Ferrari has unveiled the stunning 599 GTB Fiorano for the first time on French soil at the Mondial de l'Automobile 2006. The 599 GTB Fiorano, which completes a range entirely overhauled in a little over two years, is a 12-cylinder front-engined berlinetta that delivers performance levels unmatched by any other production Ferrari. It is also the latest model to join the 612 Scaglietti, F430 and F430 Spider, all of which have been unveiled since 2004. 2006 has been a significant year for Ferrari in terms of company performance, continuing the positive trend of 2005. In the first half of 2006, the company recorded revenues of  706 million, a 16.7% increase on the same period last year. Ferrari also doubled its trading profit, which rose from 32 to  64 million with a total of 2,749 cars delivered to the dealership network (+4.8%.)

Marque development is also progressing apace, thanks both to new licensing contracts (Panerai for luxury watches, Marcolin for eyewear, Microsoft and Sony for video games) and to the excellent performance of existing ones. 2006 also saw the opening of the Venice Ferrari Store and a second Ferrari Shop opened at Milan's Malpensa Airport. By the end of the year, two other major Stores will open in Beverly Hills and Beijing. Since the start of the year, there have been several major changes to Ferrari's commercial and company structure too. Ferrari's American regional headquarters has taken over responsibility for Central and South America, and a new sales division was also created for the Asia-Pacific region which covers 13 high potential markets including Japan, China, Australia and Hong Kong.

To preserve the unique heritage of the Prancing Horse's surviving classic cars, Ferrari also created Ferrari Classiche, a new division providing historic car owners with maintenance, restoration, technical assistance and authenticity certification services.

The Company, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2007 with a worldwide event in which its clients will be the main participants, as well as showing the new 599 GTB Fiorano, is presenting the F430 Spider, the F430 and the 612 Scaglietti as well as the F2003-GA single-seater on its Paris stand. The 599 GTB Fiorano was certainly the most eagerly awaited model on the Ferrari stand at Paris. This car is quite simply the most innovative and technologically advanced mid-front-engined two-seater ever to come out of Maranello and is a new benchmark in terms of sportiness, driving pleasure and design. The 599 GTB Fiorano boasts absolutely blistering performance with its Enzo Ferrari-derived 5999 cm3 V12 engine which punches out 620 hp at 7600 rpm, has a power-weight ratio of under 2.6 kg/hp, a stunning Pininfarina-designed body and an all-aluminium spaceframe developed in collaboration with Alcoa.
 

A range of cutting-edge innovations guarantee absolutely superior driving pleasure, handling and sportiness too. The result is a car that roars from 0 to 100 km/h in an astonishing 3.7 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in just 11 seconds. The 599 GTB Fiorano also boasts a top speed in excess of 330 km/h. Courtesy of the ongoing transfer of technology from the Formula 1 single-seater to our road cars, the 599 GTB Fiorano is also equipped with two features that have proved enormously popular with its first owners: the F1-SuperFast gearbox which offers gear shifting in 100 ms, and the F1-Trac which optimises traction. Both features make their debut on this model.

The 599 GTB Fiorano also boasts other features which guarantee it superior standards of usability, ergonomics and safety: the SCM (magnetorheological fluid suspension system), developed in collaboration with Delphi, which guarantees improved bump absorption and body control, an enhanced manettino vehicle dynamics control switch, and a wind tunnel-honed body that yields stunning results in terms of downforce.

The uniqueness and distinctiveness of Ferrari's road cars can be further enhanced with the Carrozzeria Scaglietti personalisation programme which now offers additional new options. The entire range of cars is compatible, for instance, with an iPod® which is controlled via the radio-CD player. In fact the F430 and the Rosso Monza 599 GTB Fiorano on show at Paris are both fitted with iPods®.

The latter of the two cars also boasts front parking sensors. The 8-cylinder is now also available with a two-tone Alcantara® and leather interior and ball-polished Challenge wheel rims. The entire Ferrari range can also be treated with an anti-stone chipping protective coating. The Carrozzeria Scaglietti Personalisation Programme is divided into four distinct areas: Racing and Track, Exteriors and Colours, Interiors and Materials, Equipment and Travel. It has been available to owners since 1997 to allow them personalise their car to suit their own specific taste and requirements, turning each one into a genuinely unique vehicle. Since last year, all of the Ferraris built have included at least some personalisation features. Clients may also make non-catalogue requests which the company will endeavour to meet in the spirit of the work done by Sergio Scaglietti with Ferrari in its earliest days.

FERRARI IN FRANCE

With a total of 15 dealership and assistance points, France is one of Ferrari's most consolidated markets and accounts for around 5.5% of all of Maranello's sales. The Paris-based Ferrari West Europe has managed not only the important French market but also the Benelux and Iberian Peninsula ones since 2004. Ferrari's French clients share a sense of belonging to the marque that is virtually unparalleled elsewhere. Ferrari West Europe is working to strengthen its relationship with these clients in particular by enhancing the already high standard of service previously offered by former-importer Charles Pozzi.