Drawing heavily on its illustrious ancestry, the 599 GTO Ferrari inherited the best traits of those who have gone before, specifically the iconic GTO of 1962–1964 and the more recent 599 GTB Fiorano.

Named for its 5,999 cc displacement, the 599 GTO was faster, yet more manageable than its predecessors. Powered by the six-liter, 12-cylinder engine, the 599 GTO can summon 661 hp and reach 62 mph in 3.35 seconds. The GTO benefits from several of the upgrades designed for its race-bred sibling, the 599XX, including the short-tract aluminum intake manifold, super-finished cam lobes, and a new flat crankshaft design. The advancements combined to reduce resistance with an increase in efficiency of 12% over the GTB’s V-12, effectively producing one the fastest cars on the road in its day.

In addition to increased horsepower, efficiency, and torque (upped to 457 lbs./ft. at 6,500 rpm) the GTO was upgraded to include the manettino (little hand) – a dial mounted on the steering wheel to control traction and stability. Settings range from “low” through “race” with light chassis-electronics intervention, all the way to “CST-Off” – basically canceling all stability and traction controls for the more adventurous driver. Upshift times are reduced to a lightning-fast 60 milliseconds, facilitated by oversized shift paddles on the steering column. To complete the racetrack dynamic, Ferrari installed the ultra-cool Virtual Race Engineer display in the cockpit, which visually demonstrates acceleration, braking, and cornering for the ultimate F1 experience. Thankfully, Ferrari engineers also thought to add a strong rein to the car’s spurs, with the addition of some heavy-duty Brembo brakes.

To encase the blistering power of the 599 GTO, designers utilized the GTB shell, created with lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber, to pare the weight by an astounding 220 pounds. The overall result is a distilled race-bred car that is lighter and more potent but infinitely more civilized than its performance statistics would suggest. While the 599 GTO can top 208 mph, charge through the gears with F1 dexterity, and press you into the back of its carbon fiber seats with the G force of an F-15, this sublime road machine can just as efficiently navigate city traffic with better manners than most drivers.

Appropriately, 599 units of the GTO were built. This example, built to GCC specifications and now titled in the US, displayed only 1,500 km (932 miles) at the time of cataloguing. It comes dressed in black metallic with a silver roof and tan and black Alcantara interior. The Ferrari has had just one owner, who has housed it in a state-of-the-art climate-controlled facility. This pristine GTO, accompanied by factory accessories including manuals, presents an opportunity for a marque devotee to acquire a supercar that carries the fabled Ferrari lineage, delivers extreme performance and track-bred grit, and measures in a dash of unexpected civility.