The Ferrari name was established on the racetrack in 1929, and its founder, Enzo Ferrari, intended to keep it there. In fact, Ferrari (the man) famously despised building road cars, but he saw it as a means to fund his racing programs when he launched the marque in 1947. As a result, Ferrari—a name now synonymous with the world’s best sports cars—seems to be competing with itself these days. Having released its LaFerrari flagship sports car (limited to just 499 examples) in 2013, the Italian automaker recently announced its latest and greatest iteration: the LaFerrari FXX K.
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About 10 years ago, Ferrari launched the Enzo-based Ferrari FXX, the first of its extremely limited, track-only monsters that you couldn’t take home and park in the driveway. Ferrari literally keeps the keys to these cars, transporting them from circuit to circuit so their owners can race. Next in line was the track-only Ferrari 599XX; neither predecessor holds a candle to the performance of LaFerrari FXX K. Ferrari claims that the FXX K lapped the company’s test circuit in Fiorano, Italy, in 1 minute and 14 seconds—5 seconds faster than the previous record holder, the LaFerrari. Like most track cars, this additional speed comes largely from aerodynamic modifications and increased power output. The FXX K’s naturally aspirated V-12 engine produces 848 hp, while an additional 187 hp comes from Ferrari’s innovative HY-KERS kinetic energy recovery system (in lay terms: electric power). The total comes to 1,036 hp, which is 87 more than the road-going LaFerrari.
Roughly $3 million buys you the privilege of owning a LaFerrari FXX K, along with two years of Ferrari handling and care. That being said, all 40 examples were sold before Ferrari even announced the car’s existence. It seems this members-only mentality, born from Enzo Ferrari himself, is a legacy that carries on still today. (ferrari.com)
