 |
www.QV500.com - Ferrari 550 Part 8: 550 GT ‘Prodrive’ |
 |
By 1998, endurance racing was in crisis. What had been a grand stage for production-based GT's was turned into a viciously expensive two-way competition between major manufacturers running what were essentially sports prototypes. Understandably, the rules were soon changed and crack racers like the Toyota GT1 and Mercedes CLK GTR were no more. GT1 became obsolete with GT2 becoming the new GT class, GT3 being re-named N-GT. Another breakthrough came with the news that, assuming production demands had been met, teams could now homologate cars. |
This is an especially important factor when considering 550 racers as they have never been homologated, prepared or supported by Ferrari SpA. Instead, the majority of development work has been carried out by two seperate companies, Italtecnica and Prodrive having campaigned cars in the FIA GT Championship, the American Le Mans Series and at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Prodrive are the Banbury-based outfit familiar to enthusiasts for their World Rally Championship exploits with 555-liveried Subaru Impreza’s. Financed in part by one of Prodrive’s top clients, Frenchman Frederic D'or, work on the crack 550 GT racer began early in January 2001, an intensive design and development period dictating that the first completed chassis would not race until Round 6 of the FIA GT Championship at the Hungaroring in July. Retaining the central steel monocoque of series production 550's, Prodrive’s GT racecar uses totally redesigned double wishbone suspension with Koni dampers and widened track all round. |
 |
The front anti-roll bar is pushrod operated, front and rear axles meanwhile being upgraded with AP racing brakes featuring huge six-pot calipers and 375mm discs. Custom designed P-WRC 18-inch forged magnesium wheels manufactured by OZ Racing are 12 and 14-inches wide at the front and rear respectively, necessitating some subtle flaring of the fenders. Prodrive's V12 engine is ultimately based on the original aluminium block and cylinder heads of the stock 550 although capacity has been increased from 5474cc to 5850cc with a 6-litre version also on the cards. |
| This impressive double overhead camshaft 48-valve motor with carbon fibre inlet trumpets works with an X-Trac six-speed sequential gearbox mounted on the rear axle. Exact output is open to question (it's certainly over 600bhp), weight having been cut from 1690 to just 1100kg giving the Prodrive GT more than double the stock 550’s power to weight ratio with around 550bhp per tonne. The bodywork has also undergone some fundamental changes, all panels being fabricated from carbon composite save for the roof and rear quarter panels. At the front, Prodrive designed an entirely new valance dominated by a huge grille, re-profiled brake cooling ducts and a jutting chin spoiler. The front wings have been re-profiled and while the stock hood scoop remains unchanged, it's now flanked by a myriad of engine cooling louvres. Deep skirts house side exiting exhausts, competition fuel fillers being located in each three-quarter window, the tail featuring an adjustable rear wing and huge rear diffuser. |
Prodrive |
VIN | History |
01 |
107617 | New for Prodrive. 2001 FIA GT Championship: Hungaroring 3 Hours (Menu / Rydell) DNF A1-Ring 3 Hours (Kox / Rydell) 1st Nurburgring 3 Hours (Kox / Rydell) 3rd Jarama 3 Hours (Menu / Rydell) 1st Estoril 3 Hours (Menu / Rydell) DNF Sold to BMS Scuderia Italia 2002 FIA GT Championship: Magny Cours 3 Hours (Calderari / Bryner / Dor) 14th Silverstone 3 Hours (Calderari / Bryner / Dor) 11th Brno 3 Hours (Calderari / Bryner / Dor) DNF Jarama 3 Hours (Calderari / Bryner / Dor) DNF Anderstorp 3 Hours (Calderari / Bryner / Dor) 5th Spa 24 Hours (Calderari / Dor / Kox) DNF Enna 3 Hours (Calderari / Bryner / Gounon) DNF Donington 3 Hours (Calderari / Bryner / Gounon) 2nd Estoril 3 Hours (Calderari / Bryner / Gounon) 5th |
02 |
108418 | New for Prodrive. 2001 American Le Mans Series: Road Atlanta Petit Le Mans (Duez / Kox / Rydell) DNF 2002 American Le Mans Series: Sebring 12 Hours (Enge / Menu / Rydell) 30th overall, 5th in GTS Sold to BMS Scuderia Italia 2002 FIA GT Championship: Magny Cours 3 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini) 6th Silverstone 3 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini) DNF Brno 3 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini / Enge) DNF Jarama 3 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini) 1st Anderstorp 3 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini) 1st Oschersleben 3 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini) 1st Spa 24 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini / Bryner / Zadra) DNF Enna 3 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini) DNF Donington 3 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini) DNF Estoril 3 Hours (Deletraz / Piccini) 1st |
03 |
113136 | New for Prodrive. 2002 Le Mans 24 Hours: Le Mans 24 Hours (Enge / Menu / Rydell) DNF 2002 American Le Mans Series: Laguna Seca (Enge / Kox) 13th overall, 1st in GTS Miami (Enge / Kox) 12th overall, 3rd in GTS Road Atlanta Petit Le Mans (Enge / Kox / Menu) 10th overall, 2nd in GTS |
04 |
112886 | tbc |
05 |
108612 | tbc |
06 |
108462 | tbc |