Is Ferrari Enzo the Best Collector Ferrari?
Some people are called sneakerheads because they collect designer sneakers. Others collect wristwatches, Spending money on Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet timepieces. And then there are the collectors of dream cars, many of whom insist on getting at least one Ferrari supercar.
It’s hard to explain the appeal of a Ferrari to anyone, but there’s no denying its undying popularity. Car collectors with large chunks of cash just have to have one. Among the top 10 most expensive cars to ever go on auction, 9 of them have been Ferraris. Of the top 30, 22 are Ferraris.
But which Ferrari should you get? Gather a group of fervent Ferrari fans and tell them to make their dream list of Ferrari cars to own, and chances are that many (if not most) of them will list down the Ferrari Enzo.
So, what explains this pick? The folks at Ferrari must think highly of it, since it’s the particular model that bears the hallowed name of the company founder. Obviously, they won’t just pick any car for the honor (although nitpickers may mention the failure of the Edsel, which was named for the son of the Ford founder). The wizards at the company made absolutely sure to use their hard-won F1 knowledge to build a car that deserves the Enzo name. And they succeeded.
Specs
The heart of any Ferrari starts with its engine, as any sports car owner knows. Ferrari commissioned a brand-new 6L V12 engine specifically for the Enzo. It’s certainly no underperformer, as it offers up to 650 horsepower and a whopping 485 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to need only 3.7 seconds to go from 0 to 62 mph, while the car can reach a top speed of 218 mph.
The car came with a 6-speed manual transmission, along with automatic shifting and clutch. It’s made in the F1 style, which is, of course, appropriate for the model. Scuderia Ferrari (Ferrari’s racing division) helped with the chassis, by providing its expertise in shaping carbon fiber properly for the body of the Enzo.
Special Features
The Italian design house Pininfarina handled the styling, though the car itself had a lot of tech going for it. it was ahead of its time in so many ways. Its design was so influential, however, that it helped shaped the Ferrari design architecture in the future. Its sharp, angular aesthetic still flutters a lot of hearts
Its ABS system was extremely effective in keeping the Pirelli tires from spinning. The Traction Control system helped as well.
The rear-mounted 6-speed single-clutch automatic is fantastic, as it made the Enzo arguably among the best-handling vehicles in automotive history. This worked especially with the engine set just behind the cockpit.
It featured active spoilers as well, which uses a steady supply of downforce. The system changed the corner weight of the chassis, depending on the speed and steering angle.
You also get carbon-based ceramic brakes, which at the time of the Enzo’s release was an innovative revelation. These carbon fiber-reinforced silicon carbide ceramic composite disc brakes were utterly effective, and assured drivers that they won’t lose control.
Final Words
It’s true that the Enzo production history isn’t all that long. It only went on for 2 years, starting from 2002 and ending in 2004. But even today, almost 2 decades later, it’s still widely considered as among the most influential Ferrari models in history.
It certainly befits its status as the Ferrari that bears the name of the company founder. Enzo himself would have been proud of it. The term “hypercar” may be a recently coined word, but in retrospect, this word describes the Ferrari Enzo perfectly. The term “supercar” just doesn’t seem good enough for it.
The Ferrari Enzo is so popular among Ferrari fans that they tell this particular joke: If you’ve set 3 slots in your car collection for Ferraris, then you can do yourself a favor by buying 3 Ferrari Enzos.
Sure, that’s funny. But you can’t help feel the underlying sentiment that it’s not really a joke and that these guys are serious. Whether you agree with the proposition or not, you can’t deny that owning a Ferrari Enzo is a dream for any collector.
The buyers of the Enzo at the time had to have at least $650,000 to be able to spring for one Ferrari Enzo. For those who are buying today, that’s a bargain. After all, some experts set its current value at $2.5 to $3.5 million. Yet buying one today may still become an investment—a few years from now, it may be worth even more!