Bosses at Maranello were savvy to the demand from racing drivers for their front-engine V-12 platform, as the predecessor to the 575M Maranello, the 550 Maranello, had been honed as a race-tuned machine by private teams. This earlier model proved just how clinical Ferrari’s cars could be on the racetrack. With a remit to make an “off the shelf” competitive car that Ferrari could sell direct to customers, the company briefed its Corse Clienti department to oversee development of a race version of the 575M Maranello.

The resulting 575 GTC was revealed at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany after close collaboration with N Technology, and 12 were made by the factory. Significantly, these would prove to be the end of Ferrari’s long and illustrious line of V-12-powered, front-engine racing cars.

While the roadgoing 575M Maranello shared many traits with its predecessor, the competition car gained a host of new features. Additional cooling vents were installed to regulate the temperature of the larger 6.0-litre V-12 engine that delivered power to a six-speed Xtrac sequential manual gearbox; an internal roll cage was fitted; and it gained carbon fibre body panels as well as aerodynamics-enhancing bodywork such as a large rear wing, front splitter, and rear diffuser. Inside the car, bucket seats were made from carbon fibre, and glass side-windows were removed in favour of split Lexan material. For all the efforts to save kilos, the 575 GTC had a dry weight of 1,148 kilograms—only just meeting the FIA’s requirements for a minimum permitted weight—and performance was rated at 600 horsepower, with a claimed top speed of 208 mph.

This example, chassis number 2224, is the last of the 12 examples of the 575 GTC constructed. In turn, it is considered to be the very last front-engine V-12 racing car ever made at the Ferrari factory. The Ferrari was built for Rock Media Motors, a private team based in Italy, for participation in the 2005 Italian GT Championship with Antonin Herbeck and Andrea Montermini taking turns behind the wheel.

That season’s Italian GT Championship began as a non-starter, with the first race of the season in Imola cancelled as it fell on the day of the death of Pope John Paul II. A few weeks later, with the car wearing the race number 12—as it would for the rest of the season—the Ferrari finished 11th in the first race in Misano, then failed to finish in the second race of that weekend. At the next race in Vallelunga, the car did not finish the first race, nor would it start the second. At Monza, the Ferrari finished 6th in race one, then 9th in race two. Two weeks later, the 575 GTC finished 10th overall and 9th in class at the Brno Supercar 500, part of the 2005 FIA GT Championship (wearing, for this event, race number 24).

For the rest of the Italian GT Championship season, the car finished 17th and 7th over two races in an isolated overseas race in Budapest, Hungary; did not finish and came 13th at Magione; then did not finish either race in Mugello. The car was entered once in the 2006 season, failing to finish either race at Imola.

The car was subsequently acquired by Mr. Guikas from its original owners, and it has remained in his care since. It is now presented in its original, dramatic racing livery and accompanied by a spare V-12 racing engine. Offered with an extensive file of race records and technical information, this 2005 Ferrari 575 GTC is a compelling high-performance offering in its own right—and one that also represents the very final chapter in the marque’s glorious history of front-engine, V-12-powered racing machines.

Please note that this lot is sold on a Bill of Sale.