Given the Top Gear/The Grand Tour presenter's well-known love for powerful American muscle cars, it should come as know surprise that his favored Ferrari featured a long hood, a big engine, and, best of all, a manual transmission. Now, it can be yours.
Richard Hammond has owned some truly exceptional cars, but this 1998 Ferrari 550 Maranello is, apparently, the car he regrets selling the most. We can understand why – the 550 Maranello is one of our all-time favorite Ferraris.
The 550 Maranello is powered by a 5.5 liter V12 producing 478 horsepower and 419 lb/ft of torque. The real treat, though, rests between the seats – the gated gear shift for the six-speed manual transmission.
To many, that gated shifter is an iconic Ferrari feature that's sorely missing from today's models. The last Ferrari built with a V12 up front and a gated six-speed was the 599 GTB Fiorano, of which just 30 were built between 2007 and 2012.
Like most Ferrari owners, the current owner has spent a great deal on service to keep this machine in top condition. Apparently, 1990s Ferraris have an issue with buttons sticking and not working properly, so the owner had each button and knob individually cleaned or replaced if needed.
According to Car Buzz, this right hand drive 550 Maranello was owned by Harry Metcalfe, who founded Evo magazine. Metcalfe owned the car from 2004 to 2006, when he sold it to Hammond.
Hammond would keep the car a bit longer, selling it in 2012 to its current owner. He's apparently spent the last eight years regretting his decision. We're not sure if he's currently bidding on the car, but if you want to make it yours, nothing's stopping you.
