Ferrari is getting away and we are referring to F1, naturally. The Italian brand never ceases to amaze with its ability to develop new cars and this 2023 will be remembered for its novelties. But this time we are not talking about a production car, or a street car, like the Purosangue, the Roma Spider or the recent SF90 XX Stradale.
It is an extraordinary supercar, named KC23, of which only one unit has been manufactured. It is a unique model in the world. And it is, at the same time, the latest creation of the Special Projects program, a circuit car, but with a design that completely breaks with everything seen so far.
The new beast from the Maranello firm will debut with full honors this weekend at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed.
This “One-Off”, the name given to projects that are limited to a single model, is commissioned by one of the main collectors of the Prancing Horse brand, and whose name has not been disclosed. We do know that Ferrari has invested more than three years in making it.
Very avant-garde in appearance, the KC23 brings a bold and extreme vision of a futuristic racing car with covered wheels, and reinterprets the lines of the 488 GT3, the most successful racing car in Maranello's 76-year history, in its “ Eve 2020”.
The KC23 achieves the double feat of elegantly captivating when standing still, but at the same time thrilling once on track thanks to ground-breaking aerodynamic options such as self-opening air intakes and a towering rear wing.
The opening of the doors is also special in this supercar. With a system similar to the one used at the time by the Enzo or the LaFerrari, they open vertically, 100% vertical in this case. Maximum sophistication, since they are articulated in a single arm.
The front hood, for its part, has a simplified opening system, which allows inspection and maintenance of the front with just removing two pins.
The headlights have also been redesigned at the front and, above all, at the rear, where the luminous methacrylate louvres, inspired by the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo concept car, provide a striking effect when turned on.
And it is equipped with two sets of specially designed wheels. The 18-inch will serve the KC23 to amaze crowds on circuits around the world, while the 21-inch front and 22-inch rear will allow it to express its class in static configuration.
The body painting is also special. Designed to enhance such a powerful design, it is called Gold Mercury and is made up of four layers with an aluminum base. In this way, a very striking effect is achieved, since it changes tonality depending on the type and angle of light that falls on the car.
Conceived for non-competitive use on the track, the chassis and engine are inherited from the 488 GT3. The aerodynamics reveal exhaustive work in the wind tunnel, with a unitary and monolithic effect bodywork.
Integrated side air intakes in the front and rear of the doors open and close automatically to channel air to the brakes and divert it over the body at high speed.
At Ferrari they talk about a “living” car, whose shape changes depending on how it is used. The massive rear wing is removable for the ultimate in formal cleanliness when on display for viewing.
The engine is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 located in the rear center position and delivers about 600 horsepower, although it could be more powerful since the KC23 is not subject to technical regulations in the world of competition.
Equally spectacular, the KC23 takes elements of the 488 GT3 for its interior, such as the steering wheel and racing instrumentation.
The Alcántara lining of the door panels and the dashboard stands out. As state-of-the-art technological elements, it is worth mentioning rear view cameras and those that replace rear view mirrors.
Ferrari has not communicated the price, nor will it do so, since it is an agreement between the brand and the owner. The car will make its debut this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and will then be on display for a while at the Maranello museum before it reaches its owner.
