Richard Aucock
Ferrari’s XX Cars wow at the 2018 Festival of Speed
Ferrari XX cars are ultra-exclusive models developed solely for use on the track through the Corse Cliente programme. They are at home on race circuits, and there are few more fan-friendly track spectacles in the world than Goodwood Festival of Speed.
At this year’s event, Ferrari displayed three models from its performance-focused line-up, from the very first FXX car to the latest evolution of this incredible saga. Join us as we take a tour of the Goodwood Supercar Paddock to check out Ferrari’s 2018 Festival of Speed line-up.
Ferrari FXX
The original Ferrari XX, the FXX was launched in 2005. It was a track-day development prototype of the Ferrari Enzo, aimed at client test drivers seeking the ultimate in circuit performance. A 6.3-litre V12 engine saw power rise from 670hp to almost 800hp, and the gearbox used learning from the F1 team to swap ratios in less than 100 milliseconds. The FXX has 40 percent more downforce, adjustable spoilers and, inside, full race-spec telemetry for analysis by race engineers.
Ferrari 599XX
The 599XX was the Ferrari Formula One team’s reinterpretation of the 599 road car. The makeover was extreme, including winglets on the C-pillar, ducktail rear spoiler and rear diffuser, a fully vented carbon fibre bonnet and even downforce-inducing fans in the boot. It had a full roll cage, race-style Lexan sliding windows, an LCD race display, plus air conditioning for on-track comfort. Producing 730hp at 9,000rpm, Ferrari confirmed at the 599XX’s 2009 launch that it was the fastest hypercar around Germany’s Nurburgring, with a time of six minutes 58.16 seconds.
Ferrari FXX-K Evo
The Ferrari FXX-K is the newest car in the XX stable. Derived from the road-going LaFerrari it is the first hybrid in the line-up: the K stands for KERS, the kinetic energy recovery system as raced in Formula One. It provided power for the 190hp electric motor that, in combination with a 6.3-litre V12, helps the FXX-K deliver a stunning 1,050hp. In 2017, at the Ferrari Finali Mondiali event in Florence to mark 70 years of the company, an upgraded FXX-K Evo was revealed. This has an even more extreme aero package, which delivers 23 percent more downforce than FXX-K, and an amazing 75 percent more downforce than the road-going LaFerrari.