Ferrari’s most famous road cars have always been those that utilize a front-engine V-12 with rear-wheel drive. From the company’s earliest cars to the conclusion of production of the 365 GTB/4 Daytona in 1973, they were renowned for their reputation of creating the world’s finest grand touring sports coupes, as these cars were equally comfortable being put through their paces on a race track as they were crossing continents at high speed with a trunk full of luggage.

In 1996 Ferrari introduced the 550 Maranello in a bid to revive their fabled line of grand tourers, and the 550 quickly proved to be an overwhelming success. Six years later, in 2002, they introduced the 575M Maranello, which brought about a host of healthy updates to make an incredible car even more potent. Increasing the displacement of the V-12 by 250 cubic centimeters, resulting in a total of 5,748 cubic centimeters, brought a healthy increase in power and torque, giving the 575M a top speed of 202 mph. The front end was slightly revised with newer headlights and a revised air intake and front spoiler, and the weight distribution was improved to 50/50. Buyers also had the opportunity to outfit their new car with an F1-style gearbox, which proved to be a very popular option. To help rein in the increased performance, the 575M was also fitted with larger brake discs. Inside, the interior was modernized and refreshed with an updated dashboard, trim, and steering wheel, amongst other minor updates.

This 575M, finished in an elegant combination of Grigio Titanio over Blu Scuro, was built in June 2002, which was the first year of production for the model. It was originally supplied new to Ferrari of Denver, and it was later part of a well-known Southwest collection. The car was then purchased by the current owner in 2011, and it has been lovingly maintained and enjoyed ever since. The car was immediately fully serviced by a Ferrari dealer, which included changing the timing belts, and since then, it has been serviced on regular intervals by marque specialists, with the last service being performed in October 2013, before the car was stored for the winter months. It is also important to note that this 575 comes with all its original manuals.

The 575M has proved to be an excellent update to the 550, and it is a very worthy spiritual successor to the Daytona. As they are capable of reaching over 200 mph and come with enough luggage space for two for a weekend getaway, these vehicles are grand tourers in the finest sense, and they are considered by many to be the most reliable of the Montezemolo era Ferraris. With just under 8,500 miles from new, this example is ready to be driven and enjoyed by its next caretaker.