The spiritual descendent of the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO and the 288 GTO, the 599 GTO was developed directly from the 599XX race car for use on the road. Despite bearing the Gran Turismo Omologato designation, the 599 GTO was not truly a homologation model and, unlike the previous two Ferraris to bear those three pulse-quickening letters, was never intended for racing. The 599 GTO was developed as the ultra¬–high-performance flagship two-seat Ferrari of the period. With total production limited to just 599 cars, of which only 125 were intended for the US market, this is a very rare car indeed. When you consider the amount of optional equipment present on this GTO, it is clear that the car offered here is an important example of a modern-day Ferrari legend.

Though following the same path of development as the standard 599 GTB, the performance advantages of the GTO model over the GTB are numerous. It features 670 bhp at 8,400 rpm and is one of the few automobiles to exceed 100 bhp per liter without using forced induction. This power is fed to the rear wheels through a six-speed F1-style automated manual transmission. Upshifts take just 60 milliseconds to complete, more than twice as fast as the GTB and well beyond the capability of any human operating any standard manual transmission. This provides nearly seamless acceleration from rest, allowing a 0–60 mph time of just 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 208 mph.

The sensuous Pininfarina body also incorporates numerous aerodynamic advantages over the standard 599, which helps to ensure more downforce and more control at high speed. Further, it was constructed with thinner aluminum panels, thinner glass, and lighter components in the brakes, transmission, and exhaust. This brought the GTO’s total weight down to just 3,295 pounds. The low-weight, high-downforce body powered by the staggering 670 bhp from the Tipo 140C V-12 made this the new performance benchmark for Ferrari, producing more power and outperforming even the storied Ferrari Enzo. Even today, the LaFerrari, an ultra-rare hypercar, is the only Ferrari which exceeds the 599 GTO’s exceptional performance.

This example wears Bianco Avus paint with an Extra Campionaro (a non-standard color) Alcantara interior in Blu Scuro with carbon fiber accents, Tessuto T3D1 Nero interior 3D fabric, and Bianco stitching. This car is nicely optioned with the colored steering wheel, Cascade Telematic Navigation system, Bose HiFi stereo, iPod connection, Home Link, power windows, power locks, air conditioning, aluminum brake calipers, front and rear parking sensors, carbon fiber wheel centers, and full electric seats. This is a well-appointed and comfortable supercar, not something that can often be said.

Arguably the best Ferrari road car of all time, the 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO is a car that will provide endless excitement to any automobile enthusiast. With just 2,739 miles on the odometer when catalogued and in as-new condition, this example is ready for spirited driving on the track or the highway.