2000, 550 Barchetta Pininfarina (Elite, diecast)
Unveiled at the Paris Show in 2000, the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was so named to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Ferrari’s coachbuilder and stylist. A strictly limited edition of just 448 numbered cars was built, with the last leaving the factory in December 2001.
A pure and functional front-engined V12 roadster in the tradition of cars like the 166 MM, the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was equipped with a manual soft top for emergency use only. This simple expedient helped to keep the car’s kerb weight down to that of the coupé, despite the additional strengthening of the chassis.
The 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was specifically designed to be reminiscent of legendary Ferrari road race stars of the likes of the 166 MM, the 250 GT California and the 365 GTS4 Daytona. The aim, in fact, was to create an open-top front-engined 12-cylinder with a retro feel to it. The 550 Barchetta Pininfarina was designed and developed to be a unique interpretation of Ferrari’s purest and most extreme sports cars. In fact, it was a deliberate and provocative departure from the rest of the current range. As such, it was made available only as a limited edition of just 448, all of which were built in Maranello in 2001. Each car was numbered and its number displayed on a special in-car plaque signed by Sergio Pininfarina.
auto.ferrari.com
