Ferrari KC23 a one-off track day special

FERRARI has unveiled the sensuous KC23, the one-off track day special commissioned by a “leading” collector of Prancing Horse cars as a high-powered “toy” based on the highly successful 488 GT3 Evo 2020 – a car with over 530 race wins and 119 championship titles to its name.

Built by Ferrari’ Special Projects group, the KC23 took over three years to develop and is said to encapsulate what the future of the brand’s closed-wheel racers “might” look like.

Finished in a special four-layer Gold Mercury aluminium-based paint, the KC23 is designed to appear as if it we “sculpted from a single block on metal” and features several clever styling cues aimed at concealing some of the more necessary functional elements of the vehicle.

“From the very earliest days of the project, and in agreement with the client, the Ferrari Styling Centre focused on creating a radical one-off car completely free of homologation constraints and clothed in the kind of timeless lines that would make (it) an instant classic while also providing a tantalising glimpse into the future of supercars,” said Ferrari Styling Centre head, Flavio Manzoni.

“That challenging goal demanded that every single one of the 488 GT3 Evo 2020’s lines be redesigned, glass surfaces and light clusters included.”

With LED light bars front and rear, and motorised side vents that extend automatically when the car is fired up, the KC23 is certainly futuristic. Its oversized rear wing can be removed when the vehicle is on display, and the 18-inch racing wheels swapped for staggered 21-inch front / 22-inch rear wheels.

Cameras and screens replace the traditional wing mirrors, improving air flow, while inside, the KC23 includes bespoke door panels and Alcantara upholstery in what is otherwise a standard 488 GT3 cockpit.

Also shared with the 488 GT3 is the KC23’s 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine. Developing 447kW at 7000rpm and 700Nm at 6000rpm in “standard” trim, the unit drives the rear wheels via a Getrag-sourced seven-speed sequential gearbox.

A 0-100km/h time close to the donor car is expected – roughly 2.8 seconds – on route to a top speed of 340km/h.

The Ferrari KC23 is set to make its public debut at this week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed before going on display in the Ferrari Museum in Maranello until October. After that, we assume “KC” will get to put the car through its paces on track – and we look forward to seeing it in action.