One to Buy: 17,000km Giallo Fly 2000 Ferrari 550 Maranello
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When the 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ made way for the new mid-engined 365 GT4 BB in 1973, it seemed unlikely that Ferrari would return to a front-engined layout for its flagship twelve cylinder two-seat series production line. For now, front-engined cars would still be offered, but only as four-seaters.
Despite the switch to a more modern mid-engined layout for the BB and its Testarossa replacement, prices for Ferrari’s fondly remembered last-of-line Daytona barely dipped below the original list price and generally gained steadily year-on-year thereafter.
When it became clear to Ferrari that technology had moved on sufficiently that a front-engined layout need no longer be dynamically inferior to a mid-engined package, the company decided to go back to their roots and create a Daytona successor: the 550 Maranello.
Having remarkably lapped Ferrari’s Fiorano test track an astonishing three seconds faster than the outgoing Testarossa-based F512 M that it was replacing, the elegant 550 Maranello proved both a critical and commercial hit. In total, a little over 3000 examples of the fixed head 550 were completed between 1996 and 2001.
Now, these cars look great in practically any colour, but there’s something about Giallo Fly with Nero upholstery that, despite the car’s size, just looks so right. And here’s one you can buy: chassis ‘117010’ which is currently being represented by Symbolic International out of Miramar, California.
Originally delivered to Japan where it remained until April 2025 following acquisition by the consigning dealer, chassis ‘117010’ is described as having all original paint. It has covered 17,000km from new and has recently undergone a major cambelt service.
