt with each car and what the prevailing grip conditions were like (the Enzo’s more modern traction management systems likely to give it the edge.) As the limited production has already sold out, the Enzo is set to become one of the most collectable Ferraris of all time.