Ferrari 599 GTO (2010) first official pictures

This is the new Ferrari 599 GTO, a very special limited-edition Italian supercar that takes inspiration from the track-only, £1.3m 599XX. Just 599 will be built (appropriately enough) and Ferrari is claiming this 661bhp beast is its fastest ever road car.

And you should be. The Enzo-derived 6.0-litre V12 has gained some 599XX-spec pipework to push peak power up from 612bhp to 661bhp. It’s still a little down on the 720bhp produced by the 599XX, but it’s the same headline figure as the Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV…

More importantly, a crash diet that size-zero supermodels would be proud of has cut 195kg from the 599’s kerbweight – the 599 GTO tips the scales at 1495kg.

Match that to the extra power, plus a F1 sequential manual gearbox that shifts cogs in 60ms, and the 599 GTO will hit 62mph in 3.35 seconds. And if you’re worrying about the environment, despite the extra grunt the reduction in kilos means the 599 GTO is actually 4g/km cleaner than the regular 599.

The aero-efficient body is most obvious. A new front spoiler, different sills, a bigger diffuser and a larger lip on the bootlid all contribute to extra downforce, while vents behind the rear wheels reduce pressure in the wheelarches. There’s a heavily contoured and vented bonnet too, and a contrasting roof (though it isn’t actually carbonfibre).

Michelin supplies a new set of 20-inch rubber, and nestling behind the 10-spoke alloys are the latest Brembo brakes with F1-inspired wheel doughnuts to help cool the carbon discs.

Inside the GTO isn't quite race-car spartan but the sat-nav and radio are absent (you should know the way to your local track and the V12 will provide the soundtrack) and the 599 GTO has the same Virtual Race Engineer system as the 458 Italia which lets you know when the car's systems, coolant and tyres are still cold, and when you’ve absolutely cooked it.

The price for all this Italian engineering? £300,000.

The Ferrari 599 GTO will shown to a few of Ferrari’s most valued customers at Maranello on 14 April, before being unveiled to us mere mortals at the Beijing motor show at the end of April 2010.

Does it deserve the GTO badge? We’ll find out when we drive it in the next few months.

By Ben Pulman