Presented by RM Sotheby’s – The Ferrari F512 M, or “Modificata,” was launched in 1994 as the final version of the legendary Testarossa. Ultimately, it was to be the last flat-12-powered Ferrari produced, and in an effort to create a definitive final iteration, Ferrari improved all aspects of the model with particular attention paid to the chassis, engine and cosmetics. Numerous internal engine upgrades, including titanium rods and other lightened components, this along with increased compression helped bump engine output to 440 brake horsepower, a jump of 60 from the Testarossa’s 380 brake horsepower.
Engine modifications, coupled with refinements such as a new stainless exhaust, updated suspension, and a new Bosch ABS braking system, all combined to offer more power and better handling assisted by a near 50:50 weight distribution. Styling cues enhancing the 512 M’s design include a unique set of taillights, three-piece alloy wheels, and a completely revised front fascia which combined the striking lines of the F40 and 512 BB/LM.
These improvements resulted in impressive performance figures of 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 195 mph, figures quite close to the F40. In total, just 501 F512 M examples were manufactured for worldwide distribution, making it one of the rarest road-going models of Luca di Montezemolo’s reign at Ferrari.
SERIAL NO. 20
The F512 M offered here is serial number 20 of 75 examples produced for the United States market, and was sold new to actor Lorenzo Lamas on 16 October 1996 via Ferrari of Beverly Hills. Presented wearing the traditional combination of Rosso Corsa over beige leather, this highly original F512 M has traveled just under 14,500 miles since new.
After initial acquisition by Lamas, serial no. 20 was later retained by a pair of subsequent owners in Southern California, at least until 2005. In June 2009, this F512 M appears within the inventory of Algar Ferrari of Philadelphia, then showing approximately 8,000 miles. Algar sold the car to a Florida-based collector in October 2010, where it remained under their careful custodianship until May 2015, then showing approximately 13,000 miles.
In January 2015, this F512 M was exhibited at Cavallino XXIV in Palm Beach, Florida, where it won both a Platinum Award and the Modern Preservation Cup. Shortly thereafter, it was successfully submitted to Ferrari Classiche and certified as retaining its matching-numbers engine and gearbox. Six years on, this rarified F512 M shows just under 14,475 miles at the time of cataloguing. Offered from the Fox Collection, this award-winning example is now accompanied by its matching Schedoni luggage, in addition to its owner’s manuals and Ferrari Classiche Red Book.
The most potent and refined iteration of the Testarossa platform is the F512 M, and it is truly an incredible automobile. A quantum leap forward over the Testarossa of 1984, it represents the end of an era for Ferrari. With more and more technology being added to today’s supercars, analog examples have become increasingly desirable among collectors, and this rare Ferrari F512 M is no exception.
With minimal production runs and maximized performance, the Fox Collection is filled with supercar selections that truly stand out from their contemporaries, with a combination of uncommon specifications, low mileages, and outstanding color combinations. The Fox Collection will be offered entirely without reserve at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale, taking place 12-14 August 2021.
