Ferrari has delivered the ultimate Christmas present, a unique one-off Ferrari built to the specific requirements of its new owner using Ferrari’s Portfolio programme that enables Ferrari’s most discerning clients to design and own cars that are, quite literally, unique.

Dubbed the Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta, the unique supercar has been built for Edward Walson, the American son of John Walson, the inventor of cable TV. His inspiration for the car was a 1968 Federico Fellini film, “Toby Dammit” inspired by one of the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, which contained a unique Ferrari built by Carrozzeria Fantuzzi specifically for the film.

“I had always dreamed of designing sports cars,” Edward Walson explains, “and when I saw this film the decision came of its own accord: one day I would have ‘my’ Ferrari.”

Although based on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, considerable changes were required as 599 GTB is a Coupe and the P540 is an open topped car and, like all Portfolio projects, the unique Ferrari had all the same safety and homologation requirements of normal production road car. The car was designed by Pininfarina and built at the Ferrari factory in Maranello. The client was directly involved in each stage of its development. As the 599 GTB Fiorano donor car is a coupé, considerable effort went into strengthening the chassis by using finite element analysis in development and the increase in weight was kept down to just 20 kg by employing carbon-fibre extensively. From the initial sketches to the final, road-legal car took just 14 months.

As the Edward Walson took delivery of the car at the Ferrari test track, Fiorano, his excitement was understandable: “This is the most special Christmas present of my life!”

Technical specifications

Length 4731 mm

Width 1954 mm

Height 1300 mm

Wheelbase 2750 mm

Front track 1690 mm

Rear track 1620 mm

Engine

65° V12

Displacement 5999 cc

Maximum power 456 kW (620 CV) at 7600 rpm

Maximum torque 608 Nm (62 kgm) at 5600 rpm

Transmission

F1 6-speed gearbox

Tyres

Front 245/35 20”

Rear 305/35 20”

Fuel consumption

Combined cycle 17.9 l/100 km

CO2 emissions

Combined cycle 415 g/km