SO YOU'VE decided (belatedly) that you want an Enzo Ferrari but you just found out that all 400 of these limited-production cars have been sold. A long time ago. Fret not. It is still possible to get such a car. Sort of.

It may have a few horses less, and they might be located in a different part of the car, but an important element of the Enzo can be found in the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

The 599 is Ferrari's flagship model and this two-seater Gran Turismo has the same massive V12 engine found in the Enzo. The only difference is that while the Enzo has a mid-engine layout, the 599 has the six-litre power plant up front to drive the rear wheels.

The Enzo-derived V12 is also slightly detuned in the 599 - it packs 620 horses, or 40 hp less. But that is the last thing you will notice from behind the wheel. Floor the gas pedal and the 599 hurtles forward like a wild beast that has just been jabbed in the rump with an electric cattle prod.

The acceleration is breathtaking. Yet, there is little drama in the cabin. The surge of power is well controlled and although the exhaust note sounds aggressive, it isn't raucous. Everything remains stable and comfortable.

Easy to drive

In fact, the 599 is so easy to drive that you are likely to start throwing it around corners like a hot hatch. For something as big and heavy as this - it is almost 4.7 metres long and weighs 1.7 tonnes - it truly is the epitome of nimble.

Part of the reason is its good weight distribution - 47 per cent front and 53 per cent rear. This distinct rearward bias, together with different diameter wheels (19 inches in front and 20 inches behind), enhances the 599's stability and makes it so well balanced in a high-speed curve that riding a children's tricycle could induce more anxiety.

Another reason for the on-road confidence is the suspension, which employs Magnetoreological damping control that modifies damper behaviour with an electronically controlled magnetic field.

But if you get a chance to slow down and savour your surroundings, you will find that the 599's cabin is pure visual delight. The instrument binnacle features a novel Multidisplay screen, which can show any of the following: the water and oil temperature indicators, or the tyre pressure readouts, or one of two available trip meters, and - the most interesting of all - the race readout with chronometer, lap times and best maximum speed, among other track day-required information.

On the carbon fibre steering wheel, there are three items you will not likely find in other road cars. The first is the red Engine Start button, the second is the manettino, and the third a LED rev display on the rim. As in the F430, the manettino provides for the choice of five driving modes - from maximum stability and comfort, to deactivated stability and traction control. The rev display is taken from the Enzo and only lights up above 6,000 rpm, with each LED indicator coming on in increments of 500 rpm until the red line at 8,500 rpm.

Another of the 599's party tricks is the Launch Control. When the button on the lower centre console is depressed, all 620 horses are unleashed in the most furiously optimal fashion from standstill. This may not extend the lifespan of the F1-SuperFast gearbox and twin-disc clutch but it will be fun. In fact, everything about the 599 is fun.

The car may not look as pretty as older Ferraris but you can't exactly call it ugly either. Instead of the styling though, the 599 is all about the drive. It is Ferrari's most powerful V12-engined production model. Yet for such a supremely powerful car, it feels light and agile, without that heavy, cumbersome nature of some Italian supercars.

It is also sophisticated enough to be used as everyday transport - its dual personality allows for both a languid, low-speed drive in an urban setting, as well as a much faster, more aggressive adrenaline-filled experience on open roads. And with the same user-friendly appeal of all modern Ferraris, it is immensely comfortable too. What a delightful little number the 599 is.

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Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Engine: 5,999cc V12
Gearbox: 6-speed F1-SuperFast transmission
Max power: 620 hp @ 7,600 rpm
Max torque: 608 Nm @ 5,600 rpm
0-100 kmh: 3.7 secs
0-200 kmh: 11 secs
Top speed: over 330 kmh
Price: from $1.1 million
Distributor: Hong Seh Motors Tel: 6266-1555