The Ferrari F50 Requires a Push Start To Run Its V12 Engine

It’s embarrassing to ask a stranger for help when your car breaks down. Now, imagine how bad you must feel when you need help starting your Ferrari F50. That’s what happens in this short clip.

Video starts in media res with people already driving Ferrari, so we don’t know where it all started. Six people pushed the F50 onto the road. The traffic is quite light, which makes the job much easier as there is plenty of space to move the vehicle around.

Once the Ferrari was well under way, the driver released the clutch, and the V12 roared to life. He waved at the helpers and thanked him by launching the vehicle, complete with a bit of smoke coming out of the rear wheels.

The Ferrari F50 debuted at the 1995 Geneva Motor Show to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Prancing Horse. To keep things special, the brand only made 349 examples.

Decades before the Mercedes-AMG One, the F50 put a Formula One-derived machine into a road-going supercar. The powerhouse was the naturally aspirated 4.7-liter V12 that was the factory variant in Ferrari’s 1990 F1 car.

The powerplant produces a healthy 512 horsepower (382 kilowatts) at 8,500 rpm and 347 pound-feet (471 Newton-meters) at 6,500 rpm. According to official specifications, the factory makes the F50 reach 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 3.87 seconds. Top speed is 202 mph (325 kph).

Like the engine, other parts of the F50 stem from Ferrari’s experience in F1. For example, there is a carbon fiber passenger cell with the front suspension attached directly to it. The engine is an emphasized member of the chassis.

The F50’s roof panels can be removed manually. This means passengers can enjoy the vehicle as a hardtop coupe or enjoy the wind in their hair.

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