This front-engined V12 grand tourer marked Ferrari’s move into a more refined, high-speed two-seat berlinetta for the modern era. It debuted in 2006 as the replacement for the earlier 575M Maranello, and its name combined a reference to Ferrari’s Fiorano test circuit with the traditional Gran Turismo Berlinetta designation. The car was developed to blend long-distance comfort with serious performance, using lessons drawn from Ferrari’s Formula 1 program while emphasizing usability, ergonomics, and safety alongside speed.
Stylistically, it continued the company’s Pininfarina-led grand touring tradition, but with a more sculpted, contemporary shape and a cabin intended to feel more sophisticated than the model it replaced. It became an important bridge between Ferrari’s classic front-engined V12 berlinettas and the later F12berlinetta, which succeeded it for the 2013 model year. The nameplate also spawned notable derivatives, including the extreme 599 GTO and the track-only 599XX, which helped reinforce the car’s reputation as one of the defining Ferrari V12 GTs of its time.
For enthusiasts, it is remembered as the last naturally aspirated front-engined V12 Ferrari of its era before the brand’s next-generation grand tourer arrived, and as a car that balanced daily drivability with unmistakable flagship character.