The Ferrari J50 Looks Suggests a new Design Pattern for Future Models
Ferrari is building a special limited edition model to celebrate its 50th year anniversary in Japan, the Ferrari J50. The project remained classified until its official show at the National Art in Tokyo. It’s not very hard to find out that J50, in other words means: Japan 50. The Italian company could build 50 examples, each one for each year in Japan. On the contrary it’s going to be even more limited: there will be only 10. The Special Projects department and the Ferrari Styling Centre developed this soon-to-be highly rare version of a Ferrari.
The designers in Maranello created a vintage look from the 1950’s helmet visors for the smooth windshield. Equally, Ferrari said that the J50 brings back the targa body-style of the 70’s and 80’s. The 488 Spider inspired the model. With the inspiration in mind, the sharp LED headlights and a dark line going all the way into the lateral air vents creates the illusion of a serpent. The air intake is the ”mouth”. In the back, you find dual headlights, an old concept used in F430, which ended production in 2009. The Ferrari FF’s successor GTC4Lusso brings back the dual headlights.
Slightly Faster Than the Ferrari 488 Spider
The polycarbonate cover shows the V8 twin-turbo for your own pleasure. Also, let’s not forget the Ferrari J50’s engine got more powerful. As can be seen, the 488 Spider’s engine 3.9-litre V8 twin-turbo gained more 20 hp and now delivers 690 hp. The performance numbers weren’t officially announced, but the Ferrari J50 could be slightly faster than the 488, which goes from 0-60 in 3.0 seconds, reaching maximum speed at 203 mph.
The Italian brand debuted in Japan with the front-engine Ferrari 275 GTB, in 1966. The first guy to own a Ferrari in Japan was Kazuo Maryuama. The GTB was a 2-door coupe designed by Pininfarina. The coupe’s core was a naturally aspirated 3.3-litre V12 that delivered 300 hp at 8,000 rpm, and 232 ft.lbs at 6,000 rpm. How quick was the Ferrari 275 GTB? It went from 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, and reached the maximum speed at 159 mph.
Kazuo Maryuama coincidentally was born in the first year Ferrari started in Italy, in 1948. The Japanese entrepreneur that has lived a good life, has a collection of Ferrari’s and even got to meet Enzo in 1983! Fast forwarding to 50 years in time, we get to see the Ferrari J50 Limited Edition. When Forbes asked Mr. Maryuma about Ferrari’s 50th year anniversary in Japan, he congratulated the company, and said that he still gets goosebumps when talks about the company. The only regret he mentions is that he wasn’t able to meet Enzo at first attempt in 1974. Now take a look at this video, of the world premiere of Ferrari J50 in Japan.
Photos via: Carscoops