Ferrari has whipped the covers off its new J50, a strictly limited series of bespoke cars based on the 488 Spider.
The J50 was unveiled in Tokyo at an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ferrari in Japan.
The Ferrari J50 is a two-seater, mid-rear-engined roadster that employs Ferrari’s now-familiar 3,9-litre, turbocharged V8. The brand says it “marks a return to the targa body style evocative of several well-loved Ferrari road cars of the 1970s and 1980s”.
It was created by Ferrari’s Special Projects department and designed by the Ferrari Styling Centre team in Maranello. Only 10 examples of the J50 will be built and each one will be tailored to the respective customer’s requirements.
As you’ve by now no doubt gleaned, the bodywork is all-new, with Ferrari describing it as giving the car “a highly distinctive personality that suits the tastes of a clientele that seeks the utmost in innovative styling”.
The Italian automaker says the “helmet visor” effect is reminiscent of its open competition barchettas from the 1950s, although the 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 J50 furthermore benefits from some serious aerodynamic development: the radiators have been positioned closer together, the front bumper has been completely redesigned, and the windscreen header rail has been lowered, allowing more airflow over the aerofoil.
And those 20-inch forged alloys were created specifically for this limited-edition model. Inside, model-specific trim adorns the sports seats. The carbon-fibre hard targa top is divided into two pieces, which stow behind the seats.
