Ferrari Superamerica

A Beautiful, Revolutionary Ferrari- The SuperAmerica

This is a car that will break many of your basic expectations of Ferrari. A comfortable, easy to drive two-door convertible, that holds everything you would want in a car in a way that lets forget everything and enjoy the power of a Ferrari, or focus on the comfort in a long drive in the country. Whatever you want to do- the Ferrari Superamerica is a car that will let you do it, and all while comfortably nestled in the beautiful body of a 575M Maranello.

What makes this car any different?

Pretty simple question- and the answer is: everything. The Ferrari Superamerica is based on the same chassis as the 575M Maranello, and it runs off of a V12 just like the Maranello. However, its roof, with none of the awkward folding or fabric-look of other convertibles, can be lowered to enjoy the sun and warmth of just the right sort of weather. It rotates up to  nestle against the lid of the trunk, rather than folding into it.

The Ferrari Superamerica itself also holds a similar engine that the Maranello does. The major difference is that- well, that the engine is super. With an improvement of 24 horsepower, and some body work to strengthen the car to withstand the weakness in the structure- the roof- the car is a good bit heavier than the car it's based on,  the 200 full pounds heavier. That said, the suspension is still just as high quality, and can be switched between sport and comfort mode- but that'll be covered later in the article.

What models does it come in?

Well, the Ferrari Superamerica is its own unique 'model' of the 575M Maranello. This car has no unique models of its own- it is already a variant. The only real 'model' you can ask for is the America versus the superamerica- the former not having the souped up engine that the true superamerica comes with.

What choices do I have if I buy one?

This was a limited production run car- only 559 Ferrari Superamericas were ever manufactured. So if you're getting options or choices, you're getting them from whoever is choosing to sell them to you. They were produced with much of the options coming from the buyer themselves. With the way this production was done, the company interacted directly with whoever chose to buy the car.

The GTC handling package was offered to the buyers, which offered low-restriction exhaust, carbon-fiber brake pads, larger wheels, and a performance tuned suspension. Most people agree that this improved the sound of the engine on the open road, and affected positively how she drove. The choice of transmissions was also given; either the F1 inspired paddle-shifting, or a more conventional manual shift.  

The F1 shifting is generally considered smoother, a bit more comfortable for most, and is faster. That said, manual shifting was cheaper and less of a transition to the day-to-day driver, so it's up to you which you prefer.

What does she run on?

The Ferrari Superamerica runs on a modified version of the 5.7 liter V12 that the Maranello used. Twin overhead camshafts, dry sump lubrication, Bosch Motronic fuel injection. The engine is a beast, plainly put. Redline limited- meaning the top of what was considered safe- the top speed of the car is 199 mph. It's not impossible the amount of the power the engine output could do more, but that's where it stops.

Like the 575's engine, at 5250 rpm her torque maxes out at around 434 lb-ft. Her horsepower hits 532 at 7250 RPM, topping out with more power than the other car. At the curb she'll generally weigh in at around 4200 lbs, just over 2 tons. As for the suspension that was mentioned earlier: it has two modes. Sport and comfort. Sport maintains traction better, but doesn't sacrifice anything- you'll feel every dip and bump in the road. Comfort means you won't feel the road much at all, but you'll sacrifice traction and performance for it.

What to expect inside the car

In the center console, one of the first things you'll notice, is the controls for the roof above you, both to fold it back and adjust how much light it filters. The electrochromic roof can be tinted anywhere from a nearly-black dark blue, to basically clear, like true glass. Open up a clasp at the seam between the roof and the windshield, and press a button, and your Ferrari's roof just opened you up to the sun and the wind- like a true convertible should.

Don't forget to pay attention to the beautiful interior and elegant dash- the entire car very much feels like the luxury you would expect. If you chose the paddle shifting, notice the shifters protruding from the steering column. Settle down in the racing seats and look around- the entire car will remind you what sort of investment you made. You'll note a distinct lack of radio- but you won't notice, once you get used to it.

Some final words on the Superamerica

Ferrari started with a beautiful frame and an amazing engine and just made it better. The Ferrari Superamerica is what you want and more. The more powerful engine, the additional features, and the status of a Ferrari will stick with you for quite a while. With the limited production, and, the rarity, don't pass a car like this up, if you can afford the price tag.

Some people say that you can have too much of a good thing- and if you can, it's this car. Drive along the coast with the top down just once and you'll realize how good it feels to have too much of a good thing. You will enjoy every second of having and owning this car, if you make the leap once you find a seller. Once you have the car in front of you, you'll understand.