Ferrari Enzo 2003, Itália

Ferrari Enzo 2003, Itália
Fotografia

From the 340 America of the 1950s to the LaFerrari Aperta that recently completed production, Ferrari has a long track record of regularly building elite supercars combining advanced mechanical elements with bespoke amenities. Such cars have justifiably evolved into the most collectable of Ferrari’s models, each one representing the pinnacle of their respective eras.

As the 21st century dawned, Maranello brass began considering the next installment in Ferrari’s lineage of elite hypercars, which had most recently passed from the F40 twin-turbo V-8 of the late 1980s to the curvaceous V-12–powered F50 of the late ’90s. As the cities of Maranello and Modena had both already been honoured with recent road car models, the decision was made to commemorate Enzo Ferrari himself with the latest prestige model.

The resulting Enzo was loaded with advanced technology developed through Formula 1 competition, including the 65˚ tipo F140 V-12 engine, which, at almost six litres in displacement, was the largest Ferrari motor built since the 712 Can Am race car. Coupled to a six-speed, dual-clutch, paddle-shifted transaxle, the monstrous unit developed 651 bhp and 485 foot-pounds of torque, rocketing the Enzo to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds and an outrageous top speed of 218 mph.

Much debate centred on the appearance of the new top-shelf hypercar, and an initial design was soon scrapped in favour of Ken Okuyama’s famous coachwork, which bore the appearance of an F1 race car covered with a tight skin. Perfected in Pininfarina’s wind tunnel, the carbon-fibre and Kevlar molded body panels were fastened to aluminium subframes mounted on the driver cell, itself an advanced lightweight 200-pound tub fashioned from carbon fibre and honeycomb aluminium.

After debuting at the Paris Salon in October 2002, the Enzo was favoured with production to be capped at just 400 examples, ensuring a rarity that has only served to further distinguish the unique model. Capable of blistering power and performance, and bearing futuristic aesthetics that leave an indelible impression, the Enzo continues to evolve as a distinct representation of its era, an unforgettable time when the Scuderia Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher racked up victories at a pace since unequaled.

Benefitting from a recent freshening after years of prolonged storage and minimal use, this beautifully presented Ferrari Enzo is a pristine and relatively un-driven example of Ferrari’s venerated turn-of-the-century hypercar. Chassis no. 135870 completed assembly in December 2003. The Enzo was specified for the European market with instruments in kilometres and finished in Rosso Corsa paint over an interior of Nero leather upholstery.

As indicated by the Enzo’s service and warranty booklet, the supercar was distributed to SA.MO.CAR S.p.A., a Ferrari dealer in Rome. The car was purchased from the dealership in February 2004 by Giuseppe Bizzarro, a successful Italian importer/exporter then living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he was establishing a new brand of low-cost goods retail stores for value-conscious shoppers. Given Mr. Bizzarro’s status as a jet-setting executive conducting business in two countries, as well as the lack of service entries conducted in Brazil or any exportation paperwork in the car’s file, it is fair to wonder if the Enzo ever actually left Europe, and it may very well have remained in Italy for his use during trips to his home country.

In any event, by April 2008 the modestly driven Ferrari was sold to Dr. Jacques Delfosse, an orthopaedic surgeon residing in Nancy, France. During his ownership the Enzo received its first officially recorded servicing, which was conducted in October 2008 by CLLJ/Modena Motors, a licensed Ferrari dealer in Sausheim, France. It is important to note that the odometer was replaced by Modena Motors on 19 December 2011 due to a faulty dashboard display and was reset at 10,000 km. A letter from Ferrari South West Europe in the history file attests to this. The Enzo received one more servicing from Modena Motors a year later before being submitted for a checkup in March 2015 to Autohaus Alfred Gohm G.m.b.H., an authorized marque dealership in Singen, Germany.

Later in 2015 the Enzo was purchased by the consignor, a marque enthusiast living in the UK, and in November he submitted the car to Stewart Roden Motors in West Lothian, Scotland, for some freshening. Mr Roden is the principal of the Scuderia Ecosse, a Ferrari privateer outfit that specializes in competition preparation and support for modern Ferrari race cars, in addition to running its own cars. The engine was serviced with the installation of new spark plugs and air filters, while the brakes were rebuilt as needed (including new front pads). Some of the original suspension hardware had suffered minor corrosion, so the system was rebuilt as needed with new pushrod joints and tie-bar rose joints, and numerous corresponding bolts were replaced. The wheels were then aligned and mounted with new Bridgestone tires, and some minor paint touch-ups completed the fastidious freshening.

Over the next few years, the consignor continued to service the Enzo regularly, as subsequent warranty booklet entries demonstrate attention in 2016 and 2018 from the Scuderia Ecosse. These are corroborated with more detailed invoices from Stewart Roden Motors indicating a full fluid service and multi-point check.

Currently displaying 14,682 kilometres, this outstanding Enzo is ideal for presentation at regional concours d’elegance or may be enjoyed during spirited driving. The powerful hypercar should strike the fancy of any marque enthusiast as a rare and unique link in Ferrari’s important lineage of premium prestige models.