Transcript of The $150k Supercar Everyone Forgot About: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano --ISSIMI Drives
ISSIMI Official
0:09[Music]0:19Welcome back to the E Semi YouTube0:21channel.0:22Today we're driving the 2007 Ferrari 5990:26GTB Fiorano F1.0:3012 cylinders.0:32It's the heart of any true Ferrari and a0:34power plant which seems to be somewhat0:36of a novelty in 2025.0:39The front engine V12 layout has0:40underpinned the majority of Ferrari's0:42most legendary cars dating back to the0:441950s and '60s.0:47It has shown its wide range of0:49abilities, able to do double duty as a0:51track weapon and a comfortable grand0:54touring vehicle.0:56After a 20-year plus hiatus where0:58Ferrari moved the 12 cylinders behind1:00the driver, in 1995 the V12 was moved up1:04front once again with the 550 Maranello.1:08A return to form for the brand. Gone1:10were those garish cheese grater side1:13vents and low sloping noses and in its1:16place an elegant restrained, some might1:18say too restrained, front engined grand1:22tourer.1:23The 550 and its lightly modified brother1:25the 575 M1:28were a wonderful reintroduction to the1:29front engine V12 world for Ferrari. But1:32the replacement was going to be a very1:34different kind of car.1:36Powering the 599 is the first use of1:38Ferrari's new F140 engine family outside1:42the Enzo hypercar of 2003.1:44With 6 L of displacement, the 599 put1:47out an astonishing 610 horsepower and1:50would rev to 8400 rpm, making it the1:53most powerful series production Ferrari1:56produced to that point.1:59My first driving impressions of the 5992:01were pretty tame. I expected a car from2:03the late 2000s to be raw, loud and2:06unforgiving.2:08The 599 is no such car. In fact, it felt2:11poised and relaxed at city speeds. A2:14dailyable GT2:16with leather from head to toe.2:20All right, here we are2:22in the Ferrari 599 GTB.2:28And the first thing that sticks out to2:30you about this car is2:32the gearbox.2:35I'll be completely honest with you, the2:36gearbox is the one thing2:39that ages this car. It shows its age,2:41but2:43you know what? It's something that you2:45have to learn when you drive this car.2:47In the new F12, the Superfast, you know,2:50the dual clutches are so good, they're2:52so quick that you don't really have to2:53think about it. You just pull the paddle2:55or leave it in auto and it'll do it all2:56for you.2:57This, you have to drive it like a manual2:59in the way that you have to lift off the3:00gas3:02if you're downshifting or upshifting and3:05it makes it more enjoyable. It's an3:07added level of complexity that you just3:09don't get in these new cars that do3:11everything for you.3:14But I really think that this car3:17in a number of years will really be3:19appreciated because obviously the3:21manuals are, but3:23this has a kind of rawness and3:27classicness to it. It drives more like a3:30like the Scagliettis and it drives more3:32like the 550s than it does the F12. This3:35was like a bridge from old to new3:39and driving right now, it's just easy.3:41It's poised.3:43It's relaxed.3:45What I'm going to keep using is elegant3:46because that's what it feels like3:48driving this thing.3:49[Music]4:08I have to admit I wasn't really4:10super fond of this car when I first4:11started driving it, mainly the gearbox,4:13but when you learn it4:15and you kind of adapt to its driving4:17style, then that's what's really fun4:18about these cars. Cuz anyone can get in4:20a GT2RS and rip around, but this, you4:23got to learn it.4:25You got to respect it.4:27And it's just great.4:31Steering is4:33actually fantastic. I'm not the biggest4:36fan of Ferrari steering nowadays. It's4:39really hyper. It's a little crazy.4:42Um in the new V12s, if you sneeze4:47it'll go flying. This is hydraulic4:49steering. It's4:51super easy. You I know exactly where the4:54front tires are facing.4:56And it's um4:58it's really nice.5:01I think you can daily this car.5:03I really think you can.5:07And5:10this car is so5:14fast.5:16It really takes a second to kind of get5:18up to speed. It's not a super low 0 to5:2160 time car, but5:24when it gets going, you5:27[Music]5:30you feel it. You feel it. You feel it.5:32You feel it. It's5:34a little scary. It's5:38it's really good.5:40But it's manageable. It's manageable.5:41It's not5:43again, it's not F12 fast. It's not I'm5:46going to cut your head off fast.5:49And through the turns5:51it's got tons of grip.5:53It's got these great bolstered Daytona5:56seats.6:00And this example specifically is so well6:03maintained.6:05You know, 16,000 mi, but there's not6:07even a crease in the leather.6:13The 599 was always a poster car for me6:15as a child.6:17It was the Enzo's more mature brother,6:19but not stuffy like the Scaglietti.6:21Now, you see them every so often and6:23can't help but stare. They have a road6:26presence that only Ferrari V12s demand.6:29Luckily, the 599 drives as good as it6:32looks. In fact, it drives even better6:34than that.6:35It's serene when you want to take it on6:37a road trip. It's stylish when you want6:39to strut around town and it's utterly6:41stimulating when you aggravate it.6:44It's true that the 2000s was the best6:46generation of vehicles.6:47You don't believe me,6:49drive the 599 GTB Fiorano and find out.6:53[Music]
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