During the early 1990s, the premier sports car manufacturers began to implement Formula 1 technology in road-going automobiles to a previously unheard-of degree. In general, up to this time, most supercars were based on detuned sports racing cars or were brutish, turbocharged homologation specials. The first major step in this new direction arrived in 1992 with the McLaren F1, a car that boasted a naturally aspirated V-12 engine, a central driver’s seat, and exotic, race-proven materials in all aspects of its construction.

Not to be outdone, three years later and following an extensive period of development, Ferrari unveiled the F50. Like the McLaren F1, the F50 was a brilliantly engineered supercar that made use of authentic Grand Prix technology. It too possessed the purity of a free-revving, naturally aspirated V-12 engine and traditional six-speed manual gearbox, while eschewing driver aids such as power steering and anti-lock brakes.

Built around a lightweight carbon fiber tub, the F50’s extraordinary chassis featured advanced pushrod-operated suspension, massive Brembo disc brakes, and a rear-mounted transaxle. The mid-mounted, four-cam V-12, internally designated as the tipo F310B, was developed from the engine used in Ferrari’s 641 Formula 1 car and 333 SP, which won the FIA World Sportscar Championship from 1998 to 2001. Utilizing five valves per cylinder, dry sump lubrication, and the latest Bosch Motronic electronic fuel injection, this 4.7-liter engine produced 513 hp at 8,500 rpm, enough to propel the F50 to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds, and to a top speed of 202 mph.

Like its chassis, the F50’s bodywork was constructed from state-of-the-art composite materials and was the result of extensive testing. The Pininfarina design, inspired by the firm’s famed Mythos concept car, was carefully refined in the wind tunnel and featured underbody aerodynamics. Unlike its rival from McLaren, or the ancestral 288 GTO and F40, the F50 featured a removable hardtop, offering the possibility of open-air motoring, which was in keeping with its Formula 1 roots. Inside, the cockpit was minimal and focused, with bare carbon fiber throughout, LCD instrumentation, and supportive bucket seats trimmed in leather and Alcantara.

With only 350 examples initially planned for production, and a two-year lease program intended to discourage speculators, the F50 was extremely rare and difficult to access, as the motoring press discovered to their great frustration. When Car and Driver magazine finally found an owner willing to lend his car for a track evaluation, the wait proved to be worthwhile. As John Philips wrote in the magazine’s January 1997 issue, “The sound comes as close to raising goose-flesh as anything since the V-12 Matras lit up the Mulsanne.”

Over the past two decades, the F50 has come to be regarded as the most collectible Ferrari supercar, as it is the only model in the evolution from 288 GTO to LaFerrari that features the unique combination of a naturally aspirated V-12 engine, six-speed manual gearbox, Pininfarina-designed bodywork, and an exhilarating open-air driving experience.

The F50 presented here, chassis 104220, was completed at Ferrari on February 13, 1996, finished in the definitive Rosso Corsa (Racing Red) livery. The 73rd of only 349 examples constructed, this F50 is especially desirable, as it is one of only 55 originally built for the US market.

As documented by marque historian Marcel Massini, this F50 was delivered new through Ferrari North America to Rick Black’s official dealership, Beverly Hills Sports Cars. As recorded in the car’s original warranty book, it was sold new to broker Nadir Amirvand, who sold or leased it quickly thereafter to heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1966, Tyson was taken in at age 16 by boxing trainer “Cus” D’Amato. He would become arguably the most successful heavyweight boxer in history, earning his first championship belt at age 20. Tyson has owned many special cars over the years, including several Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Of these, this F50 was the most significant, a car that he owned at the very height of his professional career.

In 2001, the F50 was sold through Park Place Ltd. to tech entrepreneur and Infospace co-founder Kevin Marcus of Woodinville, Washington. Mr. Marcus showed the F50 at the Kirkland Concours d’Elegance on the shore of Lake Washington in 2004. It was then sold through Michael Sheehan to Atlanta-based collector Bruce Weiner, who entrusted the car to noted Ferrari specialist Rod Drew in Costa Mesa, California, for significant service work that included a new fuel tank bladder. The odometer showed just 5,320 miles at this time, as documented by invoices on file. Around 2006, the F50 found its way to the world-class Ferrari collection of Brian Ross of Cortland, Ohio, where it shared space with some of the marque’s finest sports racing cars for several years.

In May 2022, the current owner sent the F50 to authorized dealer Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale for a major service that included a new clutch, tires, and attention to the front suspension lift and air-conditioning systems, among other items. The F50 was also recertified for the Ferrari Classiche Red Book that already accompanied the car. A subsequent invoice from Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale dated June 2022, notes that the Alcantara interior panels were removed and recovered, and that the front under-panels were refinished to address superficial scratches. In all, nearly $75,000 was spent on this F50 during the past six months alone, as documented by records in the Ferrari’s history file.

In addition to this recent maintenance, this F50 is accompanied by its hardtop in its rolling “circus trunk” case, as well as its tool, bulb, and tire inflator kits, leather handbook folio, owner’s manual, warranty book, original window sticker, car cover, emergency soft top, factory presentation book, and luggage.

As one of Ferrari’s most legendary supercar models, any F50 is highly sought after. With only 55 examples officially built for the all-important US market, these cars are all the more desirable. It is exceedingly rare, however, that a US-specification F50 comes to auction possessing significant in-period celebrity provenance, Ferrari Classiche certification, a recent service performed by an authorized dealer, proper accessories, and limited mileage, with just 6,193 miles showing at the time of cataloging.

Exceptional in every respect, owned by notable Ferrari enthusiasts and coming to market in outstanding and recently serviced condition, this F50 presents an opportunity to acquire what is surely among the very best of this rare breed.