Ferrari 550

Ferrari 550: which version to buy

If you are choosing a Ferrari 550, the catalogue gives one generation (1996–2001), one Coupe body, and two versions that share the same name: 5.5 MT. Horsepower is identical at 485 hp (357 kW) at 7000 rpm on both. The useful split is not power. It is top speed (320 km/h versus 300 km/h), whether fuel use and CO2 were measured, and whether the rear brakes are listed as Disc or Disc ventilated.

If you are choosing a Ferrari 550, the catalogue gives one generation (1996–2001), one Coupe body, and two versions that share the same name: 5.5 MT. Horsepower is identical at 485 hp (357 kW) at 7000 rpm on both. The useful split is not power. It is top speed (320 km/h versus 300 km/h), whether fuel use and CO2 were measured, and whether the rear brakes are listed as Disc or Disc ventilated.

There is no second generation to “step up to.” Production of this model in the data runs 1996-01-01 to 2001-12-31, with 2 versions inside that single generation. A later year in that window does not, by itself, change the engine, gearbox, drive, or weights in these figures.

Generations: what actually changed (and what did not)

1 generation (1996–2001), Coupe, 2 versions. Both versions are 5.5 MT. Both use a 5474 cm³ Gasoline engine, 12 cylinders, V-shaped, 4 valves per cylinder, boost No, Front, longitudinal, Distributed injection (multi-point), compression 10.8, bore × stroke 88 × 75, fuel 98. Both use Manual, 6 gears, RWD. Both quote 0–100 km/h in 4.4 s. Both sit at 1690 kg kerb / 1950 kg gross, 130 mm ground clearance, 114 L tank, and wheels 255/40 R18 and 295/35 R18. Front and rear suspension on both is Independent, spring. Front brakes on both are Disc.

What the two 5.5 MT lines do not share: maximum speed (320 km/h vs 300 km/h, a 20 km/h gap), city / highway / combined consumption and CO2 (measured on one line, not measured on the other), and rear brakes (Disc vs Disc ventilated).

There is no restyling generation in this dataset. If a listing only says “550 5.5 MT,” match it against top speed, rear-brake wording, and whether consumption is filled in.

Specs: both versions named 5.5 MT

Power is 485 hp at 7000 rpm and 357 kW on both 5.5 MT lines. Torque is 569 Nm at 5000 rpm on both. Specific output from the given numbers is 485 ÷ 5.474 ≈ 88.6 hp per litre, and 569 ÷ 5.474 ≈ 103.9 Nm per litre. Those ratios are the same for both versions because displacement, hp, and Nm are the same.

Performance, mpg, and what is not measured

5.5 MT (320 km/h line): 0–100 km/h 4.4 s; top speed 320 km/h; city 35.6 L/100 km; highway 15.5 L/100 km; combined 22.9 L/100 km; CO2 547 g/km; Euro 3.

5.5 MT (300 km/h line): 0–100 km/h 4.4 s; top speed 300 km/h; city not measured; highway not measured; combined not measured; CO2 not measured; Euro 3.

Acceleration in the table does not separate the two. The measured 0–100 figure is 4.4 s on both. The speed gap is 320 − 300 = 20 km/h, or 320 ÷ 300 ≈ 1.067, about 6.7% higher on the first line.

On the measured 5.5 MT, city use is 35.6 − 15.5 = 20.1 L/100 km above highway. Combined 22.9 sits 7.4 L/100 km above highway and 12.7 L/100 km below city. City is 35.6 ÷ 15.5 ≈ 2.30 times highway. Combined is 22.9 ÷ 15.5 ≈ 1.48 times highway.

Tank 114 L with combined 22.9 L/100 km implies about 114 ÷ 22.9 × 100 ≈ 498 km of combined range on the measured line. The same tank with city 35.6 L/100 km is about 114 ÷ 35.6 × 100 ≈ 320 km; with highway 15.5 L/100 km, about 114 ÷ 15.5 × 100 ≈ 735 km. Those ranges cannot be written for the second 5.5 MT, because city, highway, and combined are not measured there. Do not copy 22.9, 35.6, 15.5, or 547 g/km onto the 300 km/h line.

Euro 3 is listed on both. It is not a reason to prefer one 5.5 MT over the other.

Dimensions, weight, and wheels: no version advantage

Kerb 1690 kg and gross 1950 kg are the same on both 5.5 MT lines. Payload from those two numbers is 1950 − 1690 = 260 kg. Ground clearance is 130 mm on both. The tank is 114 L on both. Wheel sizes are 255/40 R18 and 295/35 R18 on both.

Power-to-weight from kerb and hp is 1690 ÷ 485 ≈ 3.48 kg per hp on both, or 485 ÷ 1690 ≈ 0.287 hp per kg. Using gross mass, 1950 ÷ 485 ≈ 4.02 kg per hp. Because mass and power do not move between versions, weight does not pick a winner.

Which 5.5 MT to choose

There is no automatic, no extra displacement, no AWD, and no second generation with different hp. The choice is between two 5.5 MT rows that share 485 hp, 569 Nm, 5474 cm³, Manual 6, and RWD.

Choose the 5.5 MT with 320 km/h and Disc rear brakes when you want the higher listed top speed and a full economy sheet. That line is the only one with city 35.6, highway 15.5, combined 22.9 L/100 km, and CO2 547 g/km. Combined 22.9 L/100 km is the figure to use for mpg-style comparison; the other 5.5 MT has combined not measured. The 20 km/h top-speed delta is the largest numeric gap between the two rows. Rear brakes on this line are Disc, matching the front (Disc).

Choose the 5.5 MT with 300 km/h and Disc ventilated rear brakes when the rear-brake listing is the priority. Rear brakes are Disc ventilated; front remain Disc. Top speed is 300 km/h, 20 km/h below the other line. Fuel use and CO2 are not measured, so you cannot claim a consumption win or loss versus 22.9 / 35.6 / 15.5 L/100 km. 0–100 is still 4.4 s. Power, torque, mass, tank, clearance, and wheels are unchanged.

Do not choose by horsepower. Both 5.5 MT versions are 485 hp and 357 kW. Unlike catalogues where two rows share a name and differ by hp, here the name collision is resolved by 320 vs 300 km/h, Disc vs Disc ventilated at the rear, and measured vs not measured economy.

Do not choose by generation. There is 1 generation. Years 1996–2001 on both versions match the generation window. A 2001 car is not a different generation in this data.

What extra numbers do not buy. There is no extra hp, no extra Nm, no extra gears, no change from RWD, no change from Gasoline 12-cylinder V-shaped with boost No, no change from 1690 / 1950 kg, no change from 114 L, no change from 130 mm, no change from 255/40 R18 and 295/35 R18. Arithmetic on the given table does not show a heavier, more powerful, or more economical second engine. The only extras in the numbers are +20 km/h and a filled consumption/CO2 block on one 5.5 MT, versus Disc ventilated rear brakes and not-measured fuel/CO2 on the other.

If a seller quotes only “550 5.5 MT, 485 hp,” that description fits both rows. Ask for top speed (320 or 300), rear brakes (Disc or Disc ventilated), and whether city/highway/combined and CO2 are on the sheet. Those three fields are how this catalogue tells the two 5.5 MT versions apart.