Four months after Ferrari claimed a historic victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Italian car manufacturer has unveiled a special version of the race-winning 499 as a limited-run, track-only weapon for gentlemen racers. It is dubbed the 499P Modificata and offers even more performance than the Le Mans winner.
Driving the 499P Modificata is the same 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 as the race car that has been supplemented with an electric motor at the front axle. A key difference between the 499P Modificata and the Le Mans car is that this new model (available for private purchase, mind you) makes use of its electrical assistance from a standstill, rather than the race car that can only deploy its electric power beyond 118 mph (190 km/h).
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Free from regulations, Ferrari has also implemented a ‘Push to Pass’ system that delivers an extra 161 hp at the press of a button. All up, the 499P Modificata delivers 858 hp. All examples of the track-only Ferrari also come standard with bespoke Pirelli rubber measuring 310/70-18 at the front and 340/70-18 at the rear with a structure and tread compound derived from Formula 1 technology. A custom rain tire has also been developed for the car.
From a visual standpoint, there is very little to distinguish the 499P Modificata from the endurance car. Every piece of the body has been crafted from lightweight carbon fiber and while Ferrari isn’t quoting a downforce figure, it’s obviously going to be a lot. There is also no discernable difference between the cabin of the 499P and the car it is based on. In fact, Ferrari says it will provide “clients with exactly the same driving experience as the crews who drove the racing cars #50 and #51 that took the win” at Le Mans in June.
Owners will be able to hit the track in their 499P Modificatas through Ferrari’s Sport Prototipi Clienti programme at a number of international tracks every year. The carmaker itself will handle all logistics, track-side assistance, and maintenance.
The car isn’t cheap. In fact, it starts at €5.1 million ($5.39 million) before taxes but includes two years of running the car in the Sport Prototipi Clienti programme.
