To honor the 50th anniversary of Ferrari in Japan, Italian sports car manufacturer has unveiled a new strictly limited series of bespoke cars, the J50. Created on the basis of the 488 Spider, the limit-edition auto comes to life with the help of a specific 690 cv edition of the 3.9-litre V8, the owner of the overall International Engine of the Year Award this year.
A two-seater, mid-rear-engined roadster, the J50 is engineered by Ferrari’s Special Projects department and designed by the Ferrari Styling Centre team in Maranello. The automaker has revealed that only 10 examples will be produced and each one will be tailored specifically to the customer’s requirements. The car, showcased during a special celebration held at the National Art Center in Tokyo, is finished in a special shade of three-layer red with a red-over-black interior trimmed in fine leather and Alcantara.
Conceived as a very low-slung roadster, the Ferrari J50 boasts a rather futuristic bodywork. The flank of the car is marked with a strong interplay between two main guiding lines: the slanted top edge of the side window, continuous with the windscreen, and the raked black swage line which dramatically rises from the low-set nose until it vanishes in the air intake aft of the doors. In the best tradition of Ferrari mid-engined sports cars, the hood section is lower at the centre with raised wheelarch crests. Two carbon-fibre air channels in the front hood make the front look even sharper.
To enhance aerodynamics, the radiators have been positioned closer together, and the front bumper has been completely redesigned. The windscreen header rail has been lowered to let more airflow over the aero foil and thus over the rear spoiler. The engine is framed by a transparent polycarbonate cover which is artfully shaped to provide a visual extension of the two separate roll hoops protecting the heads of driver and passenger. A transverse aero foil projects as a bridge between the hoops.
The rear looks aggressive with the quad taillight design widening the car visually under a high-downforce wing profile. The rear diffuser features an extractor shape inspired by jet engine afterburners, giving the car a powerful stance. 20” forged rims of unique design were crafted specifically for this limited-edition model. To mirror the design of the rear hood, a very distinct trim decorates the sports seats. The carbon-fibre hard targa top is divided into two pieces which stow conveniently behind the seats.
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