Gran Turismo Omologato: three words in the Ferrari vocabulary that carry a monumental significance. The first time they were used was on the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, the pinnacle of the 250 series, as it had accumulated numerous GT-class wins at the Tour de France, Targa Florio, and 24 Hours of Le Mans. It proved to be the ultimate dual-purpose sports car, as it was perfectly capable on public roads or on the track. In 1984, Ferrari unveiled the 288 GTO with the intention of competing in Group B rallying. However, the regulations were changed after the car had already been developed and introduced, but Ferrari still produced 272 road-legal versions, and all were sold before production began.

Twenty-six years later, Ferrari would use the GTO moniker for a third time for their newest supercar, the 599 GTO. This is not an appellation ever to be used for any “ordinary” Ferrari!

The 599 GTO was the road-going version of the fearsome, track-only 599XX. It was the most powerful Ferrari road car ever at the time of its introduction, as it produced 670 horsepower, more than the fabled Enzo. Changes over the standard 599 affected virtually every system in the car, as the GTO benefitted greatly from lessons learned from the radical 599XX program. In addition to the increase in horsepower, the suspension was more responsive, the shift-speed of the F1-style gearbox was upgraded to an astonishing 60 milliseconds, additional down force was gained through revised aerodynamics, and new, state-of-the-art carbon-fiber brakes were fitted. Ferrari also reduced the weight of the 599 GTO to 3,295 pounds by utilizing thinner aluminum for the bodywork and thinner glass and lighter components on the brakes, transmission, and exhaust.

Production of the 599 GTO was limited to, appropriately enough, 599 cars, of which only about 125 were originally delivered to the United States.

The car offered here, chassis number 183219, was purchased by its first and only registered owner in December of 2011. It was finished in this striking, optional, special color combination, Bianco Fuji, with the 599 GTO’s trademark black roof panel, at an extra cost of approximately $28,000. Also included is a clean CARFAX report, verifying the 599 GTO’s regular dealer maintenance, low mileage, and accident-free history, as well as the car’s owner’s manual, tool kit, and battery tender.

The consignor, a longtime Ferrari supercar client, notes, “I think this is personally one of the most beautifully proportioned front-engined Ferraris of the last decades. The 599 GTO picks up where the Enzo left off with incredibly quick shifts in a supremely easy-to-live-with car, with easy ingress and egress, and modern comfort. The single-clutch transmission is lighter than more recent dual-clutch units, yet shifts comparably in only 60 milliseconds, with just enough feel to connect you viscerally to the experience.” Indeed, he is only selling this particular example because it represents one of two in his collection, and the other he drives more frequently.

A supreme example of one of the finest modern Ferrari road cars, with stunning performance and appearance, this is a thrilling machine that is every bit the worthy successor to the honored GTO signifier.