The Ferrari F512 M, or Modificata, launched in 1994 as the final version of the legendary Testarossa. Ultimately, it was to be the last Ferrari produced with the company’s legendary horizontally opposed 12-cylinder engine. Every aspect of the model was refined from the previous version, with particular attention paid to the chassis, engine, and cosmetics. Numerous internal engine upgrades, including titanium connecting rods and other lightened components, along with increased compression, helped bump engine output to 440 horsepower—a noticeable boost over the preceding 512 TR.

With additional improvements such as a new stainless exhaust, an updated suspension, and a new Bosch antilock braking system, the F512 M offered impressive power and fantastic handling benefiting from a near 50:50 weight distribution front to rear. Styling cues enhancing the model’s design included a unique set of taillights, three-piece alloy wheels by Speedline, and a completely revised front fascia, which combined the striking lines of the F40 and 512 BB/LM. The model’s unique fixed headlights replaced the retractable units that made the Testarossa series so famous and were reminiscent of Scuderia Ferrari racing cars, such as the 512 S of 1970, and the 312PB of 1972.

Inside, the F512 M received minor changes, including an updated steering wheel, adjustable aluminum pedals, a more powerful air-conditioning system, and revised cabin trim.

In total, just 501 F512 M examples were manufactured for worldwide distribution, making it one of the rarest road-going models produced during former Ferrari chief Luca di Montezemolo's reign. It should come as no surprise that orders for this exclusive model quickly outmatched the number of available units, and even those individuals on a first-name basis with their local Ferrari supplier were unlikely to make the queue of waiting customers. Nowhere was this more evident than in the United States, which was allotted just 75 cars across approximately 50 licensed dealers.

MODIFICATA NUMERO CINQUANTADUE

This Rosso Corsa over beige example is the 52nd of just 75 US-market cars produced, as confirmed by an etched plaque on the center console and a signed letter from Ferrari on official letterhead, dated 23 February 2010. Complete with a handsome set of matching Castoro (“beaver”) carpets, this classic combination is far and away the archetypical factory color scheme for this exclusive model, with 79 percent of US-market cars similarly clad.

Its accompanying window sticker shows that it was delivered new to Cavallino Classics of Scottsdale, Arizona in early 1996, and sold shortly thereafter to its first recorded owner. The car is believed to have resided in Nebraska with its original owner until at least November 1998, and then moved to California under new ownership sometime between 1999 and 2002.

By October 2009, this F512 M had entered the inventory of a Ferrari dealer in Southern California and was purchased by the consignor, who exported it to Kuwait. Since joining the current owner’s impressive collection of late-model sports cars, this F512 M has traveled approximately 300 miles, with fewer than 10,200 miles indicated on the odometer at time of cataloguing.

Service invoices on file from Kuwait’s sole authorized Ferrari dealer, Al-Zayani Automotive in Safat, indicate that the camshaft oil gaskets, timing belts, hood struts, and brake pads were replaced, and all four brake discs were refinished in 2014. In September 2021, the same dealer furnished new engine belts, gaskets, filters, spark plugs, and fluids. Besides the window sticker, manuals, and service invoices, this fantastic F512 M is accompanied by the factory tool kit with leather case.

The most potent and refined iteration of the Testarossa platform is the F512 M, and it is truly an incredible automobile. A quantum leap forward over the Testarossa of 1984, it represents the end of an era as the last flat-12 Ferrari. With more and more technology being added to today’s supercars, analog examples have become increasingly desirable among collectors, and this rare Ferrari F512 M is no exception.