20.11.2004 FERRARI ARE REPRESENTED AT THIS WEEKEND'S MPH04 MOTOR SHOW AS PRESTIGE LONDON-BASED DEALERSHIP HAVE INCLUDED THE 575 M MARANELLO AND 612 SCAGLIETTI IN THEIR LINE-UP

Ferrari are represented at this weekend's MPH04 Motor Show, as London prestige dealership H.R. Owen have included the 575 M Maranello and 612 Scaglietti in their sportscar line-up.

H.R. Owen Plc is the ‘official dealer’ of the MPH’04 Live Motoring Theatre which opened at Earls Court on Thursday and which concludes tomorrow evening. More than one hundred of the world’s most spectacular cars are on display, alongside the live Theatre of Motoring which takes place in the 4,000 seat arena, and is hosted by BBC TV Top Gear’s maverick presenter, Jeremy Clarkson.

The two Ferrari models are part of a massive forty car line up from H.R. Owen at the show. The company, founded in 1932 by Harold Rolfe Owen, includes Ferrari, Maserati, Lotus, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, BMW and Audi amongst its many franchises.

The 2+2 'Gran Tourer' Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, made its world debut at January's Detroit Motor Show, and its British debut at the Motor Show Live, held in the vast halls of the Birmingham NEC, back in June.

With deliveries to UK customers now starting to get underway, the show presents, for Ferrari and H.R. Owen, an ideal opportunity to show the 5.75-litre V12-engined sportscar to potential London buyers.

As is customary, the sensuous exterior bodywork of the 612 Scaglietti is the work of Pininfarina and thoughtfully evolves Ferrari’s current styling philosophy with obvious trademarks coming from the successful 360 model.

Keeping this in mind, the famed coachbuilder has also succeeded in creating a modern interpretation of the legendary 375 MM Berlinetta Pinin Farina Speciale “Bergman” (chassis 0456AM), a one-off dating from 1953 and named after its famous original owner, actress Ingrid Bergman. Perceptible elements that have evolved from this most admired thoroughbred are the distinctive side swages, which provide a striking solution to the side graphics of the new design.

The front view is dominated by a traditional Ferrari grille, which sits embraced within a crease that continues to run over the wings and underneath the glass-house area. The result gives the sensation of strength and provides a clear relationship between the headlamps, grille and bodywork.

Quad Ferrari tail lamps sit snugly within the curvaceous rear haunches and are accentuated by soft, undulating crests. The general rear end is a clear evolution of the 456 GT, a characteristic of the ancestor which was always greatly admired. A discreet line connects the rear, side and front sections of the bodywork stylistically. The car is fitted with 18- and 19-inch starfish alloy wheels at the front and back respectively.

The rich interior combines elegance with a sporting and simplistic nature. The instrument binnacle is dominated by a large analogue rev-counter with traditional white-on-black graphics. The speedometer is offset to the right, whilst the left is taken up by a multifunctional digital display.

Themes translated from the exterior styling include the starfish air-vents and the undulations present in the dashboard. A simple aluminium finish completes the scene, whilst a black band runs boldly down the centre of the cockpit and continues between the twin rear seats. 

The 612 Scaglietti is joined by a 575 M Maranello, another front V12 engined sportscar from the world's most famous sportscar maker. The 575 M is itself an evolution of the successful 550 Maranello, and the example presented here is finished in a distinctive dark metallic blue, with a tan leather interior.

A race-bred Ferrari 575 GTC is also on display in the MPH04 foyer. This car, derived from the 575 M Maranello, is a pure track car, developed by N-Technology. It instantly entered the marque's history books by winning its first ever competitive race, the Estoril round of the 2003 FIA GT Championship. In the hands of the same team, JMB Racing, and with ex-F1 star Karl Wendlinger leading the driver line-up, it also won this year's FIA GT round held at Donington Park.