2005 Ferrari FXX Hot Wheels - N5610 (diecast)
Published 02/11/20
The Ferrari Enzo was Maranello’s flagship, named as homage to the company’s founder. Although not directly stated as so, it came as the successor to cars like the 250 GTO, F40 and F50. Released in 2002, the Enzo (or F60) is a project coming directly from Ferrari’s F1 know-how and experience. Maranello used technologies and systems lifted directly from their F1 cars. For instance, it had a carbon fiber body, electrohydraulic shift transmission and carbon fiber and ceramic composite disc brakes. The engine was Ferrari’s F140B, a naturally aspirated 65° V12. It displaced 5999 cm³ and with DOHC and 48 valves, produced 660 hp. That was enough to take the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.65 seconds, with a top speed of over 350 km/h. Produced from 2002 to 2004, a total of 400 units left the Maranello factory.
But as with all high-end sports cars brands, Ferrari can’t rest on past laurels. So in 2005, with a design heavily based on the Enzo, they released the FXX. Contrarily to the Enzo, the FXX was a track day special. In addition, almost every aspect of the car received improvements. The engine, for example, now displaced 6262 cm³. With tweaks everywhere from the Bosch Motronic ME7 electronic fuel injection to the valvetrain, it delivered 789 hp. The whole body was reworked for downforce and low drag, receiving new aerodynamic elements. And the Enzo’s gearbox, already absurdly fast, also was upgraded. With the upgrades, shift times for the FXX is under 100 milliseconds. Literally, that’s faster than a blink of an eye. Consequently, all those improvements meant a 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds! Ferrari produced a total of 30 cars, and when new each cost about £2 million.
However, there was a caveat to all that speed and technology. First, even if you had the money, you couldn’t buy one, Ferrari chose the owners. Secondly, even if Ferrari “allowed” you to buy the FXX, you couldn’t take it home. Your car would be “kept safe” at Maranello. AND, you could only drive it in special events from Ferrari’s Corse Clienti program 🤐. Although the car was practically an F1 car covered by a carbon fiber body, that’s too much. In fact, these are THE most stupid and ridiculous requirements I’ve ever heard for a super or hypercar. The worst part is that after the FXX Ferrari does that to all their special track cars, like the 599XX and FXX-K.
I’m not a big fan of Ferrari (if there was any doubt). I do like some of their cars, but I don’t like how the brand shaped itself as divine in the automotive world. “Of course it’s great, it’s a Ferrari” – that credo began with Enzo Ferrari himself and persists today. And that bothers me. So why did I buy an FXX? And worse, this is my second FXX (I already had an FXX Evoluzione). Well… To summarize, I think the FXX looks badass. And I thought it would be cool to make the shot above. So here it is. Basically it’s as good ( = fantastic) as my FXX Evo, and look very similar. However Hot Wheels went the extra mile and made them different with some minute details. In the end it’s a great model, but maybe having more than one is only for the ferraristi.
Dear Mercury, what have I done?!? People will now think I’m a ferrarista!!! 😫