1995 Ferrari 512 M

Lot details
Registration No: N221VEC
Chassis No: ZFFVA40B000103577
Mot Expiry: July 2017

- LHD example of Ferrari's limited edition supercar

- c.16,500 miles only, supplied new in Holland by Kroymans

- Rosso Corsa with Pelle Nera hide

According to its accompanying paperwork, the lefthand drive 512 M being sold left the Modena production line in late 1995 and was delivered to its first keeper via the Dutch Ferrari importer Kroymans - it was finished in the classic Prancing Horse colour of Rossa Corsa and trimmed in Pelle Nera hide. It then spent some time as part of a Japanese collection before being imported to the UK in 2015 and granted the registration 'N221 VEC' in March 2016. The Ferrari's history file contains many invoices for maintenance work carried in the Far East as well as a related DVD containing scores of photographs of this work. There are also a pair of 2015 bills from SB Race Engineering of Watford totaling over £6,500 that include charges for a cambelt change, work on the suspension, the replacement of tyres all round and repairs and paintwork to the engine cover.

The vendor regards the Testarossa's bodywork, paintwork, interior trim, 12-cylinder engine and five-speed manual gearbox to all be in 'excellent' order. Its odometer currently displays a mere 26,583 kilometers (c.16,500 miles) and the 512M is now being offered complete with original leather tool case, the aforementioned invoices, Swansea V5C and a current MOT valid to July 19. As the world moves away from multi-cylinder internal combustion engines towards hybrids and the silence of electric vehicles, the sonorous sound of a Ferrari flat-twelve can surely only become more treasured.

Though an evolution of the 512 BBi, Ferrari's Pininfarina-penned mid-engined, flat-12 Testarossa was of markedly different appearance. In order not to recreate the high cabin temperatures of its predecessor, it featured a pair of rear-mounted radiators rather than the 512BBi's single front-mounted one. This called for large, slatted intake ducts leading from the doors and rear quarter panels, and it was these that gave the newcomer both its distinctive looks and considerable girth - at 77.8 inches, it was nearly 6 inches wider than the 512BBi. The model was also longer and higher, resulting in more passenger and luggage accommodation.

The Testarossa name (Italian for 'Red Head') was an echo of Ferrari's immortal Testa Rossa sports racing cars of the 1950s and the engine's cam covers were painted red, as before. The five-litre Colombo-designed unit was very similar to that of the 512 BBi, but featured four-valves per cylinder. Together with other improvements, this resulted in a healthy output of 390bhp. The Testarossa reigned for seven years, before metamorphosing into the 512 TR and finally the limited edition 512M.

The 512M is distinguished by its open rather than concealed headlamps, the NACA ducts at the top of the bonnet, circular tail lamps and restyled bumpers. Inside, the gearknob was given a chrome finish, the aluminium pedals were drilled, air conditioning was standard fit, and carbonfibre racing seats available at no extra cost. Both Pininfarina and Ferrari flags adorned the facia. Still more output was extracted from the engine, which was now capable of 440bhp at 6,750rpm and 370 lb ft of torque at 5,500rpm. New titanium conrods and a revised crankshaft knocked 16 lbs off the previous weight of these components and permitted a revised rev limit of 7,500rpm. The improvements meant the 'Red Head' could now complete the all-important 0-60mph dash in 4.7 seconds, that to 100mph in 10.2 seconds, and attain an optimum speed of just 4mph shy of the magic 200mph.

The 512M was not only the final iteration of the iconic Testarossa, it was also the last Ferrari to be powered by a flat-12 engine, a configuration synonymous with their F1 cars of the 1970s. Unlike the Testarossa and the 512 TR which came before it, the 512M was a limited edition model and just 501 examples were produced between 1994 and 1996.