If you ever watched the Oscar-winning film "Ford v. Ferrari", you would probably know about the grueling conditions that drivers and their cars have to endure whilst racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Though Ford did win in the Matt Damon and Christian Bale movie and in the actual race back in 1966, Ferrari won the race more than 10 times, most recently, this year with an overall win over competitors Toyota, Porsche and Cadillac.
As a result, deep pocketed car collectors and racing enthusiasts who are looking to get closer to the action they only got to see on TV or movies now have a chance to live out the fantasies that they have only dreamed of.
Related: Stellantis brand Fiat is getting into an unusual new venture
The race winner (sort of)
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Ferrari RACE announced that it will offer its most dedicated customers a chance to get behind the wheel of a proper endurance race car. Dubbed the 499P Modificata, this $5.4 million racer is a non-competitive version based on the 499P race car that won the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans.
What makes this Ferrari "Modificata," or modified in English, is the car's non-competitive nature. In the same vein as Porsche's limited edition 911 GT3 R rennsport, this version of the 499P does not have to comply with the strict rules it has to follow in order to race at Le Mans.
As per the rules, the Modificata has a hybrid system with a 3-liter twin-turbo V6 coupled with a front axle-mounted electric motor. WEC rules say that the electric motor can only be activated at speeds of over 190 km/h, but this car meant for mere mortals has four wheel drive activated at all times. When combined, the system makes 697 horsepower through all four wheels, and can be bumped up to 858 horse power for seven seconds at a time via a “push to pass” button on the steering wheel.
Apart from the power change, many of the car’s components are shared with the Le Mans-winning racer, including a full carbon fiber monocoque chassis, a seven-speed sequential gearbox, a brake-by-wire system and a 800 volt battery pack that can also be found in Charles LeClerc’s Formula 1 car.
Additionally, Ferrari also made some accommodations for those of us who don’t have the bodies, pain tolerances or skills of the most disciplined racing drivers, including a tweaked push-rod suspension, a digital rear-view mirror, a slightly wider racing seat and different tires meant to offer more “predictable handling.”
The catch
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The 499P Modificata is the first car offered in the prancing horse’s new Sport Prototipi Clienti (Sport Prototype Client) program, where said cars will be kept and maintained in Ferrari’s facilities, and can be shipped to different racetracks around the world for their owners to drive.
Yes, a $5.4 million car you cannot keep in your garage.
On the bright side, you do get some value out of the $5.4 million price tag, as it covers the price of the cars, as well as two years of the Sport Prototipi Clienti program, which covers all the car’s maintenance, as well as the salary of your very own engineering team, who will accompany you at the track of your choice just like the ones at Le Mans.
Ferrari did not disclose how many 499P Modificatas will be made available.
Although this car is a version of one that won a 24-hour race on a circuit that partially consists of public roads, the Ferrari 499P Modificata is not street legal.
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