When you love cars, anything with a Prancing Horse on the hood is special. No matter where you are in the world, and no matter how old you are, the sight of a red Ferrari is enough to cause excitement. Even so, sometimes the designers in Maranello decide to go above and beyond the call of duty, and release a super-limited edition destined for the garage of wealthy collectors. Based on the 488 GTB Spider, the J50 is designed to celebrate 50 years of Ferrari in Japan.
Launched in Tokyo, the J50 is a targa-topped throwback to legendary Ferraris from the 1970s and 80s. It was designed in Maranello and built by Ferrari Special Projects – the team responsible for Eric Clapton's SP12 EC – and just 10 examples will be built. No two cars will be the same, because owners will work in conjunction with the design team through every step of the build process to make sure it's up to scratch.
The bodywork on the J50 is completely new, with a number of subtle touches to link it with Ferrari legends of the past. The black line running around the nose and up to the base of the windows is reminiscent of the one you'd find on an F40, and the wraparound windscreen and windows have been designed to look like the aero screens fitted to open-top racers in the 1950s.
Down back, designers have fitted a clear engine cover and dramatic rear spoiler, along with a diffuser inspired by jet engine afterburners. The twin-taillight design of the 488 GTB is gone, too, replaced by quad lights similar to GTC4 Lusso's. Capped off by a set of unique forged alloy wheels, we'd say that this is one of the best looking limited-run cars Ferrari has produced so far.
Although the exterior has been thoroughly worked over, Ferrari has shown restraint with the interior. Unique sports seats and a three-tone trim are the only real changes over the 488, which means all the major controls are on the steering wheel. Owners will be able to choose the materials and color of their interiors, so expect no two J50s to be the same from behind the wheel.
As you'd imagine, Ferrari hasn't announced pricing information for the J50. Only 10 will be built and if you have to ask how much it costs, you probably can't afford it.
Source: Ferrari
