Ferrari builds bespoke, limited edition model for Japan

TO MARK its 50th anniversary in Japan, Ferrari revealed a new, strictly limited series of bespoke cars for one of its strongest markets.

Called the J50, the special Japan- only Ferrari is a two- seat, mid/ rear engine roadster with a “targa” body style that’s evocative of several Ferrari models from the 1970s and 1980s. It was based on the Ferrari 488 Spider, built by the car maker’s Special Projects department, and was designed by the Ferrari Styling Center team in Maranello, Italy — Ferrari’s headquarters. In keeping with the brand’s “fuori serie” tradition, each car will be tailored to the requirements of the customer.

Only 10 examples of the J50 will be built.

Powering the car is a specific 690 cv version of the 3.9- liter V8 engine derived from the 488 Spider. The J50’s bodywork is new, and Ferrari said it heralds a “radically futuristic design language” for the brand. A “helmet visor” effect evokes Ferrari’s open- competition barchettas from as far back as the 1950s, while a black dividing line is a novel interpretation of a recurring Ferrari styling cue seen on iconic models such as the GTO, F40 and F50.

The car’s front section is lower in the middle, with prominent wheel arches on either side. Two carbon- fiber air channels, LED THERE HAS been no production Ferrari in targa form for decades — an aberration the limited edition J50 fixes. Like the exterior, car’s cabin significantly differs from the Ferrari 488 Spider on which the J50 is based. headlights and redesigned bumpers sharpen up the fascia. The windscreen header rail has been lowered to allow more airflow over the car and direct this toward the rear spoiler.

In the rear a transparent polycarbonate cover lets the engine and two separate roll hoops to peek through, a touch that’s a nod to one of the most distinctive features of Ferrari sports prototypes from the 1960s. Aiding aerodynamics in the back is a wing and a diffuser. Rounding out the car’s external styling are 20inch forged rims that are unique to the J50.

The car’s cabin also receives specific trim for the sports seats, behind which the carbonfiber roof can be stowed when this is folded. Leather and Alcantara wrap over most of the cabin furniture, although as a bespoke piece any item can be changed.

A J50 owner would not like his car to look like the other nine J50s, after all.