Cars
Meeting The Ferrari Enzo
Twenty-one years ago (although it certainly doesn’t seem that long ago) Ferrari unveiled the biggest technical leap in its storied supercar history. More accurately, the new Ferrari Enzo showcased numerous technical leaps – note the plural.
As a journalist covering the 2002 Paris Motor Show on that late September opening press day, I scheduled separate interviews with Ferrari specialists in advanced materials (most prominently the car’s cutting-edge use of carbon fibre and honeycomb construction), aerodynamics (the most advanced of any road car on sale up to that time), powertrain (it saw the debut of Ferrari’s latest V12 and a new super-fast paddle-operated gearshift) and innovative new carbon ceramic disc brakes. I don’t think I have ever devoted more time to one single new car at a motor show.
The Enzo was one of the most spectacular and technically advanced Ferraris of all
When it was unveiled on Ferrari’s Paris Show stand, few cars have elicited more ‘wows’. It wasn’t because of the car’s beauty or grace: to my eyes there have been many lovelier Ferraris. (Although others disagree.) Rather, it was because the car looked so spectacular. It was a stunning example of technology and functionality. What it may have lacked in styling poetry, it more than compensated with a charismatic design that unashamedly prioritized performance. It was about figures as much as feel; science as much as sensuality; engineering more than style. Never before (or since) has a road Ferrari been so influenced by function.
It was designed as a technical tour de force and would showcase some of the most advanced fast car technologies that Ferrari, masters of the art, could demonstrate in a road legal limited-edition supercar. (Just 399 examples were planned: a 400th would follow and was donated to the Vatican for charity.) Unsurprisingly, much of the technology came from Formula One, the breeding ground for so many Ferrari road innovations.
Other notables include the car’s name: the only Ferrari named after the company’s founder.
The focus on functionality and the F1 inspiration were very evident in the cabin
The Enzo was designed very much in the wind tunnel and, like a Formula One car, it looked it. Pointy, angular and with noticeable inlets and venturis to manage airflow, it was clearly influenced by contemporary F1 Ferraris, then religiously winning world championships for Michael Schumacher and the Scuderia.
It offered record levels of downforce for a road car, to the benefit of braking and high-speed stability. Its advanced active aerodynamics (illegal on F1) included adjustable underbody flaps and a discreet automatically engaged rear spoiler. Like an F1 car, much of the aero magic took place under the car to give an unprecedented level of ‘ground effects’, including a big rear diffuser.
I was lucky enough to drive an Enzo soon after its unveiling. Its downforce and aero sophistication were noticeable at speed. Here was a car that really put you in touch with the road, in a way no supercar had done before. It was a worthy successor to wonderful limited-edition supercars such as the 288 GTO, the F40 and the F50 – but operated on a higher technical plane.
Pointy style and big venturis and inlets were borrowed from F1 and helped to give outstanding aero performance
This was very evident in its construction. The 288 GTO, F40 and F50 pioneered the use of advanced composites: the F40 had a carbon and Kevlar body, and the F50 an F1-style carbon fibre monocoque. But the Enzo elevated this to a new level of lightness, rigidity, and strength. (I still remember the Ferrari engineer virtually bursting with pride, as he explained the Enzo’s state-of-the-art F1-standard carbon fibre to me at the Paris Show.) Dry weight was just 1255kg, astonishingly light for such a powerful (660 hp) V12-powered supercar.
The new V12 was the world’s most powerful naturally aspirated engine. The F140 unit now powers all V12 Ferraris and remains Ferrari’s most iconic modern powertrain. A new six-speed automated manual gearbox gave lightning-fast shift times of just 150 milliseconds – astonishingly quick for 21 years ago.
Braking power was phenomenal. It was the first road Ferrari to use carbon ceramic brakes – a familiar sight on the Scuderia’s F1 cars at the time but pioneering for the road.
The design was driven by functionality. But the Enzo was still one of Ferrari’s most spectacular looking cars
As with all limited-edition flagship Ferrari supercars, the Enzo was a test bed for advanced new technologies. Most would soon find their way onto other Ferraris. It would also sire the FXX, the 2005 limited-edition (30 were built) track-focused prototype that boasted more V12 power, enhanced aero, an even faster gearshift and better brakes.
And, in turn, lessons from that would enlighten every subsequent Ferrari.