Guide: Giugiaro's Jubilee - a Historical & Technical Appraisal of the Ferrari 612 Ital Design GG50
BACKGROUND
Having embarked on a career as an automotive designer in 1955, Giorgetto Giugaro went on to become arguably the most successful and influential motor car stylist of the post World War 2 era.
Giugiaro started out as a member of the Fiat Special Vehicle Design Team, from which he departed after four years to take up a position with Bertone.
During a six-year stint with Bertone, Giugiaro most notably went on to oversee production models such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT and Giulia Sprint SS, the Fiat Dino Coupe, Iso A3/L Grifo and BMW 3200 CS. In addition, famous one-off commissions emerged such as the Aston Martin DB4 GT Jet, the Alfa Romeo TZ2 Canguro and a brace of unique Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinettas.
A brief two-year instalment at Ghia between 1965 and ‘67 yielded a further array of era-defining projects like the De Tomaso Mangusta and Maserati Ghibli.
All this had been accomplished prior to Giugiaro’30th birthday.
In 1968, Giugiaro established his own styling house, Ital Design, the first study to emerge from which was the show-stopping three-seat Bizzarrini P538-based Manta which caused a sensation at the Turin Salon in October 1968.
The years that followed saw Giugiaro pen iconic production models like the Lotus Esprit, BMW M1 and Maserati Bora. An array of highly influential wedge concepts also emerged from the Ital Design studio such as the Maserati Boomerang, Lamborghini Cala and Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Iguana, but unlike his great rival, Marcello Gandini, Giugiaro was able to successfully transition into the modern era.
Despite his aforementioned contribution to that brace of 250 GT SWB Berlinettas (of which the twin-nostrilled chassis 3269 GT came to be regarded among the most beloved Ferraris of all time), as the 20th century drew to a close these elegant front-engined two-seaters remained Giugiaro’s only designs to have graced a product to bear the Cavallino Rampante.
The late 1990s did see Ital Design make an unsuccessful proposal for what became the 360 Modena, but Ferrari ultimately elected to stick with long-term partner Pininfarina and Giugiaro’s dream to once again collaborate with arguably the most revered automotive brand in the world had to remain on ice.
Finally, following a meeting with Ferrari President and CEO, Luca di Montezemolo at the Paris Motor Show in September 2004, Giugiaro was given official approval for an Ital Design project to celebrate his 50th anniversary as an automotive stylist.
Wanting something he could enjoy with his family, Giugiaro created a fully operational one-off based on Ferrari’s latest four-seat flagship, the 612 Scaglietti. 612 production had just begun following its unveiling at the Detroit Motor Show back in January ‘04.
Montezemolo agreed to supply Giugiaro with a 612 and provide the necessary technical assistance so long as the machine met two requirements: that it be perfectly in keeping with the Ferrari tradition and transmit a sensation of compactness.
The resultant 612 Scaglietti-based GG50 broke cover a little over one year later at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2005.
BODYWORK
Whereas Pininfarina elected for a somewhat unconventional approach to the 612 Scaglietti’s exterior (where avant-garde features such as a scalloped side profile and WHAT headlights stood out), Ital Design adopted a more traditional approach for the GG50 albeit with an array of ultra modern details.
As a consequence of its shortened overhangs (reduced by 20mm at the front and 70mm at the rear), the GG50 instantly appeared a more compact design.
The nose was characterised by a pronounced primary intake flanked by a pair of vertical cooling slots that incorporated a pair of LED fog lights. Further up, Xenon headlight assemblies repeated the vertical theme, in between which was a V-creased hood that swept back to the cockpit.
An expansive windscreen with concealed top rail and matching photochromic roof gave a seamless impression of a single-piece glass canopy. The Fastback rear quarters incorporated a concealed lift-up hatch. To withstand the weight of the new lift-up hatch, a crossmember joined to two reinforced risers was added to the trailing edge of the roof.
From the sides, the rear seats were so well concealed that the GG50 gave the perception of a classic two-seater. Also down each flank were deep fully integrated skirts and cut away front fender vents, the profile of which meandered back along the wheelbase thus creating a bas-relief that faded into the rear.
Kick-up rear fenders gave the back end a muscular appearance. The tail fascia housed traditional circular LED tail lights (two per side), a discrete central tailgate lip for additional stability and a black-painted apron that reduced the overall sensation of height.
INTERIOR
Inside, although the GG50 retained Ferrari’s stock instrumentation and certain aspects of the switchgear, practically every other cockpit detail was redesigned.
Like the standard 612, the GG50’s analogue rev counter and speedometer (along with the digital screen that provided all manner of supplementary technical data) were housed in a single hood binnacle directly behind the three-spoke steering which was itself brand new.
Housed at the head of the central control panel with its glossy dark grey finish with was a Pioneer AVIC-X1R satellite-navigation system, under which were a trio of fresh air vents and a quintet of rotary dials for the air-conditioning system.
The GG50’s seats retained the standard 612’s structural framework, but were externally redesigned.
Located in between both the front and rear seats were a generous storage compartments. More storage compartments (this time with an unusual beech wood inserts), were located on the door panels which came with natural aluminium grab handles.
Red inserts were incorporated to the seats and door trim panels, but the rest of the upholstery was trimmed in beige leather with matching carpet.
In order to maximise load capacity, the backs of the GG50’s rear seats could be folded down to create a flat platform which resulted in a massive 500-litre storage space. The installation of these folding seats meant the standard 612’s 108-litre fuel tank (normally positioned vertically behind the rear seats) had to be switched for a new 95-litre item mounted below the trunk’s platform line. Additionally, the GG50 featured a redesigned rear crossmember which joined the suspension domes atop the fuel tank.
CHASSIS
Aside from the aforementioned technical changes, under the skin the GG50 was pure 612 Scaglietti.
It featured an aluminium spaceframe chassis with 2950mm wheelbase to which the similarly aluminium body was welded in place.
Independent double wishbone suspension was fitted all round with an anti-roll bar at either end. Active coil sprung dampers automatically adapted to changing road conditions.
Via a steering wheel-mounted button the driver could select either a Normal or Sport mode, the latter of which firmed up the shocks, quickened the speed-sensitive power steering, sharpened throttle response, reduced gear shift times and introduced a higher intervention threshold for the Control Stability and Traction system (CST).
Ventilated steel brake discs were fitted all round (345mm front, 330mm rear) along with four-piston calipers.
Instead of standard or optional wheels from the regular 612 Scaglietti, Giugiaro initially equipped the GG50 with custom split-rim five-spoke items to his own design.
ENGINE / TRANSMISSION
In the engine bay was the 612’s usual version of the longitudinally-mounted 5.7-litre 65° V12.
Designated Tipo F133 F, unlike the 575M motor from which it was derived, this latest unit ran a higher 11.2:1 compression ratio (up from 11.0:1) plus skimmed heads, revised camshaft timing, 130° intake and exhaust valve seats, slightly enlarged intake lines and the latest Bosch Motronic ME 2.7 engine management.
The rest of the longitudinally-mounted engine’s characteristics were unchanged; they were all-alloy 65° V12s with dual overhead camshafts per bank, four valve cylinder heads, Nikasil-treated liners, forged Mahle pistons, titanium connecting rods and dry-sump lubrication.
Displacement was 5748cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 89mm and 77mm respectively.
Peak output was 540bhp at 7250rpm (up from 515bhp at 7250rpm). The torque rating was an unchanged 434lb-ft at 5250rpm.
Giugiaro opted for a 612 configured with the normally optional electro-hydraulic F1 paddle-shift gearbox.
These six-speed F1 units (now dubbed F1A) were built by Graziano Trasmissioni. They offered a fully automatic mode or manual shifting via paddles mounted either side of the steering column behind the steering wheel.
Both types of 612 gearbox (manual and F1) were mounted in unit with a bevel-type final drive and limited-slip differential and transmitted the power through a single-plate clutch.
WEIGHT / PERFORMANCE
Although no official weight figure was originally issued, the GG50 most likely tipped the scales at a figure not dissimilar to a standard F1 gearbox-equipped 612 Scaglietti (1875kg).
Accordingly, performance figures would have been in the region of 199mph flat out and 4 seconds from 0 to 62mph.
SUBSEQUENT HISTORY & INFLUENCE
Following the GG50’s completion, Giorgetto Giugiaro began to use it on the road with a set of the BBS wheels offered as an option on the regular 612 Scaglietti. Aspects of its design could be seen in both the subsequently released Ferrari 599 GTB amd FF.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ital Design - https://www.italdesign.it/
